Search for UK Car Hire & Van RentalShort Term Rental - Terms & Conditions
Rental Terms
Please be advised if you do not adhere to the Terms & Conditions regarding Driver Age, Payment, Driving Licences & history, Identification Required and Rental Payment Terms when collecting your vehicle our Cancellation Policy will be enforced. Should you be unable to fulfil the stated ID Requirements please contact your renting location to discuss options prior to making a booking
Some Thrifty vehicles are fitted with tow bars however use of these tow bars is strictly prohibited when renting a vehicle booked through this website (or any other website advertising the Thrifty brand name) and will render insurance cover invalid
Please note all payments/charges/refunds are processed in Pounds Sterling (GBP). Thrifty Car & Van Rental cannot be held responsible for fluctuations in exchange rates or for losses which may arise due to changes in currency exchange rates
Servicing
An electronic notification will display to advise a service is due. It is your responsibility to contact your renting location to advise the vehicle requires servicing. If a service is missed during your rental a penalty charge will be applied, please see below.
| Economy to Standard. | £2,000 | |
| Full Size to Prestige and MPVs. | £3,500 | |
| Luxury, Elite, and Prestige 4x4. | £5,000 - £10,000 | * |
| Vans | £2,000 | |
| Pickup Trucks. | £3,500 | |
| Minibuses, 8 to 17 seats. | £3,500 |
*Please check with the location for more information.
Management Warning Lights
Warning lights must be notified to your renting location immediately. Failure to do so will result in a £1000 penalty charge being applied
Thrifty Assist
In the event of an Accident or Incident please call Thrifty Assist on 0800 107 9944
Private Vehicles
Please note we are unable to allow private vehicles to be left at any of our sites
Cancellations
Reservations made via the Thrifty web site are at special rates which reflect our Cancellation and No-show policies.
Reservations confirmed and pre-paid on-line
If you cancel your pre-paid reservation within 24 hours of placing the booking Thrifty will issue a full refund. If you cancel your reservation more than 24 hours from time of making the booking no refund will be made. All bookings cancelled less than 48 hours from the pick up date and time are non refundable. Please note if appropriate I.D., the necessary payment/deposit is not produced at time of pick up or the Terms and Conditions are not adhered to in any way, and the rental cannot proceed, no refund will be made. Cancellations may be made on this website and a cancellation number will be emailed to you - please retain this for your records.
NB: No cancellations can be made on the website after the rental start date & time. In these instances you should request the pick up location to action on your behalf.
Reservations confirmed on line but paid on pick up
No charge will be made for cancellation of a reservation that has been confirmed on line for payment on pick up.
Reservations confirmed off line by the Thrifty location
You may cancel your reservation at any time up to 48 hours before the check-out time without charge. Cancellation should be made direct with the Thrifty location (by telephone or email).
If you cancel after this time, the Thrifty location may charge your credit card in accordance with the agreement made at the time of confirmation, subject to a maximum amount equal to the value of the hire.
If you do not arrive to collect your vehicle (no show):
Reservations confirmed and pre-paid on-line
Unless you have cancelled your reservation in accordance with the above terms, if you do not collect your vehicle at the time specified on the prepaid rental voucher, no refund will be made.
The Thrifty location will, however, hold your rental vehicle available for you for 4 working hours after the time of the reservation.(unless this is outwith the renting location's opening hours)
Reservations confirmed on-line but paid on pick up
No charge will be made for failing to pick up your rental vehicle if you have not prepaid for your hire.
Reservations confirmed on-line or off-line by the Thrifty location
If you do not arrive to collect your vehicle at the time specified in the Reservation confirmation, and you do not let the Thrifty location know that you are cancelling your hire as above, the Thrifty location may charge your credit or debit card in accordance with the agreement made at the time of confirmation, subject to a maximum amount equal to the value of the hire.
Vehicles images
Vehicle images are examples only. Specific models cannot be guaranteed.
