Van Hire – Top Tips

Planning

All too often, people are so eager to get a good price on their van hire that they fail to plan correctly.

The first step before hiring a van is to ensure you have a comprehensive list of all of your requirements. For example, estimating correctly the total size of what you will be moving in the van is vital. If you fail to do this, you could end up hiring a van much bigger than you require which could be costly. Alternatively, you could end up hiring a van much smaller than you required which could leave you having to make multiple trips. This could be expensive in terms of fuel depending on the distance travelled and could make the job take considerably longer than if the requirements had been clearly specified.

There are many variations of vans, from smaller vehicles to transit vans to pick-up trucks. If you are moving large, heavy items, consider hiring a van with a tailgate lift as this will aid you in the loading and unloading of the vehicle.

Always Compare Like With Like

When comparing van hire prices, ensure you are aware of exactly what is included in the price and what is excluded.

Also, insurance can vary dramatically, so make sure you check with each supplier exactly what you are covered for. Never assume that a cheap rental quote will include all of the elements which you require.

Ensure that you are comparing like with like and always aim to go for the unlimited mileage deals wherever you can, to ensure that you won’t be penalised for taking longer or multiple trips. A comparison rental system would assist you in this.

Check Through the Documents Thoroughly

Make sure that you read, and are aware of, all the terms and conditions before you commit to your booking. For transactions over £100, it is advisable to use a credit card where you will get protection against loss of payment, should the vehicle hire company go out of business.

When you go to pick up the van you are hiring, you must make sure that you read through all of the documentation, checking that there are no extras which you haven’t agreed to or that you will not require as these may incur unnecessary costs.

What You Will Need With You

Make sure you take both the paper and photo parts of your driving licence with you. Failure to do this could leave you unable to hire a vehicle of any sorts. Also, ensure that you take your credit card with you in order to pay for your excess deposit. Most companies will also require a current utility bill to show your current home address.

Check the Hire Vehicle

Before you leave with your hire vehicle, you should always check its interior and exterior for any form of damage. Any such damage must be documented on your agreement or you may be held accountable and charged upon returning the vehicle. Also, ensure that you check the van’s mileage and that it correlates with your documentation and the fuel level.

Make sure you are completely aware of what you need to do should you have an accident or the van break down. In these situations, you don’t want to be searching for an emergency number to call.

It’s Not Like Driving a Car

You may not be familiar with driving a van. In this instance make sure that you are aware of and comfortable with the vehicle’s dimensions. It is likely to be far higher and wider than the vehicle you are used to driving, so ensure that you take plenty of care to avoid making contact with any low bridges or walls. When parking, ensure you leave enough space behind the vehicle for loading and unloading.

Dropping the Hire Vehicle Back Off

When returning the van, ensure it is in the same condition as it was in when you collected it, with the interior clean, tidy and damage-free. Also ensure that the vehicle is returned with roughly the same amount of fuel as when you picked it up. Remember to find out where to drop the keys off if you return it out of hours and avoid dropping the vehicle off late as this could incur extra charges.

Concluding the Van Hire Experience

After everything is paid for and returned, make sure you check your credit card statements to ensure that no extra charges have been added to your van hire. If there are any discrepancies, make sure you take it up with your rental company as soon as possible.