Terms & Conditions

1: BASIS OF THE HIRE
a. These terms and conditions shall govern the contract between you, the customer, and us, The Bike Van Co Ltd, and all other terms and conditions are excluded. No variation to these terms and conditions shall be binding unless expressly agreed in writing by all parties. By signing a copy of these terms and conditions, the customer confirms that they will strictly comply with the terms of the agreement between us. The Bike Van Co Ltd permit the customer to use the vehicle only upon the terms and conditions of this agreement.
b. Our employees are not authorised to make any representations or recommendations or give any advice concerning the vehicles unless expressly confirmed by us in writing.
c. All drawings, photographs, descriptions, specifications and advertising issued by us and any descriptions or illustrations contained on our website are issued or published for the sole purpose of giving an approximate idea of the vehicles described in them. They will not form part of the contract.
d. Hire rates quoted include: 
i. VAT at the current rate
ii. Unlimited mileage in UK, mileage to be agreed with us for outside of the UK, prior to hire period
iii. UK standard Vehicle insurance
iv. UK standard breakdown
v. European standard vehicle insurance and breakdown cover for countries listed in paragraph 18c.

2: RESERVATIONS/BOOKINGS/SECURITY DEPOSIT
a. The hire charge for the booking shall be as stated as per the online booking form/quotation. The hire charge will be inclusive of the applicable rate of VAT (currently 20%).
b.  A 40% deposit is payable for each hire period, unless agreed otherwise, and is payable at the time of booking. The  deposit will be deducted from the total hire charge.
c. Confirmation of booking will be e-mailed to you within 24 hours, together with an invoice showing the balance of the hire charges. A security deposit will also be applicable (see paragraph e below). The  invoice is due for payment no less than 4 weeks (28 days) prior to the commencement of  the hire period. We reserve the right to cancel the booking if payment is not received by that time.
d.  We reserve the right to make an administration charge of £25.00 for any changes requested to the original reservation details.  A similar charge may also be applied to any claims or losses arising  during the hire period (such fee to be determined on each and every individual claim).
e. There is a refundable security deposit of £1000 for the Ford and £1500 for the VW, payable 1 week prior to the commencement of the hire period by debit/credit card. This will be charged as a pre-authorised payment which holds the money in your account and is automatically cancelled by your bank within 30 days of return of the vehicle to the agreed location, on the agreed date and time, in the same condition as it was hired out, the interior clean and the fuel tank half full.  We reserve the right to increase the security deposit for specific events, e.g. festivals or any other hire where the vehicle is carrying 4 or more adults. 
f. Payment for the hire period is generally made via our secure online payment system at the time of booking, or alternatively please contact us directly if you wish to pay by either BACS or credit/debit card.
g. For late bookings (less than 4 weeks (28 days) before the commencement of the hire period) the full hire price is payable on Booking. Vehicles will not be released without full payment being made.
h. For payments by credit card, we can only accept Visa and MasterCard and NOT American Express.
i. Occasionally,  we may be unable to supply the vehicle at the quoted price. If this is the case  we will offer a full refund of any monies paid.

3: MINIMUM HIRE PERIOD
The minimum hire period ranges from 3 to 7 nights depending on the season. Please check with us at the time of booking.

4: EXTRAS
Any extras are to be charged at current rates.

5: ONE WAY TRIPS
One way trips are not permitted for any of our hire vehicles.

6: AVAILABILITY
a. Availability will only be confirmed at the time of  the booking. A  booking is only binding after it has been confirmed by us and the booking deposit has been received.
b. We operate a live booking calendar on our website designed to prevent double booking occurring and whilst every effort is made to ensure that the vehicle reserved is available, if due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, the reserved vehicle is not available, we reserve the right to offer a suitable alternative. If this is not available or acceptable our liability will be limited to the refund of any monies paid by you.

7: VEHICLE CONDITION
a. You acknowledge delivery of the vehicle and vehicle equipment and that they are free from any obvious defect or damage and complete other than as specified by us and agreed at the date of commencement of the  hire period.  You are, therefore, advised to check the vehicle thoroughly before leaving  our premises.
b. Upon return of the vehicle, our representative will check the vehicle for damage, cleanliness etc., including the condition of the tyres which are not included in our insurance cover, and any such damage will be your responsibility. An additional charge of £100 may be made for cleaning the interior if it is deemed unsatisfactory by our representative on its return.

8: CANCELLATION OF BOOKINGS AND NO SHOWS
a. Any cancellations must be made to us in writing and will be charged as follows:
i. For cancellation more than 4 weeks prior to the commencement of the hire period you will forfeit the booking deposit.
ii. For cancellation less than 4 weeks prior to the commencement of the hire period or failure by you  to turn up at the commencement of the hire period, you will be liable for the full hire charge.
b. We recommend that you take out your own cancellation insurance.
c.  We reserve the right to cancel the booking before commencement of the hire period if the named driver(s) licences or any other documents are invalid, or do not comply with the information stated on the booking form. In that event, the deposit will still be payable by you.