Availability
Thrifty UK works with a wide range of Manufacturers and, as such, we are unable to display every available vehicle within each category on our website. Our policy is to display the most appropriate vehicle within that particular category at any point in time. The definition of 'Or Similar' is the provision of a vehicle of comparable size, body type and rental value to the vehicle being displayed. Please note, due to the number of Manufacturers we deal with, we may supply a vehicle from an alternative manufacturer.
In the unlikely event that a vehicle from the category booked is unavailable Thrifty will supply a Free Upgrade. A Free Upgrade is defined as a vehicle which has a greater rental value than the category booked.
Price
Rates include insurance (subject to the damage liability of the vehicle), VAT & Roadside Assistance. Mileage is limited on all hires. Hires of 28 days and over (including hires of 1-27 days which extend) will be limited to 2,000 free miles per 28 day period or part thereof.
Vehicles are subject to limited miles as follows:
- Rental duration of 1-14 days is limited to 100 miles per day
- Rental duration of 15-27 days and over is limited to 70 miles per day
- Rental duration of 28 days and over is limited to 2000 miles per 28 days
Excess miles will be charged as follows:
- All vehicles, excluding Luxury & Elite vehicles, @ 15p+Vat per mile
- Luxury & Elite vehicles will be charged @ 50p+Vat per mile
Driver Age
All drivers must be aged 22 or over. Drivers aged 22-24 may only rent cars up to Standard category, Economy and Short Wheel Base Vans.
Drivers of vehicle categories Prestige, Luxury and Elite must be aged 30 or over.
The additional daily charges of £35.00 (incl VAT) applied to drivers aged 22-24 is included in the quote provided.
Damage Liability
Insurance is subject to a damage liability which varies according to vehicle size.
Some Thrifty vehicles are fitted with tow bars however use of these tow bars is strictly prohibited when renting a vehicle booked through this website (or any other website advertising the Thrifty brand name) and will render insurance cover invalid.
Damage Liability Reduction is available on certain vehicle groups and at participating locations for an additional cost. This product is not available to drivers aged 22-24 or 70 and over.
| Reduction of damage liability from £1000 to £250 (economy to standard cars only) | £15.00 per day, 1 to 3 day hires
£11.50 per day, 4 to 13 day hires £9.50 per day, 14 days or longer |
| Reduction of damage liability from £1250 to £250 (full size to prestige cars and all vans, excludes prestige 4x4s) | £20.00 per day, 1 to 3 day hires
£17.00 per day, 4 to 13 day hires £14.00 per day, 14 days or longer |
| Reduction of damage liability from £1500 or more
| Dependant on vehicle type. Please check with location |
| Damage Liability for car groups Economy to Standard Size is £1000, all other groups, including Full Size People Carriers are £1250 except the Prestige 4 x 4s and the Luxury Automatics which are £1500, the Luxury 4 x 4 and Elite vehicles range from £2000 to £5000.
Please note Glass and Tyre cover is not available for Elite rentals | |
| Glass and tyre cover (economy to full size cars and vans) | £8.80 per day, 1 to 3 day hires
£7.15 per day, 4 to 13 day hires £6.05 per day 14 days or longer |
| Glass and tyre cover (premium & prestige vehicles) - dependant on vehicle type, please check with location | £19.80 per day, 1 to 3 day hires
£16.50 per day, 4 to 13 day hires £13.20 per day 14 days or longer |
Damage Liability waiver may be withdrawn at any time (for example, due to extreme weather conditions) at the discretion of Thrifty management.
Fuel Policy
All vehicles are supplied with a full tank of fuel at the start of the hire. Customers may:-
- purchase this tank of fuel at a preferential rate and return the vehicle empty, or
- return the vehicle full at the end of the rental, or
- return the vehicle part full and be charged for missing fuel at the end of the rental at the locally determined price. Please note a surcharge will be applied for this facility
Payment
Payment is required by credit card or debit card. Cash, cheque, and pre-paid credit cards are not accepted. Third parties may not pre pay for a rental on line and the credit or debit card presented at the start of the hire must always be in the name of the main driver. Vouchers cannot be transferred, ie the person named on the voucher as the hirer must be the person who drives the vehicle. Third parties paying for the rental at pick up (or additional rental charges in the event of a pre-payment) is not acceptable.
