1 Who we are and what these terms cover

1.1 These terms form the contract between CARSONS EVENTS LTD, company number 14272038, trading as Carson's Castles, and the person or organisation named on the booking. Our registered office is 47 Buckland End, Birmingham, England, B34 6LB.

1.2 These terms apply to private customers, businesses, schools, councils, charities, event organisers and anyone booking for another person or venue. They cover the equipment and services identified in the booking confirmation, including unstaffed inflatables, staffed attractions, overnight hire, mechanical attractions, soft play, furniture, gazebos, generators and catering.

1.3 An individual hirer must be at least 18 years old. An organiser booking for another person or venue remains responsible for all charges and for obtaining the venue's permission. The hirer must ensure that the venue, supervisors and users receive the rules relevant to them.

1.4 The booking confirmation, product label, manufacturer instructions, written safety handover and these terms must be read together. If safety instructions differ, the strictest applicable safety requirement controls. A special term written in the booking confirmation controls over a general commercial term in this document, but it never relaxes a safety requirement unless Carson's has expressly approved a safe product specific variation.

2 How a booking becomes binding

2.1 An online booking becomes binding when the customer submits it after seeing the equipment, event date, price and terms acceptance box. For a booking made by telephone, email or WhatsApp, the booking becomes binding when Carson's sends written confirmation after the parties agree the booking details or receives the required deposit, whichever happens first after the terms have been provided.

2.2 A quote is not a reservation unless it says otherwise. Availability may change until the booking becomes binding. The customer must check the confirmation promptly and tell Carson's immediately about any error.

2.3 A credit booking becomes binding when Carson's has approved credit and sends an invoice expressly stating that credit has been approved. A standard invoice, receipt or payment request does not grant credit. The terms in force when the booking becomes binding apply to that booking; later website changes do not retrospectively alter it.

3 Booking information and changes

3.1 The hirer must provide complete and accurate information about the event, venue, date, operating period, users, access, surface, power supply and any restriction that could affect delivery, setup, safe operation or collection.

3.2 A request to change an item, date, venue, delivery time or collection time is subject to availability and takes effect only when Carson's confirms it in writing. Until then, the original booking remains binding. A change may alter the price where the revised booking confirmation says so.

4 Deposits and ordinary payment

4.1 The product deposit is the amount shown against that product at checkout or in the booking confirmation. Deposits secure equipment and delivery capacity for the event date and are dealt with under clauses 6, 7 and 8.

4.2 Unless approved credit applies under clause 5, the remaining balance is due immediately after installation and before the equipment is handed over or used. Payment may be made using the methods accepted by Carson's at the time.

4.3 If payment is refused or cannot be made, Carson's may stop installation or withhold handover. If installation is complete, Carson's may prevent use, deflate where safe and remove the equipment. The booking will be treated as a customer cancellation and the applicable cancellation charge remains payable.

5 Approved credit and invoices

5.1 Invoice credit is available only to a school, council, business or organisation that Carson's approves in writing before delivery. A request for an invoice is an application for credit and does not itself change the ordinary payment terms. The applicant must provide its full legal name and billing address and any other information reasonably required to verify the account.

5.2 An approved credit invoice is payable within 30 calendar days of the invoice date. The customer must pay in full without unauthorised deduction or set off. A genuine invoice query should be raised promptly, and any undisputed amount remains payable by the due date.

5.3 For a late payment arising from a business to business transaction or a public authority contract, Carson's may charge statutory interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts legislation at 8 percentage points above the Bank of England base rate, or the replacement statutory rate. Carson's may also suspend future bookings and withdraw credit. This commercial interest clause does not apply to a private consumer.

5.4 An invoice must not be treated as approved credit unless it expressly says so. A purchase order or the customer's internal payment process does not override these terms or delay payment unless Carson's agreed that variation in writing before the booking became binding.

6 Customer cancellation and booking credit

6.1 A cancellation must be sent through a booking communication channel and is effective when Carson's receives it. If the customer cancels at least 7 full calendar days before the event date, each product deposit is converted to booking credit. If the customer cancels fewer than 7 full calendar days before the event date, each product deposit is retained.

6.2 Where the customer paid more than the product deposit, the balance above the retained deposit will be refunded after any properly due amount has been deducted. Carson's will not charge the remaining product price solely because of an ordinary customer cancellation.

6.3 A cancellation credit must be used by the original customer within 12 months of the original event date. It may be transferred to a new date once, has no cash value, is subject to availability and is applied at the prices in force for the replacement booking. Any price increase is payable by the customer.

