Frequently Asked Questions

You can view our price list on our Prices page, which shows our charges for the most common items. For items not listed or for any specialist enquiries, please contact us.

There are several options:

1. Bring your items The Spin Doctors HQ - we would love to see you!
Simply let us know when you plan to come. Just get in touch using the details on our contact page.

2. We can arrange collection and return for you.
You just need to package up your items using a box or shrink wrap and then send us the dimensions (length/width/height and weight). We can then arrange for a courier to collect your item(s) from your chosen address on a day that suits you. It's worth noting that if your package is smaller than 100cm in length it helps to keep the collection price down for you. Once you have sent this information, we will send you the shipping label that you simply need to print and attach to your package. We can also arrange to send your items back to you once they have been seen by a Spin Doctor!

3. Arrange your own delivery and collection.
You are welcome to arrange your own courier service. Just let us know when you are sending us your items and make sure everything is clearly labelled, as we receive a lot of packages that look very similar!

Bell Tents
Please only send the tent - we do not need your poles, pegs, peg bags or rain caps! Please also remove the guy ropes. If you can, then please remove the groundsheet, however, if the groundsheet is sewn-in, then please just send the whole tent.

Removable Groundsheets
If your tent does have a removable or separate groundsheet and you would like this cleaned, then let us know - we can wash these for an additional charge of £40.00

On first contact, please let us know what you would like repaired and we will give you an estimate for repair. We can clean, re-proof and repair most tents, giving them a whole new lease of life, but until we see the tent, all repair costs will be an estimate and we will agree a final price with you prior to carrying out any work.

Once your item arrives at The Spin Doctors HQ, our team will inspect your tent thoroughly. If we notice any other areas of repair we will make you aware of these before any work is carried out. It may be that we notice small holes or tears that you haven't noticed due to dirt, so we will be honest with your before we carry out any work regarding what we think we can achieve with your item.

Sadly, if the canvas is very mouldy, has been put away wet or damp, left out for long periods or is a little on the old side, the material can start to degrade. Typically, the stitching, window and door mesh are the most fragile parts of any tent so even with a super gentle washing process, the stitching or canvas can become weakened and may tear or become damaged in the machine.

We will spot treat any ingrained areas of mould or stains prior to the items being washed and this can sometimes result in some lightening in colour. This will not affect the useability of the tent or adversely affect the material - it will just mean you have a super clean tent!

Turnaround times vary throughout the year, but we like to have your items back to you within a couple of weeks. However, please get in touch with us so we can give you a realistic time frame for the work to be carried out.

You can make payment via bank transfer, over the phone or online using our Paypal invoice. We will send over an invoice as soon as all works have been carried out and we kindly request that all payment is made within 7 days of invoice date. No items will be returned until full payment is received.

If we do not receive your payment with 14 days of the invoice date, the ownership of the items becomes the companies. We are not able to store or hold items for customers so if you are arranging your own collection or courier please ensure this is completed within 14 days of the invoice date, or ownership of the items will transfer to the company.

We know what chemicals your material needs so we use different chemicals depending on the type of material. Although we don't fully erect tents to test their water resistance, we do spot test different areas. If you want to see some really great waterproofing videos, then please have a look at our reels on Instagram.

Please note that various factors (such as damage, previous treatments, age, UV exposure, or the canvas/mesh/pvc or other elements of your structure have come to the end of their life) can mean the material may not come up as clean as it was at new, or the waterproofing chemical may not completely take despite our best efforts. Whilst every effort will be taken to fully waterproof items, The Spin Doctors cannot be held liable for failed waterproofing.

Window mesh and PVC comes in varying levels of quality, thickness, weave, elasticity, strength and durability. We recieve tents from a wide range of manufacturers and the quality of the window mesh or PVC varies drastically from tent to tent. Alongside the quality of the mesh or PVC, other factors such as UV exposure, age, storage and usage can degrade the mesh or PVC. Mesh may become brittle or more susceptible to tearing even before the wash process. We have no way of knowing how a mesh will react during the washing process and how fragile the mesh or PVC may be on windows before the wash. Therefore, we can not be held responsible for mesh that rips or degrades during the washing process as our process includes mechanical washing and drying, water, heat and chemicals and existing damage and fading as listed above may be affected by this process. Window mesh or PVC can be repaired or replaced by us using white or black mesh at a cost to the customer.