Overseas use
Overseas travel is unavailable at this time and until further notice
Updated 2nd December 2020
Driving Licences & history
Anyone who will be driving the Thrifty vehicle must present their valid passport along with a valid driving licence with their current address, in person, at the time of collection. No copies of licences will be accepted. On collection of vehicle, renter must produce: valid driving licence - we cannot accept an expired photocard
Drivers must have held a full driving licence for at least 12 months. Licence endorsements up to 9 points are accepted. If the driver has been banned from driving for a DD, DR or UT offence, or has been disqualified for 12 months or more, we will only rent 5 years or more after the return of the licence.
All drivers presenting a UK driving licence (card licence or paper licence) need to provide evidence of their current endorsements at the time of renting - this includes any additional drivers. The counterpart to the driving licence was abolished in 2015 (excluding licences issued in Northern Ireland) and DVLA provide an online facility for drivers to view and share their licence history. Drivers may either provide a paper copy of their licence history, obtained from the DVLA website no more than 21 days before the rental start, or the code provided by the DVLA on their website (screenshots of licence history are not accepted).
To generate the code or the print out, all drivers must visit the DVLA website on https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence. Drivers will be required to input their NI number, driving licence number and postcode to view their history.
If you do not have a printer, and will be providing the code, please ensure it is written down exactly as on the screen. Thrifty staff will enter this code to the DVLA website in order to view your current endorsements. Thrifty locations will also have the facility for you to obtain the code once in the rental office - however, you will still need your NI number to do so.
Drivers must be aged 30 or over to rent a luxury, prestige or elite vehicle.
N.B. All hirers must be in possession of a licence with a D1 entitlement on it to hire a 17 seat minibus
Identification required if UK Resident. If you cannot fulfil the stated ID requirements please contact the renting location prior to booking to discuss options.
When collecting the vehicle, the Lead Driver must present
- a valid driving licence along with their valid passport. Photocard style licences must be in date, we cannot accept an expired photocard. (see Driving Licences section for further details)
- if the licence does not show current home address (this includes licences issued in EU countries and driver resides in UK), a valid passport or national identity card must be presented
- 2 additional forms of ID to confirm home address. One must be the credit card statement/bank statement for the credit card/debit card being presented for deposit and additional charges. The other should be a formal document (eg. utilities bill) both must be dated within 8 weeks of date of hire and be the original documents
- a credit or debit card in their own name (see section on Rental Payment terms for further details).
- additional drivers must present a valid driving licence and their valid passport - we cannot accept an expired photocard.
- please contact the location prior to hiring if you have any questions regarding identification required.
Identity Verification
In order to manage our insurance risk and combat fraud we may conduct a search and check on the personal details you have provided using identify verification services provided by credit reference agencies and counter fraud services.
The identity verification services we use may involve soft searching your credit file. Soft searches will not impact your credit rating or affect the way lenders see you in any way. You may see these soft searches as 'footprints' on your credit report in either our name, or the name of one of the credit reference agencies that we work with.
More information about how we process your information can be found at www.thrifty.co.uk/privacy-policy.htm where you will also find details on how you can object to your information being processed.
Identification required if non UK Resident. If you cannot fulfil the stated ID requirements please contact the renting location prior to booking to discuss options.
When collecting the vehicle, the Lead Driver must present
- valid passport
- a credit card in their own name (please note debit cards are not accepted). For Porsche rentals, 2 credit cards will be required.
