Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about Simply Halls

1. How does Simply Halls work?

Simply Halls is the UK's only fully ready-to-use online hall booking and management solution for community organisations, accessible on both desktop and mobile devices. No installation or technical setup is required.

Venue owners—including village halls, community centres, and church halls—can easily list their venues on Simply Halls. Owners maintain full control and visibility over all bookings through their dedicated host account, which can be accessed at any time from a computer or mobile device. There are no fees for hall owners, ever.

Customers can search for venues, review detailed information, make bookings, and complete secure payments through the integrated online payment gateway. A small booking fee is charged to customers for using the service. Customers also have access to online dashboards to track their bookings and view invoices.

2. How do I list my hall on Simply Halls?

Listing your hall on Simply Halls can't be any simpler. Just contact us on support@simplyhalls.co.uk or WhatsApp +44 7884 575471

• We will set up your online account and list your halls
• We will upload all your existing bookings
• We will set up your bank details so that you get paid automatically when your hall is hired

And you are ready to take bookings. You do not need any IT skills. Everything is simply taken care for you. We also train you on how to use Simply Halls – on your computer and your mobile.

If you are feeling a bit adventurous then you can also list your hall yourself:

1. Create a host account at https://host.simplyhalls.co.uk.
2. Log into your host account and select "Add New Facility."
3. Provide the required information, including photos, descriptions, hire charges, terms and conditions, instructions, and your cancellation/refund policy.
4. Save your listing—your venue is now live on Simply Halls.

3. Is Simply Halls suitable for parish councils and church halls?

Yes. Simply Halls is designed specifically for parish halls, church halls, and community-run venues. We understand the governance, volunteer-led administration, and charitable responsibilities that parish councils operate under.

4. Will automating bookings reduce trustee oversight or control?

No. Simply Halls increases transparency. Trustees can access booking records, income reports, and usage data at any time, making oversight easier and more reliable than manual systems.

5. Is Simply Halls good value for money?

Yes. Simply Halls replaces spreadsheets, paper diaries, and manual invoicing with one simple system. It is designed to save volunteer time, reduces errors, and improves income collection.

6. Is the system easy for volunteers and hirers to use?

Absolutely. Simply Halls is designed for non-technical users. Hirers can book online in minutes, and volunteers can manage bookings with minimal training. We provide clear guides and friendly support.

7. Is Simply Halls secure and GDPR-compliant?

Yes. Simply Halls is GDPR-compliant, uses secure UK-based hosting, and follows best practices for data protection. Simply Halls is Cyber Essential certified, providing protection against cyber-attacks. Payment processing is handled through Revolut - a trusted, PCI-compliant provider.

8. Who owns our data?

You do. Hall owners retain full ownership of all their bookings and customer data. Data can be exported at any time.

9. What support is available?

We offer friendly, UK-based support tailored to volunteer-run organisations. Help is available via WhatsApp and email. We also provide training and clear documentation written in plain English.

10. Are we locked into a long-term contract?

No. Simply Halls offers flexible subscriptions with no long-term lock-in. You can leave at any time and take your data with you.

11. What happens if our booking secretary changes?

Simply Halls reduces dependency on any one individual. Multiple users can access the system, ensuring continuity and resilience when volunteers change.

12. Is there a limit to how many venues I can add to my host account?

No. You may add as many venues as you wish.

13. My hire charges vary by day, time, or purpose. Does Simply Halls support this?

Yes. Simply Halls allows you to define multiple hire charges based on day of the week, time of day, and purpose of hire. These options can be configured when adding your venue.

14. How are my venue's terms, conditions, and instructions shared with customers?

You can add your venue's terms and conditions and any specific instructions when creating your listing. These are displayed on the venue page, and customers must accept them before completing a booking. After a booking is made, the instructions are also emailed directly to the customer.

15. My venue details have changed. How do I update my listing, and what happens to existing bookings?

You can update your venue at any time by logging into your host account and selecting "Edit Facility." This allows you to modify any details, including photos, descriptions, amenities, hire charges, and terms.

When updates are made, Simply Halls creates a new version of the listing rather than overwriting the original. The system checks whether the changes affect any existing bookings. For example, if parking availability is removed, customers who booked expecting parking must be notified. If an impact is identified, Simply Halls will contact the hall owner to resolve the issue. Once addressed, the updated listing becomes available for future bookings.

16. How do I migrate my existing bookings to Simply Halls?

Our team can migrate your existing bookings without any charge. If you'd like to do it yourself, Simply Halls provides an easy-to-use migration tool:

1. After listing your venues, select "Bulk Upload."
2. Download the spreadsheet template to your computer.
3. Enter your existing bookings into the template.
4. Upload the completed file to Simply Halls.
5. The system will validate your data and display any errors (e.g., missing dates or times).
6. Once validated, your bookings will be uploaded.
7. Migrated bookings will appear in Simply Halls with an "M" prefix in their booking number.

If a migrated booking is cancelled subsequently then the related refunds cannot be issued through Simply Halls as the original payments were not processed through the platform.

17. How are cancellations and refunds handled?

• Hall owners can define their own cancellation and refund policies when listing a hall.
• Customers can view these policies before booking.
• Where permitted, customers may cancel a booking online, and refunds will be issued to the original payment method.
• The booking fee is non-refundable.

18. How does payment work?

Customers pay for their booking through Simply Halls' secure online payment gateway, using Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfer, or major debit/credit cards.

Simply Halls aggregates all payments for each host and periodically remits the full hire charges—with no deductions—to the host's bank account. Hosts can view the individual bookings included in each remittance via the Advanced Booking Search in their host account.

19. Do I need to issue invoices to customers?

No. Simply Halls automatically sends invoices to customers when a booking is completed. Customers can also download invoices at any time through their customer dashboard.

Hosts can view customer invoices and download invoice registers from the Advanced Booking Search section.

20. A customer is unable to book online. Can the hall owner make a booking on their behalf?

Yes. We understand that some customers may not be able to make the bookings themselves online. Hall owners can make bookings on behalf of the customers by clicking on 'New Booking' on the 'Availability' page in their account.

21. Can I block a venue so it is unavailable for booking at certain times?

Yes. You can block specific dates or times using the Block Calendar feature. During blocked periods, the venue will appear as unavailable to customers. Blocks can be removed at any time if they are no longer needed.

22. What is the pricing?

Simply Halls is completely free for hall owners.

There are no listing fees, booking fees, payment processing fees, subscription fees, upgrade fees, maintenance costs, or optional add-on charges.

Simply Halls is funded solely through a small booking fee (typically £2.25) charged to customers at the time of booking. This fee covers the cost of payment processing, secure hosting, system maintenance, customer support, and ongoing platform improvements.

23. Is it secure to make online payment through Simply Halls?

All payments on Simply Halls are securely processed by Revolut Pay. Revolut is certified as PCI DSS Level 1 compliant — the highest level of card-payment security. This means:

Your card details never touch Simply Halls servers

• All transactions are encrypted end-to-end
• Revolut's systems are independently audited and certified
• We inherit Revolut's PCI DSS compliance for all handled transactions

You can use Revolut Pay, cards, or other supported payment methods safely and securely.