6.4 A customer decision not to proceed because of a forecast, rain or other weather concern is treated as an ordinary cancellation unless Carson's has declared the conditions unsafe under clause 7. Nothing in this clause limits a consumer's rights where the law does not permit those rights to be excluded.

6.5 Where the statutory exception for services related to leisure activities or catering on a specific date or during a specific period applies, the usual 14 day cancellation right for a distance contract does not apply. If that exception does not apply to a particular contract, the customer's statutory cancellation rights remain unaffected.

7 Weather cancellation

7.1 Carson's makes the final decision on whether weather conditions are unsafe for delivery, setup or operation. A customer is not entitled to a weather refund merely because the forecast is poor or conditions are inconvenient while Carson's considers safe operation possible.

7.2 If Carson's declares conditions unsafe before the delivery vehicle leaves for the booking, payments for the affected equipment will be refunded in full. If the crew has arrived and the equipment cannot safely be installed because of the weather, the customer will receive credit for the full value of the affected equipment rather than a cash refund. That credit follows the use, availability and price rules in clause 6.

7.3 If conditions become unsafe after handover, use must stop immediately in accordance with clause 14. A refund is not due where the customer continues use contrary to safety instructions or where safe operating conditions later deteriorate after the service and equipment were properly supplied.

8 Cancellation or changes by Carson's

8.1 If Carson's cannot supply a booked item, it may offer a replacement, but no replacement will be supplied without the customer's agreement. If no replacement is accepted, Carson's will refund the amount paid for the affected item. The remainder of a multi item booking continues unless it cannot reasonably be performed.

8.2 Carson's may cancel, refuse or stop a service where continuing would be unsafe, unlawful or prevented by severe weather or flooding. Carson's will explain the applicable refund or credit under these terms. These remedies do not remove any statutory right that cannot legally be limited.

9 Delivery collection and hire times

9.1 A free delivery or collection window is a time range in which the service may occur, not a promise to arrive at the beginning or end of that range. Traffic, access and earlier work may affect arrival time. Where delivery is delayed, Carson's will extend collection where reasonably practicable. Minor delay does not entitle the customer to cancel where the event can still substantially proceed.

9.2 A hall booking requires fixed delivery and collection times. A specific time applies only when the customer selected the specific time service and Carson's confirmed it in writing. The customer must disclose any venue closing time or restricted access period before booking and must select a collection option that falls within it.

9.3 If equipment is unavailable for collection during the confirmed window because the venue is locked, the customer or venue changed access without agreement, or the customer gave incorrect timing information, Carson's may charge its reasonable waiting and return visit costs. If collection must move to another day, an additional day charge up to the normal daily hire price of the affected equipment may apply.

10 Space access and site suitability

10.1 The customer must check the product dimensions and the full safe operating area shown in the product description. The customer must also ensure that there is suitable access from the delivery vehicle to the setup position. Carson's may refuse any tight, obstructed or unsafe route. Products marked as requiring direct vehicle access will not be taken through a house, narrow passage or other route that does not meet that requirement.

10.2 Access through a building is allowed only when declared and accepted before booking. The customer must clear the route and identify delicate surfaces, concealed hazards and pre existing damage. Carson's will take reasonable care. Nothing in these terms excludes responsibility for property damage caused by Carson's failure to use reasonable care.

10.3 The setup area must be level, clear, clean and large enough for the equipment, anchoring, mats, blowers and safe circulation. Real grass must be suitable for anchoring. Artificial grass, indoor solid floors and outdoor hardstanding are accepted only by prior written agreement and only where Carson's can use an anchoring method permitted by the manufacturer and safety requirements.

10.4 If delivery or setup fails because the customer supplied incorrect dimensions or information, nobody is present, access is unavailable, the surface or site is unsuitable, or a required safe electricity supply is unavailable, the customer must pay 50 percent of the hire price of each affected product. This fixed charge reflects the equipment and delivery capacity reserved and the crew journey and time.

11 Anchoring ground services and electricity

11.1 The customer must identify and clearly mark buried electricity cables, gas or water pipes, drains, irrigation and any area where stakes or anchors must not be used. Carson's may refuse setup if their position is unknown or safe anchoring cannot be completed. The customer is responsible for loss caused by inaccurate or incomplete information about concealed services, except to the extent Carson's caused the loss by failing to use reasonable care.

