Setting a campsite deposit policy sounds like a small admin task, but get it wrong and you'll feel the pain all season. Charge too much upfront and you'll scare off casual bookers. Charge nothing and you'll be staring at empty pitches on a bank holiday weekend because three families decided to go to Cornwall instead. A clear deposit policy protects your income, reduces no-shows, and gives guests confidence that their pitch is genuinely reserved.

Most campsite owners I speak to have a deposit policy, but it's often a rough number they picked years ago. It gets applied inconsistently, the terms aren't written down anywhere guests can see them, and refund requests turn into awkward phone calls. This guide walks through everything you need to think about when setting or revising your campsite deposit policy.

Why deposits matter more than you think

A deposit does two things. First, it secures the booking. A guest who has paid something is far more likely to show up than a guest who hasn't. Second, it protects you financially if they don't. Without a deposit, a last minute cancellation on a summer Saturday means you've lost income you can't recover. The pitch sits empty while people who would have booked it went elsewhere weeks ago.

For smaller sites, especially CL sites with just five pitches, a single no-show can wipe out a significant chunk of your weekend revenue. For larger parks running 50 or more pitches, the numbers multiply quickly. Either way, deposits give you a financial cushion and a signal that the guest is committed.

There's a psychological side to it too. Guests who pay a deposit treat the booking as real. They put it in their calendar, plan around it, and communicate if their plans change. Guests who book with no financial commitment are more likely to treat it as tentative.

How much should you charge as a deposit?

There's no single right answer, but most UK campsites land in one of three brackets.

Fixed amount per booking

A flat fee, typically between £10 and £30 per booking. This works well for sites with a single pitch type and simple pricing. It's easy for guests to understand and easy for you to manage. The downside is that £20 feels significant on a one night stay but trivial on a two week booking.

Percentage of total

Anywhere from 20% to 50% of the booking total. This scales naturally with the length and value of the stay. A 25% deposit is the most common figure I see across touring sites in England and Wales. It feels fair to guests and gives you enough cover to absorb a cancellation without being out of pocket.

Full payment upfront

Some sites, particularly those in high demand areas like the Lake District, Peak District, or coastal spots, take full payment at the time of booking. This eliminates the hassle of chasing balances and means every confirmed booking is fully paid. The trade off is that it can put off guests who are booking months in advance and don't want to pay in full straight away.

For most sites, a 25% deposit with the balance due 14 to 28 days before arrival hits the sweet spot. It's enough to deter casual bookings, low enough that it doesn't create friction, and gives you time to re-let the pitch if someone cancels.

When to collect the balance

The deposit is only half the equation. You also need to decide when the remaining balance is due. The three most common approaches are:

Whatever you choose, make sure the due date is clearly stated in your booking confirmation. If you're using booking software, you can usually set this up so balance reminders go out automatically. That saves you from having to send awkward chasing emails yourself.

Writing a cancellation and refund policy

Your deposit policy and your cancellation policy are two sides of the same coin. Guests will ask what happens to their deposit if they cancel, and you need a clear answer ready.

A typical structure looks like this:

You can adjust the time windows to suit your site. Busier sites with long waiting lists can afford stricter policies because re-letting is easy. Quieter sites might offer more flexibility to encourage bookings in the first place.

The key is to write it down, publish it on your website, and include it in every booking confirmation. If a guest disputes a charge, having a clear written policy that they agreed to at the time of booking is your best protection.

Seasonal pricing and deposit adjustments

Some owners run the same deposit policy all year round. Others adjust based on the season. Both approaches are valid, but there are good reasons to vary your policy.

During peak weeks, like school summer holidays, bank holidays, and events in your area, demand is high and no-shows are more costly. Consider:

In the shoulder season and off peak months, you might relax things. A lower deposit or a more generous cancellation window can help fill pitches that would otherwise sit empty. The goal is to balance protection with flexibility.

If you do run different policies for different seasons, make sure your invoicing reflects the correct terms. Sending a guest an invoice that says "50% deposit" when they were quoted 25% is a recipe for complaints.

How to communicate your policy to guests

A deposit policy only works if guests know about it before they book. Here's where to make it visible:

The worst position to be in is arguing with a guest about a policy they claim they never saw. If it's written clearly and sent to them at the point of booking, you're on solid ground.

Handling deposits for CL and CS sites

If you run a Certificated Location or a Certificated Site, deposits can feel like overkill. You've got five pitches, you know most of your guests by name, and the whole thing runs on trust.

But even CL and CS owners get caught out. A guest books your last pitch for the May bank holiday, then texts you on Thursday evening to say they can't make it. You've turned away three other enquiries that week. That's real money lost.

For CL and CS sites, a simple approach works best:

Even a small deposit filters out the casual "I'll book just in case" enquiries and makes your bookings more reliable. And if you're worried about the hassle of collecting card payments, tools like CampSuite's Stripe integration make it simple to take a deposit online without needing a card machine.

Taking deposits online vs manually

If you're still taking deposits by bank transfer or cheque, it might be time to reconsider. Manual deposits create extra admin: you need to check your bank account, match payments to bookings, chase people who forget, and keep track of who has paid what.

Online deposits, collected automatically at the point of booking, remove all of that. The guest enters their card details, the deposit is charged immediately, and the booking is confirmed. No chasing, no matching, no spreadsheet.

Most modern campsite booking systems handle this out of the box. You set your deposit amount or percentage, connect a payment provider like Stripe, and the system does the rest. Balance reminders go out automatically, and you can see at a glance which bookings are fully paid and which still have a balance outstanding.

This isn't just a convenience thing. It also reduces errors. When you're manually tracking deposits across a diary, a spreadsheet, and your bank account, things slip through the cracks. A single system that ties the booking to the payment keeps everything in one place.

What about group bookings and events?

Group bookings and rally bookings deserve their own deposit rules. A group of 15 caravans booking a rally weekend is very different from a single family booking a touring pitch.

For group bookings, consider:

Rally organisers are used to these terms and won't be surprised by them. The important thing is to agree everything in writing before you block out half your site for a weekend.

Getting your deposit policy right

A good deposit policy is one that protects your income without making the booking process feel like a commitment ceremony. Keep it simple, keep it consistent, and make sure every guest sees the terms before they pay.

If you don't have a written policy yet, now is the time to create one. If you have one but apply it loosely, tighten it up before peak season hits. And if you're still chasing deposits by bank transfer, look at moving to an online system that handles it automatically.

CampSuite lets you set deposit amounts, collect payments via Stripe, send automatic balance reminders, and keep everything tied to the booking. It's free for CL and CS sites, and you can start a free trial in about 15 minutes.