Show the rules before payment
Use plain language. Make the key terms easy to find at checkout, not hidden in a long footer.
State the offering, dates, location, hours, inclusions, total price, payment schedule, age or skill requirements, and when a booking becomes firm.
Have the terms reviewed for your location and customers. Consumer rights may override your wording. Calling something “non-refundable” does not make it lawful or enforceable.
Separate the situations
Customer cancellation, camp cancellation, illness, injury, weather disruption, a missed day, and removal for serious conduct are different events.
Explain each separately. A single sentence saying “no refunds for any reason” does not give customers useful information or settle the law.
For customer cancellations, define the date and time used for any deadline. State how a request must be sent and when it is treated as received.
Know the real cost of a cancellation
Check money already spent, costs you can avoid, whether the place can be resold, payment fees, and legal duties.
Do not invent a fee and call it an actual cost. Keep your wording and calculation honest.
Where a lawful policy offers a credit, explain its value, expiry, transfer rules, and any limits. Do not present credit as the only remedy when a refund is required.
Plan for a camp you cannot run
Set a minimum-enrolment decision date before large avoidable commitments. Make the decision early enough to treat customers fairly.
The terms should say how and when customers will be told, what money will be returned, and whether an alternative is optional.
As a business practice, plan to refund payments for a cancelled service that you will not provide, subject to applicable rights and the properly reviewed agreement. Do not force customers into a different week or location.
Keep the cash needed for that promise.
Use a real waitlist
Tell people whether joining is free, whether a payment hold is used, and whether it guarantees anything.
When a place opens, offer it through a clear method. Give a stated reply deadline and explain what happens next.
Use an approved priority rule, such as time joined within the eligible group. Do not secretly sell places already promised through another route.
When a customer accepts, check current age, skill, capacity, payment, and care information before confirming.
Make transfers traceable
Moving a participant to another week may change the price, group, support plan, venue, and available places.
Record both the original and new offering. Update attendance, payment, communication, and medical access where relevant.
Do not allow a person to give their booking to another child without a new registration and safety review.
Handle payment problems calmly
Send a private notice with the amount, due date, and safe payment link. Follow the agreed retry and cancellation process.
Before restricting participation, review the contract, customer rights, financial-support options, and safe handover needs. Never create a child-safety problem to collect a bill.
For a chargeback, provide accurate records through the payment provider. Do not threaten or publicly shame the customer.
Track every exception
A manager may approve an exception. Record who approved it, why, the amount, and the effect on capacity.
Review patterns. Many exceptions may show that the policy is unclear or unfair.
Your task: Write a one-page plain-language summary of the terms. Check that it matches the full agreement and the actual booking system.