- a valid driving licence from country of residence (licence must show an English translation if not issued in Europe)
- travel documentation confirming dates of arrival and departure to/from the UK
- Additional drivers must also present a valid driving licence from country of residence (licence must show an English translation if not issued in Europe)
Rental Payment Terms
When you book online you accept the conditions set out below:
The Thrifty location will do its best to have the vehicle which is the subject of a confirmed reservation available on the day and at the time you have requested. If you decide to cancel your reservation or do not arrive to collect your reserved vehicle on the day and at the time you have reserved it, charges may be made and these are explained in these Rental terms.
Please read this carefully. If there is anything you do not understand or do not agree with, please ask any member of staff at your Thrifty location.
By booking online and accepting these Terms & Conditions you consent to Thrifty applying charges to your credit or debit card account. Your initial rental charges are paid for at the time of booking. You will not be required to make the excess deposit payment or pay for any possible additional rental costs until you collect your vehicle. Thrifty guarantees to have the vehicle you reserve or a higher classed vehicle available at the time and date you request.
Should you book and pre pay on line you must present your prepaid voucher in exchange for the hire
When you collect your rental vehicle you will be required to present a credit or debit card, which will be charged as follows:-
a) payment by credit card - if you choose to pay by credit card (Mastercard, Visa) your card will be debited for the rental charges and any additional charges agreed to plus a further deposit amount of £500 (economy to standard) or £750 (fullsize cars, MPVs and vans).
In the event that you have pre paid only any additional charges plus a further amount of £500 or £750 will be debited.
Please note if paying for a Prestige 4x4, Luxury or Elite vehicle payment for the rental charges and the full value of the excess will be charged.
When you return the vehicle at the end of the hire period, the total additional charges, including any charges for fuel, damage, etc will be calculated and any overpayment will be credited to your card. Please note this process may take up to 5 working days.
b) payment by Visa/MasterCard debit card - if you choose to pay by Visa or MasterCard debit card your card will be debited for the rental charges and any additional charges agreed to plus a further deposit amount of £500 (economy to standard) or £750 (fullsize cars, MPVs and vans).
In the event that you have pre paid only any additional charges plus a further amount of £500 or £750 will be debited.
Please note if paying for a Prestige 4x4, Luxury or Elite vehicle payment for the rental charges and the full value of the excess will be charged; a valid CREDIT CARD must also be presented when picking up the vehicle. Payment for the rental charges will be charged to the VISA/MASTERCARD DEBIT CARD and the value of the excess up to £5000 will be charged to the CREDIT CARD provided.
When you return the vehicle at the end of the hire period, the total additional charges, including any charges for fuel, damage, etc will be calculated and any overpayment will be credited to your card(s). Please note this process may take up to 5 working days.
c) payment by debit card (excluding Visa/MasterCard - see above) - if you choose to pay by debit card (Switch, Solo, Maestro, Visa Electron) your card will be charged at the start of the hire for the rental charges and any additional charges agreed to plus the value of the damage liability excess on the vehicle. In the event that you have pre paid only any additional charges plus the value of the damage liability excess will be charged. Should you choose to accept a damage liability waiver reduction your card will be charged for the additional charges plus a further £250 (economy to standard cars) and £500 (vans, 17 seat minibus, full size to prestige excluding prestige 4x4s) however, please note that Thrifty reserves the right to withdraw the option to purchase damage liability waiver, for example, due to extreme weather conditions. Please note if paying for a Prestige 4x4, Luxury or Elite vehicle payment for the rental charges and the full value of the excess will be charged; a valid CREDIT CARD must also be presented when picking up the vehicle. Payment for the rental charges will be charged to the debit card the value of the excess up to £5000 will be charged to the CREDIT CARD provided.
When you return the vehicle at the end of the hire period, the total additional charges, including any charges for fuel, damage, etc will be calculated and any overpayment will be credited to your card(s). Please note this process may take up to 5 working days.
In the event that you return the vehicle earlier than the date originally specified on the voucher, no refund will be made.
If you wish to return the vehicle after the time originally specified, you should contact the branch to agree this. You will be charged for every day or part-day you have the vehicle after the original agreed date and time at the rate specified on the rental agreement when you collect the vehicle.
