Room Hire Terms & Conditions
These Terms & Conditions apply to external individuals, organisations and groups hiring rooms or facilities at Ealing Community Church (ECC).
By confirming a booking and paying the required booking deposit, the hirer agrees to these Terms & Conditions.
1. Booking & Confirmation
All room hire requests are subject to availability and approval by Ealing Community Church.
Submitting a booking request does not guarantee that the requested date, time or room is available.
Once a booking has been approved, a 10% booking deposit is required to secure the booking.
The booking is not confirmed and the date will not be secured until the booking deposit has been received.
The 10% booking deposit forms part of the total room hire fee and is non-refundable, except where ECC cancels the booking.
2. Notice Period
Room hire requests should normally be submitted at least 3 weeks before the proposed event date.
Requests submitted with less than 3 weeks' notice may be considered at ECC's discretion but cannot be guaranteed.
Funerals and exceptional pastoral circumstances are exempt from the standard 3-week notice period and will be considered according to venue, staff and volunteer availability.
Short-notice bookings may have limited access to additional services such as media, technical support, musicians, livestreaming or additional room setup.
3. Hire Charges & Payment
A 10% booking deposit is required to secure the booking.
The remaining balance must be paid in full no later than 7 days before the event.
If full payment has not been received by the payment deadline, ECC reserves the right to cancel the booking.
Any additional services, rooms, equipment, staffing or other requirements agreed after the original booking may incur additional charges.
Any additional charges will be communicated to the hirer before being added to the booking wherever reasonably possible.
4. Security Deposit
A £500 refundable security deposit may be required for external or private hires.
ECC will confirm whether the security deposit applies to the booking before the event.
The security deposit is separate from the room hire fee and does not contribute towards the cost of hiring the venue.
Following the event, the security deposit will be returned provided that the venue has been left in the agreed condition and the hirer has complied with these Terms & Conditions.
ECC may make reasonable deductions from the security deposit for:
Damage to the building, furniture, fixtures or equipment
Missing or damaged ECC property
Excessive cleaning
Unauthorised use of rooms, facilities or equipment
Removal or disposal of items left behind
Significant overrun beyond the agreed hire period
Other reasonable costs incurred by ECC as a direct result of the booking
Where the cost of damage, cleaning or other losses exceeds the £500 security deposit, the hirer will remain responsible for the additional reasonable costs.
5. Cancellations & Refunds
If the hirer cancels a confirmed booking, the following cancellation terms apply:
More than 28 days before the event:
The 10% booking deposit will be retained and is non-refundable. Any additional room hire fees already paid will be refunded.
8–28 days before the event:
50% of the total room hire fee will be payable. If the hirer has already paid more than this amount, the difference will be refunded.
7 days or less before the event:
100% of the total room hire fee will be payable and room hire payments will be non-refundable.
The £500 security deposit is separate from the room hire fee and will normally be refunded in full if the event is cancelled, provided ECC has not incurred costs appropriately chargeable against it.
Where a cancellation is due to exceptional circumstances, particularly in relation to funerals or pastoral situations, ECC may vary these terms at its discretion.
If ECC has to cancel a confirmed booking for reasons within its control, all room hire fees, booking deposits and security deposits paid to ECC will be refunded.
ECC will not normally be responsible for other costs or losses incurred by the hirer as a result of a cancellation.
6. Changes to a Booking
Any changes to the event date, times, rooms, expected attendance, activities or nature of the event must be requested in advance and approved by ECC.
Changes are subject to availability and may result in additional charges.
A request to move a confirmed booking to another date is not automatically guaranteed and must be agreed by ECC.
Significant changes to the nature or size of an event may require the booking to be reassessed.
7. Hire Period, Access & Overruns
The agreed hire period must include sufficient time for setup, the event itself and clearing away.
Hirers and their suppliers must not access the building before the agreed start time unless prior permission has been given by ECC.
The venue must be vacated by the agreed finish time.
Where an event significantly exceeds the agreed hire period, ECC reserves the right to charge for the additional time and any associated staffing or operational costs.
8. Room Capacity & Use
The number of attendees must not exceed the stated capacity of the room or space being hired.
The venue may only be used for the purpose stated and approved as part of the booking.
The hirer must inform ECC if the nature of the event changes.
ECC reserves the right to refuse or stop activities that are unlawful, unsafe, likely to cause damage, significantly different from those agreed at the time of booking, or incompatible with the facilities available.
9. Hirer's Responsibilities
The person named on the booking will be regarded as the responsible hirer and ECC's primary point of contact.
The hirer is responsible for the conduct of their guests, attendees, contractors and suppliers while on ECC premises.
The hirer must ensure that everyone connected with their event complies with these Terms & Conditions and any reasonable instructions given by ECC staff or representatives.
10. Children, Young People & Vulnerable Adults
Where children, young people or vulnerable adults are attending an event, the hirer is responsible for ensuring appropriate supervision and safeguarding arrangements are in place.
External organisations are responsible for complying with all safeguarding requirements applicable to their activities and personnel.
Where appropriate, ECC may request evidence of safeguarding policies or relevant checks before approving a booking.
11. Health, Safety & Fire Procedures
Hirers must comply with ECC's health and safety and fire procedures and any instructions given by ECC staff or representatives.
Fire exits, corridors and escape routes must remain clear at all times.
Fire doors must not be obstructed or held open unless designed to do so safely.
The hirer must not introduce activities, equipment or materials that create additional health and safety risks without prior approval.
Any accident, injury, damage or safety concern occurring during the booking must be reported to ECC as soon as reasonably possible.
12. Media, Sound & Technical Equipment
Use of ECC's sound, lighting, projection, screens, livestreaming, microphones, musical equipment or other technical facilities is not automatically included with room hire.