11.2 The customer acknowledges that safe ground anchoring can leave ordinary stake holes or compression marks in grass. Carson's is not responsible for the unavoidable effect of an agreed and properly performed anchoring method.

11.3 Unless a generator is included, the customer must provide a safe, working UK electricity socket within the length of the lead supplied by Carson's. Only equipment, leads and connections supplied or approved by Carson's may be used. Blowers, extension leads, protective devices, anchors and mats must not be moved, covered or interfered with.

12 Handover and responsibility for equipment

12.1 For an unattended hire, responsibility for the equipment passes to the hirer when Carson's completes the safety handover and continues until Carson's physically collects it. Carson's may keep setup, anchoring, access and condition photographs and a crew checklist as evidence of safe installation and handover.

12.2 During that period the hirer must protect the equipment from misuse, theft, loss, vandalism and unauthorised access. The equipment must remain at the booked venue and must not be moved or repositioned. The hirer must allow Carson's to inspect, make safe or collect it when reasonably required.

12.3 Responsibility under this clause does not make the hirer responsible for an inherent defect, ordinary wear and tear or loss caused by Carson's negligence.

13 Supervision and safe use

13.1 Each unattended inflatable or attraction in use must have at least one responsible adult supervisor aged 18 or over. That supervisor must remain present, must not be impaired by alcohol or drugs, must understand the safety handover, and must be able to stop use and evacuate users immediately.

13.2 The supervisor must enforce the product label, manufacturer instructions and handover rules, including the maximum number, height, weight and age of users. Larger and smaller users must be kept separate where required. Adults must not use a children only inflatable.

13.3 Before use, shoes, glasses, jewellery, badges, sharp objects and unsafe items must be removed. Users must not climb, hang or sit on walls, bounce on a front safety step, somersault, wrestle or behave recklessly. Food, drink, chewing gum, smoking, vaping, naked flames and barbecues must be kept away from equipment and electrical items. Animals are not permitted on equipment. Water or any altered use is prohibited unless the booking expressly authorises it for that product.

13.4 A person must not participate while intoxicated or where pregnancy, an open wound, a heart or circulatory condition, an injury or another health condition could make the activity unsafe or be aggravated by it. The person should obtain appropriate medical advice if unsure.

13.5 Carson's may terminate use and collect equipment without refund where safety instructions are ignored, dangerous conduct continues or the equipment is being misused. This does not affect a refund that is legally due because Carson's failed to provide the contracted service with reasonable care and skill.

14 Wind rain and changing conditions

14.1 No outdoor inflatable may be erected or used in winds above 24 mph, and a lower limit stated by the manufacturer, product label or handover applies where relevant. Gusts count. The supervisor must stop use and evacuate users as soon as the applicable limit is reached or conditions appear unsafe.

14.2 Use must stop during heavy rain, storms, lightning, flooding or any condition that affects stability, visibility, electrical safety or safe entry and exit. The hirer must contact Carson's and follow shutdown instructions. The hirer must not restart use until conditions are safe and any required authorisation has been given.

15 Breakdown power failure and emergency action

15.1 If equipment deflates, loses power, appears damaged or becomes unsafe, all users must leave immediately and the hirer must prevent further access. The hirer must contact Carson's immediately and must not resume use until instructed.

15.2 The hirer must not attempt repairs, alter electrical equipment or move the inflatable, blower, lead, anchor or mat. In an emergency, the hirer must first protect life and contact the emergency services where required. Any accident or injury must be reported to Carson's as soon as reasonably possible.

16 Staffed and mechanical attractions

16.1 Where Carson's provides an operator, that operator controls use of the assigned attraction and may slow, pause or stop it immediately for safety. Only Carson's or its appointed operator may control a mechanical attraction such as a rodeo bull.

16.2 Participants and the hirer must follow the operator's instructions and all product specific limits. Parents and guardians remain responsible for their children and for deciding whether a child may participate. Unless expressly agreed, the operator does not provide general event supervision, childcare, crowd security or supervision of equipment outside the operator's assigned attraction.

17 Overnight hire

17.1 The general supervision and safety rules apply every time overnight equipment is used. The hirer must keep the equipment at the booked venue and permit collection at the confirmed time. An overnight booking does not permit unsupervised use or use outside the agreed hire period.

18 Generators and other hired equipment

18.1 A generator must remain in the position selected by Carson's and must not be moved, covered, enclosed, tampered with or connected to unauthorised equipment. The hirer must follow the written and verbal instructions supplied with generators, furniture, gazebos, soft play and other equipment.