Rental period
You will have the vehicle for the rental period shown in your Reservation Confirmation. If you do not bring the vehicle back on time, or if you do not contact us and get our agreement to an extension of your rental, you are breaking the conditions of this agreement. We can charge you for every day or part-day you have the vehicle after you should have returned it to us. Until we get the vehicle back we will charge you the daily rate specified on the rental agreement when you collect the vehicle.
Customer Service
All customer queries or complaints for hires within the UK should be made in writing or by contacting:
Email:
customer.service@thrifty.co.uk
Post:
Thrifty Car & Van Rental
Scot House
Matford Park Road
Matford Business Park
Exeter
Devon EX2 8AW
The Query or Complaint will be investigated by the Customer Service team and where possible a decision reached. Further information may be required from you to enable the decision making process.
A decision will be communicated to you within 5 working days
If no resolution can be reached you are entitled to refer your complaint to the conciliation service managed by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association:
Email: complaint@bvrla.co.uk
You may also refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service:
Email: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Telephone: 0845 080 1800 or 0300 123 9123
Rental agreement
You will be asked to sign a Rental Agreement when you collect you hire vehicle and the terms of this agreement are as follows:
Rental Agreement
1 Your contract with usPlease read this agreement carefully. If there is anything you do not understand, ask a member of staff to explain it.
When you sign our rental agreement, you accept the conditions set out in this rental agreement.
2 Rental period
You will have use of the vehicle for the period shown in the agreement. We may agree to extend this rental period, but the total rental duration will not be for more than 30 days.
If you do not bring back the vehicle at the time and date specified in your rental agreement, you will be in breach of a condition of this agreement. We can charge you for every day or part of the day you have the vehicle after you should have returned it to us. We will charge you a daily or hourly rate (which will be shown at the place you have rented the vehicle from) until we get our vehicle back.
If you do not keep to the conditions of our agreement, we can ask you to bring back the vehicle before the date and time we have agreed with you. To do this we will give you written notice in person or send it to an address you have given on our rental agreement, including an email address, or via text message to your mobile phone, if provided. Once we have given you the notice in person, you will no longer have our permission to have the vehicle. If we send the notice via email or SMS, you will no longer have our permission to have the vehicle. If we send you notice via first class post, two working days after we have posted it you will no longer have our permission to have the vehicle. We may then take back our vehicle. If we believe you have given us false information which was material to the decision to rent the vehicle to you, we may take back the vehicle without giving you any notice. You will be required to arrange collection of the vehicle in these instances.
3 Your responsibilities
a) You must inspect the vehicle and any accessories, such as a satellite navigation system, we provide before you take the vehicle. If you are not satisfied with the vehicle or any accessories or if you do not think the condition of the vehicle meets our pre-rental inspection report, you must notify the office where you rented the vehicle from within 2 working hours. In the absence of such notice, it shall be deemed that you received the vehicle and any accessories in perfect working order.
b) You must take care of the vehicle, any accessories and the keys or other locking device (including any apps which can be used with the vehicles) for the vehicle. You agree to return the vehicle in the same condition in which you received it. You must always lock the vehicle when you are not using it, and use any security device which is fitted or supplied with the vehicle. You must always use your best endeavours to protect the vehicle against adverse weather conditions which could cause damage to the vehicle. You must make sure that you use the correct fuel and fluids in the vehicle. If the vehicle is electric or plug-in hybrid you must charge the vehicle in accordance with the instructions provided.
c) Depending on section 8 of this agreement ("Our motor insurance and damage protection programme"), you are responsible for any damage to the vehicle. You must pay our reasonable costs for bringing the vehicle back to the condition stated in the pre-rental inspection report. This could include the cost of any damage inside and outside the vehicle, cleaning costs if the vehicle is very dirty, and replacement or repair of any items or accessories provided to you.
d) You must not sell, rent or dispose of the vehicle, any of its parts or accessories. You must not give or try to give anyone the legal rights to the vehicle or transfer legal ownership.
