Venue hire agreement template
A venue hire agreement is a licence for a hirer to use a room or hall for a stated purpose, on stated dates and hours, without taking over the space. It sets out the charges and deposit, the hirer's responsibilities, alcohol and music, insurance and cancellation. A hall owner, community venue or charity completes one for each booking, whether a one-off party or a weekly class.
Made by DocuWeave. Use at your own discretion.
What changes each time
27 values. Everything else is your wording, kept exactly.
The parties
- Date
- Venue owner name or organisation, address and contact
- Charity number, if a charity
- Hirer name or organisation, address and contact
- Person responsible on the day and mobile
The booking
- Venue name and address
- Rooms or areas
- Date or repeating day
- Hours, including setting up and clearing away
- Purpose
- Maximum numbers
- Equipment included
Charges and deposit
- Hire charge
- VAT position
- Payment terms
- Deposit amount
- Days to refund the deposit
Rules on the day
- Items not allowed without permission
- Quiet time after
Alcohol and music
- How alcohol is allowed
- Days' notice of a temporary event notice
- Music allowed between
- Who holds the music licences
Insurance and cancellation
- Public liability insurance amount
- Cancellation weeks and refund
- Privacy notice link
- Signatories, positions and dates
The rules it usually needs
Written in plain English when the template is set up.
- Only when…
“Include the charity number if the owner is a charity.”
The owner line adds it.
- One of several wordings
“The date is a single date, or every stated day of the week between two dates.”
The date row shows which.
- One of several wordings
“The hire charge is for the booking, or per session.”
Clause 3.1 shows which.
- One of several wordings
“The VAT position is not registered, plus VAT, or exempt.”
Clause 3.1 shows which.
- One of several wordings
“Payment is in full on booking, a payment on booking and a balance by a date, or monthly in advance by invoice.”
Clause 3.2 shows which.
- One of several wordings
“A refundable deposit is taken, or none.”
Clause 3 states the deposit and when it is refunded, less itemised costs.
- Only when…
“Include the safeguarding wording if the hirer works with children or vulnerable adults.”
An extra section sets out the hirer's responsibilities.
- Only when…
“Include the alcohol, music and entertainment section only if alcohol or music has been requested.”
Clause 5 covers alcohol, the hours music is allowed and who holds the music licences.
- One of several wordings
“Alcohol is not allowed, free alcohol is allowed to invited guests, or it may be sold under a premises licence or a temporary event notice.”
Clause 5.1 shows which.
- One of several wordings
“The venue holds the music licences, or the hirer must.”
Clause 5.2 shows which.
- One of several wordings
“The hirer must have public liability insurance, or does not need it for a private party.”
Clause 6.2 shows which.
- Once for each item
“Add a cancellation row for each time band.”
The cancellation table gives the refund in each band.
- Only when…
“Include the right to cancel if the hirer is a private individual who booked by email, phone, online or away from the venue.”
The agreement states the position on a 14-day right to cancel, noting that the law does not give one for a leisure hire on a fixed date.
Questions people ask
What is a venue hire agreement?
It is a licence for someone to use a room or hall for a set purpose and time. It is not a lease, so the hirer does not take over the space.
Is it for regular bookings as well as one-offs?
Yes. The booking table lets you enter a single date, or a repeating day between two dates, with the charge per session.
What about alcohol and music?
If either is requested, an optional section covers whether alcohol is allowed, how it can be sold, the hours music is allowed and who holds the music licences.
Do hirers need insurance?
The agreement lets you choose between requiring public liability insurance for a stated amount, or not requiring it for a private party while keeping the hirer responsible for loss or damage.
Can the hirer cancel?
Clause 7 has a table showing the refund depending on how far ahead they cancel.
Use this template
It opens in DocuWeave as a template you can check, change and publish. Nothing is used until you do.