Frequently asked questions

Booking a stay

How do I book a campsite or glamping pitch on live 1 life?

Search by place and dates on the homepage or /browse, open a pitch, pick your arrival and departure dates, then book. On Instant Book pitches you pay a 25% deposit and the booking is confirmed straight away. On request-to-book pitches you send a request (nothing is charged yet); if the host accepts, usually within a day, you pay the 25% deposit within 48 hours to confirm. Some hosts take enquiries only — you message them and arrange the stay directly.

How much do I pay up front?

Instant and approved bookings take a 25% deposit through Stripe Checkout. The remaining balance is settled directly with the host, normally on arrival. A 5% booking fee is calculated on the host's listed price, added to your total and collected as part of your 25% deposit; the full total is shown before you pay.

Do I need an account to request a booking?

No. You can send a booking request as a guest with just your name and email. When you later create an account with the same email, your existing bookings are linked to it automatically so you can see them under Trips.

How do I know a pitch is actually free on my dates?

Each listing shows a live availability calendar. Dates already held by a confirmed booking, or blocked by the host, cannot be selected. Availability refreshes while the page is open, so two guests cannot claim the same night.

Can I cancel or change a booking?

Yes — contact the host through your booking, or use our contact page. Cancellation terms for the deposit are set per listing and shown on the pitch page before you pay. Refunds are processed back to the original card via Stripe.

Where can I check the status of a payment?

After checkout you land on the payment status page, which shows a live Stripe timeline: checkout created, card authorised, deposit paid, and any refund or failure, each with its real timestamp.

Wild camping and the law

Is wild camping legal in the UK?

Only in limited places. In Scotland the Land Reform Act gives a right to responsible wild camping on most unenclosed land. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland you need the landowner's permission, with narrow exceptions such as parts of Dartmoor. Our wild camping rules checker breaks this down region by region with official sources.

Why book a private pitch instead of wild camping?

A booked pitch on live 1 life is permission in writing from the person or business responsible for the place, so you are not trespassing, you know where the water and toilet are, and the host knows to expect you.

Hosting and listing land

Who can list land on live 1 life?

Landowners, farmers, estate managers, campsite and glamping operators, and outdoor activity providers in the UK. You need the legal right to let people stay on the land and the relevant permissions or licences for your setup.

How many days a year can I run a temporary campsite?

It depends on where your land is and what applies to it — there is no automatic right to open for a set number of days. In England, Class BC of the General Permitted Development Order has allowed the temporary use of land as a recreational campsite for up to 60 days a calendar year, with no more than 50 pitches, since 26 July 2023. In Wales, Class BA allows up to 60 days a calendar year — 28 days within a National Park, AONB or World Heritage Site — and before you begin in each calendar year you must apply to your local planning authority for a determination as to whether prior approval is needed for toilets and wastewater, waste disposal and vehicle access. Camping is no longer covered by the older general 28-day temporary use right in either country. Both rights carry conditions and are unavailable on several categories of land, and Scotland and Northern Ireland differ again. Check gov.uk's planning permission guidance and gov.wales, and confirm your own position with your local planning authority before taking bookings. Our campsite income calculator is an illustration only and does not tell you how many days you may open.

What does it cost to list?

Listing is free and there is no monthly subscription. Hosts do not pay the booking fee. A 5% booking fee is calculated on your listed price, added to the guest's total and collected from the guest's deposit, so you still receive your full listed price. LIVE-1.LIFE takes no card-processing costs from your price; if you take the balance by card yourself, your own provider's charges apply.

Do I have to accept every booking?

No. Unless you switch a pitch to Instant Book, every request comes to your dashboard and you decide who stays. If you accept, the guest pays the deposit and the booking is confirmed. You can also choose Enquiries only if you don't want online bookings.

Do I need my own booking system?

No. Already have a booking system? Connect it where supported. Don't have one? No problem. You can manage your availability and bookings directly through LIVE-1.LIFE.

How and when do I get paid?

The guest's deposit is charged through Stripe at booking. Your share is transferred to your Stripe connected account 24 hours after check-in, and Stripe then pays it to your verified bank account according to the payout schedule applicable to your connected account. The balance is normally taken by you directly from the guest on arrival. Your dashboard shows the booking history, deposit status and guest contact details for each confirmed stay.

Why book with live 1 life?

Booking a field from a stranger should still feel safe. Here is exactly how we handle money, hosts and disputes.

Questions about cancellations, deposits or hosting rules? Read the full FAQ or contact us.