e) You must not let anyone work on the vehicle without our written permission. If we do give permission we will only give you a refund if you have a receipt for the work we have given you permission for.
f) You must let us know as soon as you become aware of any defect with the vehicle, or if the vehicle is stolen or involved in an accident or broken down. Failure to notify may result in you breaking this agreement and liable to paying costs we incur.
g) If we have agreed to drop off the vehicle at an address you have given us, you will be responsible for the vehicle from the time we drop it off at this address.
h) Unless we have agreed to collect the vehicle from you, you must return the vehicle to the location or rental branch we agreed. You must return it during the published opening hours or at a time and place we tell you. When you return the vehicle, our staff must check its condition. If we have agreed to allow you to return the vehicle outside of our opening hours, you will stay responsible for the vehicle and its condition until our staff have checked it at the earliest opportunity the following day. We may need to clean the vehicle before our staff can check its condition.
i) You must not carry any object or substance which, because of its condition or smell, may harm the vehicle or delay us renting or selling it.
4 Our responsibilities
a) We will identify and tell you about any existing damage to the vehicle before you sign this agreement.
b) The vehicle you have hired may be fitted with a tracking device, which may be used to ensure safe and compliant operation of the vehicle in line with the terms of this agreement. If the vehicle is not returned on the agreed date, time and place we may use the data recorded on the device to recover our vehicle. All data will be deleted once the rental agreement is ended
c) We have maintained the vehicle to at least the manufacturer's recommended standard. The vehicle is roadworthy and suitable for you to use at the start of the rental period.
d) We are responsible if someone is injured or dies as a result of our action or failure to act. We are also responsible for any loss you suffer as a result of us breaking this agreement, if we could have predicted your loss at the time this agreement started and it is a result of us breaking this agreement. We are not responsible for any indirect losses which occur as a side effect of the main loss and which we or you could not have predicted, such as loss of profits or loss of opportunity (for example not being able to go to a business meeting or catching a flight).
5 Property
We are only responsible for loss or damage to property in the vehicle if the loss or damage is a result of our neglect or if we have broken this agreement. You are responsible for removing your personal belongings, including your data, from the vehicle at the end of the rental period, as we are not responsible for any items/data you leave in the vehicle. If you do leave items in the vehicle, we may agree to keep them for you to collect within a reasonable time. We may charge you reasonable costs for storing the items.
6 Conditions for using the vehicle
a) Only you, any driver named on the rental agreement, and anyone we have given written permission to, can drive the vehicle. Anyone driving the vehicle must have a full driving licence which is valid in the European Economic Area for the type of vehicle you are renting.
b) You must not rent the vehicle to anyone else. You must also not use the vehicle or let someone else use it:
ii. to carry passengers for a fee (except for minibuses which you have a valid operator's licence for);
iii. for driving lessons;
iv. to tow or push any vehicle, trailer or other object, without our written permission;
v. for racing, pacemaking, or to test the vehicle's reliability, performance or speed;
vi. off roads or on roads unsuitable for the vehicle;
vii. if you or the driver has been drinking alcohol or taking drugs that would result in the vehicle being operated illegally;
viii. outside the United Kingdom, unless we have given you written permission and a Vehicle on Hire Certificate (VE103B);
ix. if it is loaded beyond the manufacturer's maximum weight recommendations;
x. to carry unsecured loads;
xi. to carry more passengers than the vehicle was manufactured to legally carry; or
xii. to operate a goods vehicle or minibus without a valid operator's licence when required to do so.
7 Charges
We work out our charges using our current price list, which includes VAT (see the rental agreement).
