Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) | Laken Inflatables

Welcome to the Laken Inflatables help hub! Below, you'll find everything you need to know about booking, setup requirements, safety policies, and equipment care. If you have a question that isn't answered here, feel free to get in touch with our friendly team.

📅 Booking, Payments & Timings

Q: How do I book?

A: Booking is fast and easy! Simply use our live online booking system to check availability and reserve your date. Alternatively, feel free to call, text, email, or message us on Facebook. All of our up-to-date contact details can be found at the bottom of our website.

Q: Do you require a deposit?

A: Yes. We require a £20 non-refundable deposit to secure your item and date. Once paid, your asset is reserved exclusively for your event.

Q: When and how do I pay the remaining balance?

A: Our automated system sends out payment reminders 3 days and 1 day prior to your event. You can pay your balance via:

• Online Link: Clicking the secure payment link inside your reminder emails.
• Cash on Delivery: Exact cash handed to our setup crew upon arrival.
• Bank Transfer: Please contact us in advance if you require our direct banking details.

Q: Is a bouncy castle cheaper if I only need it for 2 or 4 hours?

A: No, our standard daily hire rate remains the same regardless of whether you keep the item for 2 hours or the full day. Once an item is allocated to your booking, it cannot be re-hired to another customer on that same day.

Q: How far in advance should I book?

A: We strongly recommend booking as far in advance as possible to ensure availability, especially during peak spring/summer party seasons. However, we do accept last-minute bookings up to the morning of the event - subject to stock availability!

🏛️ Indoor Venue & Hall Hire

Q: What times should I state when booking a hired hall or indoor venue?

A: When booking for an indoor hall or venue, please clearly state the following four times on your booking form:

1. Hall Access Time (When you get the keys)
2. Party Start Time
3. Party End Time
4. Hall Vacation Time (When you must leave)

⚠️ Important: Please allow 1 hour of buffer time before your party starts and 1 hour after it ends. This ensures our team has sufficient time to navigate traffic, unload, setup, inflate, and safety-check the gear before your guests arrive.

🚚 Delivery, Setup & Space Requirements

Q: What are your standard delivery and collection times?

• Morning Deliveries: Generally scheduled between 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM.
• Evening Collections: Begin from 5:00 PM onwards.

Our routes are planned economically, and we operate a "First Delivered, First Collected" policy so every customer enjoys maximum play time. If you require exact delivery windows, please specify your requirements during booking.

Q: Do you offer overnight hire?

A: Yes! Overnight hire is available for selected inflatables, starting from £30 , provided the equipment is installed in a secure, locked back garden (e.g., high fences and locked side gates). If you plan on partying late into the evening, we strongly recommend choosing overnight hire so you don't have to worry about strict collection times!

Q: How long does setup and pack-down take?

A: Installation typically takes 15 to 30 minutes, and collection takes approximately the same. Larger multi-asset packages or obstacle fun runs may require additional time.

Q: How much clearance space is required?

A: Space requirements vary depending on the product. As a general rule, we require:

• A minimum 3ft (90cm) clear passage width through side gates, garages, or corridors.
• A 3ft to 5ft buffer space around the sides, front, and rear of the inflatable for inflation tubes, blowers, and safety mats.

Please check the dimensions listed on your chosen item's product page or call us if you are unsure.

⚡ Electricity & Surface Suitability

Q: What power source is required?

A: Each inflatable blower requires 1 standard 13-amp domestic plug socket. We supply commercial heavy-duty extension leads up to 50 metres in length. comes as standard with a 25mtr another £25 can be added for just £5

🚫 Power Warning: Our extension leads must be plugged directly into a main wall socket and NEVER into household extension reels, as this trips the power and creates a fire risk.

Q: Can bouncy castles be set up on concrete, tarmac, or gravel outdoors?

A: No, unfortunately not. Under UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) regulation BS EN 14960, outdoor inflatables must be anchored with 163kg of weight per anchor point if not pegged down. For a standard bouncy castle requiring 6 anchor points, this equates to nearly a tonne of weight, which cannot be safely transported or handled.

Therefore, outdoor setups must be installed on a flat real grass lawn where we can drive heavy steel ground stakes deep into the earth.

• Patios / Paths: If you have a paved path that is flush with a grass lawn on both sides, we may be able to install over it provided all anchor points can be staked safely. Please contact us to discuss before booking!
• Prohibited Outdoor Surfaces: We NEVER install on concrete, tarmac, gravel, artificial grass (unless anchored into soil underneath), dirt, mud, or sand.

🌦️ Weather Policies (Rain & High Winds)

Q: What happens if it rains during my outdoor hire?

A: Most of our bouncy castles come equipped with built-in shower covers and can comfortably cope with light, passing showers. However, we strictly enforce the following rain care rules:

🌧️ CRITICAL RAIN RULE: If it rains during your outdoor garden hire, YOU MUST KEEP THE INFLATABLE FULLY INFLATED.

• Why? If an inflatable is turned off and deflated during rain, water seeps into the internal stitching, air channels, and deep foam seams. Deflating a castle in the rain ruins the equipment and requires days of drying in our depot.
• Drying Fee: If an inflatable is left deflated in the rain, a drying fee of up to £35 will be charged.
• Soft Play Care: Soft play and ball pools MUST BE BROUGHT INDOORS IMMEDIATELY if it begins to rain to prevent water damage.

Q: What happens if high winds are forecast?

A: Under UK Safety Standards (BS EN 14960) and HSE law, we are legally prohibited from erecting any inflatable in wind speeds or gusts exceeding 24mph (38km/h).

If wind gusts are forecast to exceed 24mph on your event date, we must cancel or relocate the outdoor setup for the safety of your children. In these circumstances, you can move your setup to an indoor venue or transfer your date for free.

🧹 Equipment Care & Cleaning Fees

Q: How should the equipment be returned to your team at collection?

A: We take pride in delivering immaculate, showroom-quality equipment to every customer, and we expect our gear to be treated with respect. When our crew arrives for collection:

1. The bouncy castle must remain fully inflated so our staff can inspect and wipe it down.
2. All soft play blocks, shapes, and rockers must be returned to the padded mats provided.
3. All play balls must be gathered and packed back inside the ball pool (or supplied collection bags).

⚠️ Cleaning Fee Notice: Equipment must be returned in a clean state similar to how it was set up. If our team finds the equipment contaminated with confetti, face paint, silly string, food, drinks, shoes, or excessive mud/grass, a cleaning fee of up to £50 will be charged automatically. (We understand a small amount of outdoor grass is unavoidable, but please give the jumping bed a quick wipe down before collection!)

🛡️ Safety, Insurance & Compliance

Q: Are you fully insured?

A: Yes! We hold £5 Million Public Liability Insurance, which meets and exceeds the strict requirements for local Essex councils, schools, churches, and community halls. Copies of our insurance certificates are available upon request.

Q: What are PIPA / RPII safety certificates?

A: Under UK Safety Standard BS EN 14960, every commercial inflatable must undergo an extensive annual safety inspection performed by a certified examiner. PIPA and RPII are official UK inspection bodies. All of our inflatables carry valid safety tags and are logged on the national PIPA database (www.pipa.org.uk) for public verification.

Q: Are your electrical blowers PAT tested?

A: Yes! Every inflation blower, RCD safety adapter, and heavy-duty extension lead undergoes annual PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) to guarantee electrical safety.