Hire a Clarsach

Hire a Clarsach

One of The Society’s key activities is hiring good quality clarsachs to members at affordable prices.

There are three routes for Society clarsach hire:

  • National Office: for Edinburgh and surrounding areas
  • Your local Branch: check the relevant Branch page for availability
  • Courier from the National Office in our flight case: carriage (including return of the flight case) must be covered by the hirer.

For commercial or short-term hires, please contact us.

Please note: we do not hire out pedal harps.

Care of the Clarsach Document
[Please note this is a template we adapt to individual hirers.]

Hire a Clarsach in 5 Steps

1. Membership

You need to be a member of The Clarsach Society before you can hire a clarsach from us.

If the clarsach hire is on behalf of a child, you can either join on their behalf as a Concession or take out a Family membership.

Join The Clarsach Society

2. Waiting List

Once you’ve signed up as a member, use the form below to register your interest and be added to the waiting list.

We cannot guarantee how long you’ll have to wait, but will contact you as soon as a clarsach becomes available.

Join the Waiting List
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Terms & Conditions of Hire

Terms and Conditions of Hire

Membership

  1. Hirers must join one of the Branches of The Clarsach Society before they will be allocated a clarsach
  2. Membership must be maintained throughout the period of hire.

Waiting List

  1. Clarsachs are allocated to those on the waiting list as they become available.

Contract and I.D.

  1. Hirers are required to sign a legally-binding Hire Contract at the commencement of the hire.
  2. A scan/photo of a valid form of I.D. with photo and signature (passport, driving licence, identity card) is required.

Fees

  1. A non-refundable administration fee of £40.00 is payable up-front.
  2. The hire charge of £30.00 is due by monthly Standing Order. This should be set up as soon as the contract has been signed and returned.
  3. The Society reserves the right to review its Clarsach Hire Fees from time to time and to adjust them where appropriate.

Insurance

  1. Insurance is included in the monthly hire charge.
  2. Any damage sustained by hired clarsachs must be reported immediately to the National Office before effecting any repairs.

Collection and Care of the Clarsach

  1. It is the responsibility of the Hirer to arrange for the collection and eventual return of the clarsach from and to the National Office in Edinburgh.
  2. Clarsachs are supplied with a soft carrying case or cover and a tuning key, both of which must be returned with the clarsach.
  3. The replacement of strings with ones of the correct type and gauge is the responsibility of the Hirer. Missing strings and accessories will be charged to the Hirer.
  4. All clarsachs remain the property of The Society at all times and the payment of a hire charge does not entitle the Hirer to any right of ownership.
  5. The Society reserves the right to have reasonable access to its instruments during the period of hire for the purposes of inspection or insurance.

Failure to comply with any of the contract conditions will jeopardise the right of the Hirer to continue the hire.

3. Contract and I.D.

Once we have a clarsach for you, we will email you a contract to sign electronically and return to us.

We also require a scan of a valid form of I.D. with photo and signature (passport, driving licence, identity card).

4. Deposit, Monthly Hire Charge and Insurance

Once the contract is signed and returned, we will send you links for setting up:

  • a one-off non-refundable deposit of £30.00, payable immediately (via GoCardless)
  • a recurring Direct Debit for the monthly hire charge of £30.00 (via GoCardless)

Insurance for the clarsach is now included in the monthly hire charge.

5. Collecting the Clarsach

Once the deposit is received and the Direct Debit confirmed, we will put you in touch with our Clarsach Hire Assistant to arrange collection of the instrument from our National Office in Edinburgh.

Please make sure you have read through our procedures below.

Clarsach Collection & Return

To help us make the harp hire process as safe and straightforward as possible, please follow the following guidelines:

General

  • Ensure you have made an appointment in advance with the Clarsach Hire Assistant.
  • Allow enough time to park safely as near to the hall as possible: clarsachs are heavy and staff will not be able to assist with transportation.

Collection

  • We will meet you at the pre-appointed time in the lobby area of Out of the Blue Drill Hall, just inside the main doors; or, if the main doors are closed, outside the building on Dalmeny Street itself.
  • The clarsach will have been checked over and tuned, but please allow for the fact that the tuning may have slipped. We will send you some useful links to help you with tuning and restringing your clarsach.

Return

  • Please make sure the clarsach is returned with its tuning key, and in the case it was supplied with.
  • We will meet you at the pre-appointed time in the lobby area of Out of the Blue Drill Hall, just inside the main doors; or, if the main doors are closed, outside the building on Dalmeny Street itself.
  • We will check the clasach over in your presence (so please allow enough time for this) and, if anything requires further attention, inform you of this. Replacement strings will be charged for.
  • If you live too far away to drop the clarsach off in person, a courier can be arranged to deliver the instrument in our custom flight case. Carriage costs both ways must be borne by the hirer.