Window mesh will also chafe where the window zips rub against the mesh when it is set up. Please be aware, these areas can also rub during the washing process due to the mechanical agitation and there is no prevention for this.

All tents are sent at a customer's own risk.

All tents are different, which we love!

However, this does mean that the quality of the material your tent is made from may be different to other tents. Most tents will be made from pre-shrunk canvas; this basically means there is minimal risk of shrinkage when your tent gets wet or is washed. However, there is no guarantee that your tent has been made using a pre-shrunk canvas and therefore it may experience some slight shrinkage and all tents are sent at the customers risk.

If there is some slight shrinkage, it's nothing to worry about and it just means the fibres can feel a little tight. You just need to make sure you are really gentle when you first erect your tent after its wash. Allow more time and don't race to tighten the guy ropes or stick the centre pole up - it just needs a little time to relax back into shape. Once you have your tent up, gently tighten your guy ropes over the coming days as the tent stretched back into its original shape.

Our satisfied customers include companies and organisations such as National Trust, Merlin Entertainments, Forestry England, Chessington, Dorset Council, Cashmere Caveman Co WildKitchens, Muncaster Castle, Eweleaze Farm, Honeybells, Campeazy, Yurtel, Pepperbells Glamping and North Sky Yurts - just to name a few!

Our team of Spin Doctors wash each item using a programme specifically designed for that type of canvas. Our machines use a clever combination of cleaning and re-proofing chemicals to make sure your item is carefully cleaned, re-proofed and ready for the next adventure.

Every effort will be made to get your items back to their absolute best and lengthen the life of your item, but sometimes for a whole host of reasons (damage, previous treatments, age, UV exposure, or that the canvas/mesh/pvc or other elements of your structure have come to the end of their life) the material may not come up as clean as it was at new or the waterproofing chemical may not completely take despite our best efforts. Whilst every effort will be taken to fully waterproof items, The Spin Doctors cannot be held liable for failed waterproofing. Please note we do not fully erect tents to test for shrinkage or waterproofing. Certain tents are pretreated during manufacture for fire retardancy and whilst we cannot guarantee that this will remain in the tents after they have been washed and reproofed, some tent brands state as part of their laboratory testing, prior to igniting, they will repeatedly wash the material to simulate typical conditions a canvas may endure during its life, and therefore suggesting that the tent should retain its fire retardancy.

All items received must be completely dry. If your tent was put away damp in August and we are getting it out for the first time, it could be pretty grotty and you need to realistic about what we can do to help - we can not accept any responsibility for its deterioration. Likewise, it may be sat in our warehouse for a few days before it is processed, so if its damp, it will start to mould and possibly rot. Everything we receive must be dry. If you have no way of drying your tent before sending it to us, then please let us know. We may be able to dry the tent first and then start the was and re-proof process (for a charge). Communication is key.

If there is a particular stain or area of the material that you have already tried to treat and re-proof, then please let us know. We use some really clever chemical combinations to remove stains, so it really helps if firstly, we know what the stain is and secondly, if you've already tried to scrub it with stain remover.

If you are sending more than one item, we will endeavour to treat your items during the same period, to ensure you receive them all back together in one group. If you send us multiple items at different times, then we will treat each item individually and they may not be sent back as a group. Equally, if your item has multiple parts, please send these together so we can treat them at the same time. This will help ensure consistency in colour and shrinkage (if any).

Whilst we have a lovely big warehouse, it is purely for washing, repairing and re-proofing items. We are not able to store your items and we endeavour to return items to you as quickly as possible after payment has been received. If you are collecting your items or arranging a courier, this must happen within 14 days of you making payment (unless you have a prior agreement with the Directors). If items are not collected, they become the sole property of The Spin Doctors.

We are sure you will be happy with your returned items, however, if you would like to make a complaint, it must be addressed to The Spin Doctors in writing within 10 days of receiving your item. After this time, no claims or complaints will be upheld or honoured.