Please remember, your child’s safety is your responsibility whilst using a hired sling.

You are in charge of looking after the hired sling, and liable for any hire fees or damage, from the point of hire to the time when it is returned safely to the correct sling library or librarian. Please report any damage immediately and stop using the sling.

Leaving slings at any of the venues with anyone other than a library staff member is not safe and may lead you to being liable for the full replacement cost of the sling.

Upon hiring, it is your responsibility to:

• Supply the correct contact information on the hire form
• Read the correspondence sent by the library and keep in contact during the hire period, especially if you wish to extend or are unable to return the sling(s) on time
• Read and follow the sling instructions online for safe use, together with any safety information provided by the library. Hired slings are not to be used during any exercise more strenuous than walking, or any other activity that may place the child at risk
• Contact us immediately if you have any concerns about using the sling, or difficulty in understanding the instructions, terms & conditions or safety advice
• Spot clean the sling with water to remove food or posset marks. Do not wash unless absolutely necessary – please see notes below about washing instructions
• Completely avoid smoking or vaping around the hired slings. Smoking is known to increase the risk of SIDS (cot death) for babies; these risks have been linked to babies being in close contact with clothing or objects contaminated with smoke particles
• Return the hired sling(s) in good condition on or before the return date, to the correct library or librarian. Please see notes below about postal returns
• Pay the correct hire fees, including any extension fees and administration charges arising from the hire, in a timely manner
• Supply credit or debit card details for us to hold as security against the hire(s) for the term of the hire; after the sling(s) return the details will be destroyed.

If you do not return the hired sling(s) or respond to communication, we will attempt to take the fees owed and replacement costs via your security card details. If this is unsuccessful, and we are unable to resolve the situation any other way, we will apply to the small claims court to recover the money owed to us.

A £5 administration charge will be added automatically:

• If a sling is returned in a state unsuitable for immediate re-hire. This includes (but not limited to) smelling strongly of smoke, animals or scented washing products. Damaged slings or missing components will be assessed and charged for on a case by case basis
• If you do not return the sling and do not contact us before midnight on the date the sling is due back (on top of the standard weekly rates for that sling). These fees will continue to accrue until the sling is returned to the library and is available for re-hire

If the library is closed on the specified return date we will contact you to offer a new return date, and no additional charges will be added to your hire.

All slings and accessories remain the property of Slinging London CIC at all times, and all hires are subject to availability and our discretion.

Your personal details will be kept in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, and will only be used to contact you in relation to your hire, or occasional sling events or competitions run by us.

Additional notes

Washing instructions

• Read the washing label on the sling for guidelines, especially temperature and spin cycle use
• Line dry all hired slings to avoid wear and tear
• Only use unscented liquid detergent that does not contain any optical brighteners. A small amount of washing up liquid can be used as an alternative
• Please do not wash slings with buckles/lots of padding unless unavoidable. If spot cleaning is not enough, wash inside a pillowcase on a low setting

Postal returns

• Postal returns must be pre-arranged each time with the library – even if you have a postal address from previous returns
• Sling(s) must be securely packaged, posted using a method that is either tracked or signed for, and includes insurance covering the value of the sling (in most cases up to £100 is sufficient but we will advise if it is more)
• Please email us with the date of posting and tracking details
• Keep the tracking information safe until we notify you of its safe arrival; the sling(s) will remain your responsibility until then
• Sling(s) must be posted in time to arrive before the next library session, for example post to arrive on a Tuesday for a Wednesday session return date
• Additional hire fees may be charged for any delays in posting that cause the sling to arrive later than the library session return date