Technical requirements must be requested as part of the booking or as early as possible before the event.
Technical services are subject to equipment and trained operator availability and may incur additional charges.
Hirers, guests and external suppliers must not operate, move or connect equipment to ECC's technical systems without prior permission.
ECC cannot guarantee technical support where requirements are requested at short notice.
13. Wi-Fi & Electrical Equipment
Any electrical equipment brought onto the premises must be safe and suitable for its intended use.
ECC may refuse the use of equipment it reasonably considers unsafe.
Use of ECC Wi-Fi, where available, is subject to reasonable and lawful use and is not guaranteed for critical event operations, livestreaming or other high-bandwidth requirements unless specifically agreed.
14. Catering & Kitchen Facilities
Food and drink arrangements must be agreed with ECC in advance.
Use of kitchen facilities is not automatically included with room hire and must be specifically requested and approved.
Where external caterers are used, the hirer is responsible for ensuring they comply with applicable food hygiene, health and safety requirements.
Catering equipment belonging to ECC must not be used without permission.
15. Alcohol
Alcohol must not be sold, supplied or consumed on ECC premises without prior written approval from ECC.
Where licences or other legal permissions are required, responsibility for obtaining them must be agreed with ECC in advance.
ECC reserves the right to refuse permission for alcohol at any event.
16. Decorations & Venue Alterations
Any significant decorations or alterations to the room setup must be agreed with ECC.
Nothing may be nailed, screwed, glued or permanently attached to walls, ceilings, doors, furniture or fixtures.
Confetti, glitter, candles, open flames, smoke machines or similar items must not be used unless specifically approved by ECC in advance.
All decorations, signage and materials brought into the venue must be removed at the end of the booking.
17. Cleaning & Leaving the Venue
The hirer is responsible for leaving all hired areas in a reasonable and tidy condition.
Furniture and equipment should be returned to their agreed positions unless otherwise instructed.
All personal belongings, decorations, equipment and other materials brought into the venue must be removed at the end of the hire period.
Where additional cleaning, rubbish removal or restoration is required beyond what would reasonably be expected following the booking, the associated costs may be deducted from the security deposit or charged separately.
18. Damage to Property
The hirer is responsible for damage caused by themselves, their guests, attendees, contractors or suppliers.
Any damage must be reported to ECC as soon as possible.
ECC may charge the reasonable cost of repairing or replacing damaged property, furniture, fixtures or equipment.
Where applicable, these costs may first be deducted from the security deposit.
19. Personal Property
ECC does not accept responsibility for loss, theft or damage to personal belongings or equipment brought onto the premises, except where liability cannot legally be excluded.
Hirers are responsible for ensuring their property and that of their guests and suppliers is removed following the event.
20. External Suppliers & Contractors
The hirer must inform ECC of relevant external suppliers or contractors attending the venue, including caterers, decorators, entertainers, production companies or equipment suppliers.
External suppliers must comply with ECC's venue requirements and reasonable instructions.
Where appropriate, ECC may request evidence of public liability insurance, risk assessments, licences or other relevant documentation before allowing a supplier to operate on the premises.
21. Insurance
External organisations and businesses hiring ECC facilities are responsible for ensuring they have appropriate insurance for their activities.
ECC may request evidence of appropriate public liability or other relevant insurance before confirming or permitting certain activities.
22. Parking
Parking is subject to availability and is not automatically included or guaranteed as part of a room hire booking.
Any specific parking requirements or requests for reserved spaces must be discussed with ECC in advance.
Hirers should not promise parking spaces to guests unless these have been specifically agreed with ECC.
23. Noise & Consideration for Others
The hirer must ensure that noise levels remain reasonable and comply with any instructions given by ECC.
Events must not cause unreasonable disturbance to neighbouring properties, other users of the building or the surrounding community.
ECC reserves the right to require music or other amplified sound to be reduced where necessary.
24. Smoking & Prohibited Substances
Smoking and vaping are not permitted inside the building.
Illegal drugs and unlawful substances are prohibited on ECC premises.
25. Funerals & Pastoral Bookings
ECC recognises that funerals and certain pastoral circumstances may need to be arranged at short notice.
The standard 3-week notice period therefore does not apply to funerals or other exceptional pastoral circumstances approved by ECC.
Venue availability, staffing, musicians, media support, livestreaming, room setup and other additional services remain subject to availability and must not be assumed unless specifically confirmed.
ECC may vary the normal deposit, payment or cancellation requirements for funerals and exceptional pastoral circumstances at its discretion.
26. Emergencies & Circumstances Outside ECC's Control
ECC may need to cancel, postpone, relocate or alter a booking because of an emergency, building issue, safety concern, utility failure, severe weather or another circumstance outside ECC's reasonable control.
Where this happens, ECC will make reasonable efforts to inform the hirer and, where appropriate, offer an alternative date or refund payments relating to the affected booking.
ECC will not normally be responsible for consequential losses or other costs incurred by the hirer as a result of circumstances outside ECC's reasonable control.
27. Right to Refuse or End a Hire
ECC reserves the right to refuse a booking before confirmation.
ECC may also end an event where there is a serious breach of these Terms & Conditions, unlawful activity, significant safety concern, serious misconduct, damage to the premises or a material difference between the event taking place and the event that was originally approved.
Where a booking is ended because of a breach by the hirer, refunds will not normally be provided.
28. Agreement to These Terms
By paying the booking deposit and proceeding with the booking, the hirer confirms that they have read, understood and agreed to these Room Hire Terms & Conditions.
The hirer is responsible for ensuring that relevant guests, contractors and suppliers are made aware of any conditions that apply to them.
ECC reserves the right to make reasonable changes to arrangements where necessary for legal, safety, operational or pastoral reasons.
Ealing Community Church