You will be responsible for paying the following charges:-
a) The rental and any other charges we work out according to this agreement.
b) Any charge for loss or damage resulting from non-compliance, as set out in section 3 and 6 (above), including, where applicable, an administration fee to reflect reasonable administration costs which arise in dealing with these matters.
c) A refuelling service charge if you did not return the vehicle back to us with the agreed amount of fuel or electricity. The charge will be based upon the rates contained within this agreement or those at the location or rental branch you rented the vehicle from (or both). However, if at the time of signing the agreement, you have agreed to pay for a full tank of fuel and return the vehicle without refuelling, then no refuelling service charge shall be payable. You will not receive any credit for any unused fuel or electricity left in the tank or battery at the end of the rental period.
d) All charges, including legal and administrative costs for any road-traffic offence or parking (local authority or private), congestion or toll charges, or any other offence or charges involving the rental vehicle, including costs from the vehicle being clamped, seized or towed away. You are responsible for paying the appropriate authority or company for any charges and costs if and when they ask you or us for these payments. You will also be responsible for paying our reasonable administration charges for dealing with these matters. However, where it is not reasonably practicable to transfer liability for any such fine or charge, we may use our discretion to settle the fine or charge with the appropriate authority and re-charge you such amount together with an administration charge to reflect our reasonable administration costs. Should you wish to appeal, contest or dispute any such fine or charge we shall pass all relevant information to you and you must liaise directly with the appropriate authority or company to obtain any refund, where this is possible.
e) The reasonable cost of repairing any damage to the vehicle which was not noted at the start of the agreement, whether you were at fault or not (depending on section 4). You will also be responsible for paying the reasonable cost of replacing the vehicle if it is stolen or written off, depending on any insurance or cover you have (as set out in section 8 below), if and when we demand this payment. You will also be responsible for paying our reasonable administration charges for dealing with this matter. Should we consider damage to the rental vehicle to be caused by your gross negligence, serious carelessness, or deliberate misuse, then we reserve the right to recharge the full cost of repairs regardless of the cover that has been taken out, e.g. driving the vehicle illegally, fuel contamination or driving through a flood. Any call out for a customer induced fault, (e.g. losing the key to the vehicle or changing a punctured tyre) could lead to additional charges being applied to the rental agreement.
f) A loss-of-income charge, when we demand it, if we cannot rent out the vehicle because it needs to be repaired, if it is a write-off (it cannot be repaired), or if it has been stolen and we are waiting to receive a full payment of the vehicle's value.
g) We will only charge you for loss of income if we cannot get back our losses under the damage protection programme, as explained in section 8. We will charge you at the published daily or hourly rate, and we will never charge you for more than 30 days rental charges. In addition, we will also make suitable deductions for any costs which we have avoided during the period that the vehicle cannot be rented, up to a maximum of 30 days. We will always do everything we can to make sure we repair the vehicle or get back our costs as soon as possible.
h) Any recovery charges arising from the Driver and Vehicle Services Agency (DVSA), HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), the police, or any other organisation or their agents, who have seized our vehicle while on hire to you. You will also have to pay us a loss-of-income charge while we cannot rent out the vehicle.
i) Any published rates for delivering and collecting the vehicle, a charge for an extra driver or returning the vehicle late, and charges for accessories such as child car seats, satellite navigation systems and other similar items.
j) Interest, which we will add every day to any amount you do not pay us on time, at the rate of 4% a year above the base lending rate as published by Barclays Bank. We will publish this rate from time to time.
k) You are responsible for any loss or damage to additional equipment hired at time of rental including but not limited to satellite navigation equipment, baby seats etc.
l) We will work out all charges in line with this agreement, and they will include VAT (if this applies).
You are responsible for all charges, even if you have asked someone else to be responsible for them.
8 Our motor insurance and damage protection programme
You can get full details of our damage protection programme from the office you rented the vehicle from, or from our website.
If we arrange separate motor insurance, we will give you information on the motor insurance cover and any restrictions which may apply. Otherwise, the conditions of our motor insurance and damage protection programme will apply. By putting your initials in the appropriate box on the rental agreement, you are confirming that you have read the conditions of our motor insurance and damage protection programme and accept the conditions.
We have a legal responsibility to have third-party motor insurance. This provides cover for claims if you injure or kill anybody, or damage their property. Cover for damage to property is limited to £1,000,000.
