Help
Questions and answers
Booking, paying, changing your plans and the stay itself. If your question isn't here, ring us: a person will answer.
01Booking
Choose a place, pick your dates and book online. Your booking is confirmed as soon as payment goes through, and the confirmation arrives by email.
Yes. Ring us on 0118 230 0750 and we'll book it with you.
No. You can book with just your email address. Your confirmation email has a "Manage my booking" link where you can see your booking, pay the balance and update your details.
We're sorry, we can't. Availability is live and dates can't be held without a booking. To secure them, book online or ring us and we'll book them for you straight away.
No. For safety and insurance reasons your party must not be bigger than the stated capacity, and that includes children. If your numbers change, let us know before you arrive.
02Paying
The rental, bed linen, towels (unless the listing says otherwise), cleaning and utilities. Some extras carry a small charge. All compulsory charges are shown up front, and optional extras such as dog fees or a travel cot are listed before you pay.
Not if you're arriving more than six weeks away. Most bookings can be secured with a deposit, typically 30%, and the exact amount is shown before you confirm. The balance is due six weeks before arrival. For stays that start sooner, you pay in full when you book.
Usually six weeks before arrival, and the date is on your booking confirmation. When it's time, we email you a reminder with a secure payment link, and you don't need to log in. You can also pay by card over the phone on 0118 230 0750. We take debit and credit cards only, with no card fee. We don't ask for the balance before then. If you get an earlier request, check with us before paying anything.
Some places ask for a refundable security deposit. Where one applies, it's shown before you book and added to your total, and it appears as "Security (Refundable)" in your booking details. It's returned after your stay unless the owner reports damage.
We will never contact you from an overseas or unknown mobile number asking you to click a link or pay to keep your booking. We will never ask you to transfer money by phone or text. Genuine payment requests come through our secure booking system. If anything looks odd, ring us on 0118 230 0750 before you do anything.
03Changes and cancellations
Yes, but what you get back depends on the property's cancellation policy, which is shown before you confirm. Whether a deposit is refundable depends on that policy, so talk to us as early as you can. When you book you may be offered Cancellation Cover or Booking Flex, which give you extra protection if you have to cancel; see section 7 of our terms. If you move dates, the price is recalculated for the new dates and we confirm it in writing before changing anything.
04Your stay
Your confirmation comes by email as soon as you book. Arrival details (directions, keys and check-in) follow automatically by email closer to your stay. If they haven't arrived as the date gets near, check your junk folder, then ring us and we'll resend them.
At many of our places, yes. Use the dog filter when you search. Each listing says whether dogs are welcome, how many, and any charge. If it says dogs stay free, there's no charge. If you'd like to bring more dogs than the listing allows, ask us before you book.
Tell us or the housekeeper straight away and we'll sort it quickly. If you break something yourself, ring the number in your arrival details as soon as you can so the owner can replace it. Damage costs may come out of the security deposit, where there is one.
Anything else? Ring us on 0118 230 0750, email team@bookingbrain.co.uk or send us a message.