Aardvark's Party Supplies & Rentals

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: I am planning a party in about two months and I will need some banquet tables and chairs. When should I call and reserve these items?

Answer: The sooner the better. Renting is done on a first come, first served basis so you should call as soon as you know exactly when the event is and how many tables and chairs you will need.

Question: What if I reserve more tables then I actually will need? Will I be charged for the equipment even though I don't need as many as I thought?

Answer: We will attempt to work with you on reducing the order but you must keep in mind that we hold equipment in reserve when ordered. So if another person calls and wants the same equipment, we have to tell them that we don't have it available. If you cancel out and that equipment now becomes available, we lose out on the sale. Normally, if you cancel equipment at least 30 days prior to the event, there will be no charge. If a customer cancels equipment within 30 days of the event, there are specific penalties outlined within the contract that might have to be assessed depending on how much is cancelled. You may not cancel equipment once we have loaded it on the truck and we are in the process of delivering it to you.

Question: When you deliver the equipment, you will set it up for us as well, correct?

Answer: Our delivery is a tailgate service only. That means that we will get as close to the event as possible and the equipment will be set down at that point. You are responsible for getting the equipment to the point at which it will be used. Likewise, we do not teardown the equipment either. You must teardown the equipment and place it in the same locale where it was delivered for pickup. However, we will certainly quote you a price for setup and/or teardown if so desired. Some equipment comes with setup and teardown included (i.e. tents and inflatables).

Question: We are going to have a wedding and we will need dishes, glassware, flatware and other catering equipment. Are we responsible for washing these items?

Answer: While you are not responsible for washing any food serving equipment, you must remove all solid waste. That is, all food particles must be rinsed off the equipment. When the equipment is returned, we will wash and sanitize it. We do not have a facility for handling solid waste. Any food serving equipment returned with food particles on it will be assessed a cleaning charge.

Question: We will also be renting linens from you, are we responsible for cleaning these?

Answer: No, linens with food on them should be shaken out as best as possible and folded dry. We will then have them professionally laundered for their next rental. Linens that are returned with excessive stains, burnt, torn or with candle wax on them are not covered by the damage waiver and will be considered as excessive damage. The customer will be liable for the replacement of such damaged linens.

Question: Why do I have to pay for the damage waiver and exactly how does the damage waiver work?

Answer: When you rent our equipment, or for that matter any rental firms' equipment, you temporarily become the owner of that equipment. As an owner of any property you suffer the financial loss if any thing happens to your property. So if you rent a grill from us and a sudden windstorm blows the grill down damaging it, you are responsible for the cost of repairing or replacing it (just as you would if you owned it outright). The damage waiver states that we will not hold you responsible for any damage (with certain exceptions such as theft, neglect or misuse) to the equipment. The damage waiver is secondary to any insurance coverage that might be available. We list the damage waiver as a separate item for accounting purposes only. The damage waiver is mandatory.

Question: I'm going to rent an inflatable (moonwalk) from you and I'm worried that one of the children might get injured playing on it, do you provide the insurance if something might happen?

Answer: NO! You must have a homeowner policy or some other liability policy that provides protection for you. We do carry specific liability insurance for the inflatables but that only protects Aardvark's Party Supplies & Rentals, it provides no protection for you. Check with your insurance agent to be sure that you have an active policy that provides coverage for your benefit.

Question: What is your payment policy?

Answer: To reserve equipment, you must provide us with a credit card number. We will charge your credit card 25% of the total cost one week prior to the event. The day of the event, we will charge the remaining amount. If you do not wish to pay by credit card, we will accept checks or cash but payment is necessary no later than at the time of delivery. If paying by check or cash, please note that a deposit equal to the retail cost new of the equipment is necessary.

Question: So you mean if I rent an inflatable (moonwalk) and I want to pay by check, I need to put up $3,000 as a deposit?

Answer: Yes or give us a valid credit card number. You can still pay by check or cash and use the credit card as the security for the deposit. In such an instance we would not charge your credit card but we will check to make sure that it is active.

Question: We are planning a surprise party for our parents anniversary and will be renting almost $300 worth of equipment from you. Will you give us a discount?

Answer: Our prices are already discounted and we continually monitor our competitors to make sure that we are properly pricing our rentals. We do provide discounts to schools, governments, religious institutions, benevolent societies and businesses if we do repeat business with them. We will negotiate pricing on very large rentals as well but unfortunately we do not consider a $300 rental as large.

Question: What is your delivery charge?

Answer: For Noblesville, Cicero, Fishers, Carmel and Westfield it is generally $30 to $45, but it may vary depending on the amount of equipment rented. For other locations, we base the charge on the mileage driven. We pride ourselves on the fact that we are not attempting to make money on delivery but rather just cover the cost of transporting to and from the event.

Question: When will you deliver or pickup?

Answer: We will attempt to deliver and pickup as close to the customers request as is possible. Please keep in mind that we might have to deliver your equipment much earlier then you might need it to assure that you have it when it is needed. With regard to tents, we attempt to get those up at least two days before the event and teardown tents two days after the events. Again, weather and rental commitments may require us to alter that policy.

Question: What happens if something goes wrong with the equipment and it is outside of your normal store hours?

Answer: We provide 24/7/365 service. When the store is closed, the phone is forwarded to a cell phone so that we are always contactable.

Question: I rented 5 tables and 40 chairs from you but I ended up only using 4 tables and 32 chairs as not as many quests showed up as I had anticipated. Will you give me a refund for the equipment that you delivered but that I didn't use?