18.2 The hirer must keep users and guests away from blowers, generators, leads, anchors and other operational equipment. A product specific instruction or restriction applies in addition to this clause.

19 Catering

19.1 Catering details, including the menu, number of guests, service period, venue access and any facilities to be provided by the customer, are those stated in the accepted quote or booking confirmation.

19.2 The customer must disclose allergies and dietary requirements by any deadline in the booking and otherwise as early as possible before service. A guest with an allergy must identify themselves and their requirement to catering staff before ordering or accepting food. Carson's may refuse a request that cannot be accommodated safely.

19.3 Carson's will provide legally required allergen information for the food it serves. A menu description is not a guarantee that a product is free from an allergen unless Carson's has expressly confirmed that in writing for the specific service.

20 Subcontractors and third party suppliers

20.1 Carson's may use a suitably checked subcontractor to provide part of a booking. Where the customer contracts and pays Carson's, the subcontractor supplies that part on Carson's behalf. The customer should contact Carson's first about any problem.

20.2 Carson's requires relevant subcontractors to provide appropriate public liability insurance, risk assessments, method statements and current inspection or certification evidence where applicable. Product specific supplier rules provided before or at handover also apply, but they do not remove rights the customer has against Carson's under the customer contract.

21 Damage loss and missing equipment

21.1 The hirer must pay the reasonable cost of repairing or replacing equipment that is damaged through misuse, negligence, unauthorised movement or another breach of these terms. The hirer must also pay the reasonable replacement cost of equipment or accessories that are missing at collection. Ordinary wear and tear is excluded.

21.2 Carson's will provide reasonable evidence of the loss and cost. Where the customer expressly authorised a later card charge and the payment provider permits it, Carson's may charge the booking card. Otherwise Carson's will issue an invoice payable within 30 calendar days. Commercial late payment rights under clause 5 may apply to a business debt.

22 Responsibility and liability

22.1 Carson's does not exclude or limit liability for death or personal injury caused by its negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that the law does not permit it to exclude or limit.

22.2 For a consumer, Carson's is responsible for loss or damage that is a reasonably foreseeable result of its breach of contract or failure to use reasonable care and skill. Carson's is not responsible for a loss caused by the hirer's misuse, failure to supervise, breach of safety instructions, inaccurate information, unsafe venue condition, or an independent act outside Carson's control, except to the extent Carson's own breach contributed to the loss. These terms do not affect the consumer's statutory rights.

22.3 For a business customer, Carson's total aggregate liability arising from the affected booking is limited to the total price of that affected booking. The first paragraph of this clause is excluded from that cap. Any other liability that cannot lawfully be capped is also excluded from it.

22.4 The hirer is responsible for users, guests and persons allowed to access the equipment during the hirer's responsibility period. A failure by one of those persons to follow the rules is treated as a failure by the hirer where the hirer did not take reasonable steps to supervise and enforce the rules.

22.5 Carson's maintains public liability insurance. The limit stated by the business at the version date is GBP 10 million, subject to the policy terms. Insurance does not replace the parties' rights and responsibilities under this contract.

23 Complaints photographs and personal information

23.1 Formal complaints should be emailed to [email protected] with the booking reference and enough information to investigate. A complaint should be raised promptly so that evidence can be preserved, but this request does not remove a legal right that cannot be limited.

23.2 Carson's may take and retain proportionate photographs of the setup, anchoring, access route and equipment condition for operational, safety, insurance and claims purposes. Identifiable event photographs are not authorised for marketing by these terms and require a separate lawful basis or consent.

23.3 Personal information is handled in accordance with Carson's privacy notice. Information may be shared with payment providers, insurers, professional advisers, debt recovery providers, emergency services and subcontractors where reasonably required and lawful.

24 General legal terms

24.1 A variation to a booking or these terms is effective only when agreed in writing by Carson's. A delay in enforcing a right does not waive it. If a court finds one provision invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue to apply.

24.2 No person other than the hirer and Carson's may enforce this contract under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999, except where the law gives that person a right independently of this clause.

24.3 The contract is governed by the law of England and Wales. A consumer may bring proceedings in any court the law permits, including the courts of the part of the United Kingdom where the consumer lives where applicable. For a business customer, the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction.

24.4 Notices to Carson's should be sent to [email protected] or the registered office. Carson's may send notices to the email, telephone number or address supplied with the booking.