We will provide cover for loss or damage to the vehicle if you have ticked the box marked "Collision and loss damage waiver" on the rental agreement. Even if you accept this, you still have to pay an amount up to the "responsibility amount" every time you damage the vehicle. The following are not covered by the collision and loss damage waiver and you will be responsible for the full cost of repair:
II. All damage sustained to our vehicle as a result of allowing anybody that is not authorised under the rental agreement to drive the vehicle.
III. The full cost of any rectification charges as a result of carrying out repairs to our vehicle without prior written permission
IV. The full cost of the vehicle if you fail to report its theft to the police and ourselves as soon as you become aware that it has been taken.
V. All costs incurred as a result of failing to comply with Section 6 of this agreement.
VI. Any damage caused to the vehicle by deliberate misuse or gross negligence, including, but not limited to the tyres, brakes and clutch and miss fuelling
The responsibility amount you have to pay in each case is shown on the rental agreement.
We will provide cover for theft and damage to the vehicle caused during a theft or attempted theft, if you have ticked the box marked "Theft waiver" on the rental agreement. Even if you accept this, you still have to pay an amount up to the "responsibility amount" if the vehicle is stolen.
9 Your own motor insurance
If we have agreed to fill in the appropriate box on the rental agreement prior to the conclusion of the rental agreement, you may arrange your own motor insurance to cover your legal responsibility for any loss or if the vehicle is stolen or damaged for the full period you are renting the vehicle for and third party liability. You must prove that this motor insurance is valid and sign the confirmation on the rental agreement. We have the right to agree:
- the amount of cover you arrange;
- the type of policy you choose; and
- the insurer you choose.
It is your responsibility to ensure details of all vehicles supplied by us for a period of more than 14 days are entered onto the Motor Insurance Database within 3 days of the vehicle being supplied to you. If we receive any notices or penalties relating to the vehicle being uninsured then we will ask you to pay our reasonable costs for dealing with them.
10 What to do if you have an accident or the vehicle is stolen
If you are involved in an accident, you must not admit that you are responsible. You should describe the situation as fully as possible when you are asked to do so by the police and the rental company. You should get the names and addresses of everyone involved, including witnesses. You should also:
- make sure the vehicle is secure;
- tell the police straight away if anyone is injured or if there is a disagreement over who is responsible; and
- contact us straight away.
If the vehicle has been stolen, you must tell us as soon as possible and confirm this in writing as soon as reasonably possible. You or any authorised drivers will also need to:
- get the names and addresses of any witnesses and give them to us;
- send us any notices or other documents relating to any legal proceedings arising out of the theft or loss;
- help us and our insurers in any legal proceedings, including allowing us to take legal action in your name and defending any legal action taken against you; and
- give us back all keys and report the theft or loss to the police as soon as reasonably possible.
By entering into this rental agreement you agree that we can process and store your personal information in connection with this agreement including data collected from the vehicle. We may use your information to analyse statistics, for market research, credit control and to protect our assets.
You agree that if you break the terms of this agreement we can pass your personal information to credit-reference agencies, debt collectors, the police or any other relevant organisation. We can also give this information to the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), which can share your personal information with its members to prevent crime and protect their assets, as allowed under the Data Protection Act 1998.
12 Ending this agreement
a) We will end this agreement if we find out that your belongings have been taken away from you to pay off your debts, or a receiving order has been made against you. We may end this agreement if you do not meet its main conditions.
b) If you are a company, we will end this agreement if:
- you go into liquidation;
- you call a meeting of creditors;
- we find out that your goods have been taken away from you until you pay off your debts; or
- you do not meet any of the conditions of this agreement.
13 The law
We aim to deal with all disagreements fairly and calmly. If we cannot deal with a disagreement, we may take the matter to the BVRLA's conciliation service. This agreement is governed by the laws of the country in which you signed it. Any disagreement may be settled in the courts of that country. This agreement contains all the conditions which we have agreed and replaces any written or verbal agreements we have with you.