Our Bouncy Castle Rain and Wind Policy
The short answer
Light showers are fine. We bring a rain cover and the castle stays up. We cancel for sustained rain, or wind forecast above 20mph, on the morning of your booking, and your £20 deposit is refunded in full within 3 working days. You can also choose to reschedule to any date we have free instead of taking the refund.
Weather is the most common reason a bouncy castle booking falls through, and it is also the point where hire companies most often lose a customer's trust, usually because the rule was never written down anywhere. My Party Hire publishes this policy in full so you know exactly where you stand before you book for the 2027 season.
Our policy, in numbers
- Light or brief showers: the castle stays up, covered by a rain cover we bring as standard.
- Sustained rain, or wind forecast above 20mph, on the morning of your booking: we cancel.
- Deposit: £20 refunded in full within 3 working days of a weather cancellation, or you can reschedule instead at no extra cost.
- Wind limit: 20mph sustained, which is on the cautious side of the 19 to 24mph range used across the industry. The reasoning behind that number is on our bouncy castle safety page.
When do we decide?
We check the Met Office forecast for your postcode on the morning of your hire and make the call by 8am. Your named contact for the booking calls you directly with the decision, rather than leaving you to check an app or guess. That timing is deliberate: a forecast made two or more days out for a specific postcode is frequently wrong, so deciding early risks cancelling a party that would have been fine, or running one that should not have gone ahead.
| Decision point | Wind trigger | What happens to your money | |
|---|---|---|---|
| My Party Hire | Morning of the hire, by 8am | Sustained wind forecast above 20mph, or sustained rain | Deposit refunded in full within 3 working days, or free reschedule |
| Common industry approach | Up to 2 days before | Forecast wind around 18mph | Varies by operator, not always published anywhere |
Why do operators cancel for wind and rain at all?
It comes down to two safety risks, not caution for its own sake. Wet vinyl gets slippery, which turns a normal bounce into a slip risk on entry and exit. Wind loads on a large inflatable increase sharply as speed rises, and a gust can lift or shift a castle even when it is properly anchored, as HSE guidance on inflatables explains. Both risks are explained in more detail, with the wind speed table, on our bouncy castle safety page.
Reschedule or refund: which should I choose?
Both are offered on every weather cancellation, and the choice is yours. A refund is the simple option if the date mattered more than the castle itself, for example a birthday that has to happen on the day. A reschedule makes sense if the castle was the point and another date would do just as well, since it avoids the wait for a bank transfer and keeps the party on.
Questions people ask before booking
What happens if it rains on the day of my party?
Light rain is fine, we cover the castle. Sustained rain or wind above 20mph forecast for the morning means we cancel and you get a full refund of your deposit or a free reschedule.
Do I get my deposit back if you cancel for weather?
Yes, in full, within 3 working days. You can also choose a free reschedule instead of the refund.
How late will you decide whether to cancel?
By 8am on the morning of your booking. Your named contact calls you with the decision rather than leaving you to guess.
Can I reschedule instead of getting a refund?
Yes. Both options are available on every weather cancellation, and it is entirely your choice which one you take.
See full pricing and delivery zones for Reading on our bouncy castle hire Reading page.