Damage & Security Deposits

1. The £250 security hold

For direct bookings, a £250 card pre-authorisation is scheduled one day before arrival. It reserves available funds on your card. It is not an accommodation payment, an automatic damage charge or the 30% booking prepayment.

Please ensure sufficient available funds and follow the payment instructions supplied with your booking. If the hold cannot be arranged, contact us promptly so that we can discuss the position. We will explain any proposed consequence before taking action.

2. Release after departure

The security hold is scheduled to be voided seven days after departure. Your card issuer may take additional time to show the release in your available balance.

If we identify a potential damage claim, we will contact you with the details and evidence before seeking payment or capturing an amount, and give you 48 hours to respond before taking payment. We will consider your response before deciding how to proceed. If you reasonably need additional time, contact us promptly. A lack of response is not, by itself, proof of responsibility. The existence of a hold does not itself establish that a charge is justified.

If you believe the hold has not been released, contact us with your booking reference and departure date. Please do not send your full card number or card security code.

3. Reporting damage, breakages and faults

Please treat the accommodation and its contents with care. Tell us promptly about damage, breakages or faults, including anything you notice on arrival, so that we can check the issue and arrange any necessary work.

Do not attempt repairs or arrange replacements without checking with us. Reporting an issue does not automatically mean you are responsible for it.

Email [email protected], call 07346 006156 or use your booking-message channel. Include the property, booking reference and a brief description; photographs may help where appropriate.

4. How proposed charges are assessed

Any charge will be limited to reasonable, evidenced loss for which you or your party are responsible. We will consider the condition before your stay, the circumstances, and the appropriate cost of putting matters right.

• We do not charge for fair wear and tear or existing defects.
• We take account of the age, condition and remaining useful life of damaged items. A replacement must not leave us better off at your expense.
• Normal changeover cleaning is not charged again.
• Additional cleaning, including treatment needed after indoor smoking or vaping, must reflect a reasonable, evidenced cost.
• The £250 hold is not an automatic penalty or an amount automatically forfeited following an incident.

We will explain the proposed amount and provide supporting information, such as photographs, quotations or invoices where relevant. We will give you 48 hours to respond before taking payment, consider your explanation and evidence, and explain our decision. Please contact us promptly if you reasonably need more time. We will not recover the same loss twice, including amounts already recovered from another source.

5. Bookings through other channels

If you booked through a booking platform or an agent, check the security, payment and damage arrangements shown in your booking confirmation. The direct-booking pre-authorisation described above should not be assumed to apply identically to every booking channel.

Where a platform manages a claim or payment, its process may also apply. Contact us if the arrangements are unclear. Your statutory rights continue to apply.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the direct-booking security hold?

£250, pre-authorised on your card one day before arrival. It is separate from your booking payments.

Is the security hold a payment?

No. A pre-authorisation reserves available funds on your card. It is not an automatic charge for damage.

When is the hold released?

It is scheduled to be voided seven days after departure. Your card issuer may take additional time to reflect the release.

Will I be told before a damage payment is taken?

Yes. We provide evidence and the proposed amount, allow 48 hours for your response before taking payment, and consider your response. Contact us promptly if you reasonably need more time.

Do you charge for normal wear and tear?

No. Fair wear and tear, existing defects and normal changeover cleaning are excluded. Any claim must reflect reasonable, evidenced loss for which you or your party are responsible.

What if I booked through Airbnb, Booking.com or Vrbo?

Check your booking confirmation and the platform’s security and damage arrangements. The direct-booking card hold should not be assumed to apply identically to bookings through other channels.

Contact, disputes and related policies

Email [email protected] or call 07346 006156. Include the property and booking reference.

If you disagree with a proposed charge, tell us why and provide any relevant information. We will review the evidence and explain our position.

For further concerns, see our Complaints & Dispute Resolution process. Nothing in this policy removes your statutory rights.

Muddy Boots Escapes Ltd · Company number 14702173.
Registered office and formal correspondence: Unit 27, Cumberland House, Business Park, St Lukes Road, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria CA17 4HT.

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