Frequently Asked Questions About Our Hire Services
At SJ’s Leisure, we know that when you are planning a party or event, you want everything to be straightforward. Over the years, we have been asked many of the same questions by customers, so we have put together some helpful answers below to explain why certain policies are in place and how they help us provide a safe, reliable service every time.
Why is soft play generally only available for indoor use?
Our soft play equipment is mainly designed for indoor use because the foam shapes and padded mats can be damaged if they are exposed to rain or damp weather. Once water soaks into the foam, it can lead to mould growth inside the equipment, which may cause unpleasant smells, hygiene issues and damage the shape of the pieces over time.
To keep our equipment clean, safe and in excellent condition for every child who uses it, we only recommend indoor setups as standard.
That said, some of our selected soft play packages can be used outdoors when hired with one of our gazebos. The gazebo provides shelter from the weather, and we also lay protective groundsheeting underneath to help keep the equipment clean on grassed garden areas.
Why is there a fixed-time delivery fee?
Our standard delivery rounds usually take place between 7:30am and 12:00pm, allowing us to deliver efficiently across multiple locations.
If you need your equipment delivered at a specific time, for example for a venue opening or a timed party slot, we may need to allocate a dedicated team to be in a particular area at a precise time. In some cases, this can mean travelling to the same area more than once in a day, which increases staffing and fuel costs.
The fixed-time fee helps cover part of the additional cost involved in providing that more tailored delivery service.
Why is the price the same for 2 hours as it is for a full-day hire?
Many customers wonder why a shorter hire period costs the same as a full day. The simple answer is that most of our costs remain exactly the same regardless of how long the equipment is used.
These costs include:
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Delivery and collection
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Staff wages and tax
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Equipment cleaning
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Safety inspections
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Insurance
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Fuel
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Maintenance
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Storage
Even if an item is only hired for a couple of hours, it still needs the same preparation before and after your event. In fact, shorter hires can sometimes lead to heavier use over a shorter period.
For this reason, our pricing reflects the service provided rather than just the number of hours.
Why do I need to pay a booking fee?
The booking fee secures your chosen equipment for your selected date.
Once your booking fee has been paid, we reserve those items specifically for your event and remove them from availability for other customers. This gives both you and our team confidence that your booking is confirmed.
Think of it as a commitment between both sides that your event is going ahead, except in exceptional circumstances such as dangerous weather or emergencies.
Why do you offer delivery windows rather than exact times?
Because we deliver to multiple events each day, it would not be practical for every customer to choose their own exact delivery and collection time.
Naturally, most people would prefer:
Unfortunately, this would make scheduling impossible during busy periods.
Instead, we provide delivery and collection time windows so our routes can run smoothly while still giving every customer a reliable service.
If you need a guaranteed time, we can often arrange this for an additional fixed-time fee.
Why do your delivery areas change at different times of year?
We are based in St Helens, which allows us to cover much of the North West quickly using the surrounding motorway network.
During quieter months, we can often travel further for bookings. However, during peak summer periods, demand increases significantly and we may temporarily reduce our delivery radius so we can continue to provide a punctual and dependable service.
We would always rather be honest about availability than accept bookings we may struggle to fulfil.
Why is there a minimum order value for some locations?
Some areas are within our travel range, but the cost of reaching them can be much higher due to:
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Fuel costs
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Staff travel time
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Vehicle wear and tear
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Additional delivery time
For locations further away, a minimum order value helps ensure that we can continue to provide our service without operating at a loss.
This allows us to maintain the quality and reliability our customers expect.
Why can’t inflatables be set up outdoors on hard surfaces like car parks or roads?
Safety is the main reason.
Inflatables must be securely anchored to the ground to comply with safety regulations. On grass, we can usually do this using ground stakes. On hard surfaces such as:
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Pub car parks
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Concrete yards
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Roads
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Patios
secure anchoring becomes much more difficult.
In some larger event settings, specialist anchoring may be possible, but it requires additional planning and equipment. If your event is on hard standing, please contact us first so we can assess whether a safe installation can be arranged.
Why do I need permission to use nearby grassed land?
If you would like equipment set up on grassed land near your home, such as a side field or communal green, we need to make sure you have permission from the landowner first.
This is important because without permission:
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Our insurance may not be valid
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Our risk assessment could be affected
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Both you and our company could be exposed to liability issues
The land may belong to:
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The local council
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A housing association
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A management company
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A private landowner
If you can obtain written permission, simply email it to us and we can review your enquiry.
Why don’t you offer a “pay-to-play” or “stand and charge” service at public events?
From time to time, we are asked whether we can attend public events with multiple pieces of equipment and charge individual members of the public to use them throughout the day.
While it may sound like a simple option, in reality this type of setup can be very difficult to make viable. Events like this usually involve significantly higher operating costs for us, including:
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Additional staffing
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Longer setup and supervision times
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Increased transport costs
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Loss of private hire opportunities for that date
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Extra insurance and event requirements
For this type of event to work, it would depend heavily on several factors outside anyone’s control, such as:
From our previous experience, these events often do not generate enough income to cover the overall costs involved, which is why it is not a service we currently offer.
Instead, we focus on providing private hire bookings, where customers can enjoy exclusive use of the equipment for their own event without the uncertainty that comes with a public pay-to-play setup.
Ready to Book Your Event?
We hope this guide has answered some of the most common questions about our hire services and explained why our policies are designed to keep your event running smoothly and safely.
If you are ready to book, our team would love to help make your event memorable.
Get in touch today:
🌐 Book online at https://www.sjleisure.co.uk
📧 Email us at info@sjleisure.co.uk
📞 Call us on 01744 602716
Secure your date early to avoid disappointment — especially during busy weekends and school holidays.
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