9: DRIVERS
a. Drivers must be aged 25 and above (for the Ford) and 30 and above (for the VW) and must not be  over 75 years (for both the Ford and VW) due to insurance restrictions. The driver must be of good health and have at least 2 years driving experience (Full UK, EU, AU and NZ licences covered as standard). If you have a USA, CA or SA licence, then additional restrictions will apply. 
b. Any other licence holders must notify us at the time of booking as this must be referred to our insurers.
c. Only persons named as drivers on the booking form at the commencement of the hire period may drive the vehicle.
d. The customer must also provide the following documents, prior to the hire;
i. a copy of the photo card driver’s licence for each named driver, with up to date address and ID; and
ii. online licence check (if a UK licence)
iii. two proofs of address for each named driver, from separate sources, which must be dated within 90 days of the commencement of the hire period
iv. cleared and traceable security deposit (BACS, Credit/Debit card/ PayPal etc)
v. Signed rental agreement/booking form
vi. VE103 Certificate if travelling within the EU
In each case, the above must be provided either at the time of booking or thereafter in any event but at least 1 week before the commencement of the hire period. 
e. Drivers must be able to demonstrate that they have driven on a regular basis for at least 2 years and feel confident to drive a vehicle of the dimensions of the vehicle hired. 
f.  Drivers must not have had:
i. any ban or disqualification within 5 years of the hire date
ii. any more than 2 convictions with a maximum of 3 points OR 
iii. a single 4 or 6 point offence (SP, TS or CU codes are covered). 
Three, 3 point offences totalling 9 points will incur an additional £500 excess and a single 4 or 6 point offence (MS90, IN10 and any others not mentioned) will require referral. Any conviction code not referenced such as CD, DD, BA, UT or DR/DG code will also require referral. Refer to https://www.gov.uk/penalty-points-endorsements/endorsement-codes-and-penalty-points for more detail.
g. Drivers are personally liable for all legal penalties (e.g. parking tickets, congestion charges, speeding fines, road tolls, bridge and tunnel fees etc) which are incurred during the hire period.
h. Details of all additional drivers (up to a maximum of 2 drivers per hire) are required and all drivers must be present at the handover of the vehicle.
i. All current and previous motoring offences, including drink driving offences,  must be disclosed to  us upon booking. Any current endorsements may incur an additional insurance surcharge. The insurance surcharge may vary depending on the offence endorsement code and when the endorsement was issued. The insurance surcharge will be notified to you prior to the commencement   of the hire period. If  an insurance surcharge is applicable, then this must be paid at least 1 week prior to the  commencement of the hire period.
j.  We reserve the right, at  our sole discretion, to refuse permission  for drivers to drive the vehicle, for whatever reason.

10: FUEL, OIL & COOLANTS
a. At the commencement of the hire period the vehicle is supplied with a half full tank of fuel.   You are expected to return the vehicle at the end of the hire period with at least a half full tank of fuel.
b. Any fuel shortage will incur a charge equivalent to the cost of a half tank of fuel at diesel prices current at the time.
c. You will be liable for any costs incurred if the incorrect fuel type is used. We reserve the right to retain all/part of the security deposit to cover the cost of any repairs and any additional costs for repair will be charged  to  you.
d. You are responsible during the hire period for the regular checking of oil and water levels, which should be undertaken  whenever the vehicle is re-fuelled. Failure to do so may result in engine damage for which  you will be responsible.

11: GAS
a. There are no gas bottles provided with any of our hire vehicles.

12: SMOKING
We operate a strict no smoking policy and therefore smoking is strictly forbidden in all of our vehicles.  All or part of your  security  deposit may be forfeited if there is evidence or we suspect that smoking has occurred in the vehicle when it has been returned to us at the end of the hire period.

13: COLLECTION & RETURN
a. Unless otherwise arranged in writing your vehicle will only be available for collection from the pick up location at the set time stated on your booking confirmation (standard pickup time is 15:00-17:00) and is to be returned to us at the same location between 08:00 and 10:00, and no later, on the due date. (Unless by prior agreement with us).
b. To complete the documentation and allow us to demonstrate your vehicle to you, please allow a minimum of 1 hour for the hand-over at the pick-up location, within the allocated pick up/drop off time slots. 
c. Please allow the same time on your return so that we can check the vehicle for damage and cleanliness etc.
d. If you will be late returning,  we must be advised immediately. Failure to advise us could result in a prosecution for driving whilst uninsured. An additional charge of £100.00 will be made for all late returns, together with any additional costs incurred by us.
e. No refund will be given for an early return of the vehicle.

14: YOUR  USE OF THE VEHICLE
a. The vehicle and  the vehicle equipment remain our property at all times.
b. The number of permitted passengers is shown on the booking form and will either be 3 or 4 (in addition to the driver), depending on the chosen seat arrangement.
c. You: 
i. agree to provide the names of your passengers and nominated driver(s) to us at the time of booking;
ii. are responsible for the security of the vehicle and must ensure that if the vehicle is left unattended at any time that it is securely locked and parked in a safe, well-lit location (where possible).
iii. must take every precaution to prevent loss from or theft of the vehicle.
iv. will be responsible for the control of the vehicle during the hire period;
v. shall ensure that the driver(s) shall at all times while driving the vehicle drive in a cautious and prudent manner and will not use the vehicle in a manner which is likely to cause damage to the vehicle or to a third party;
vi. shall not carry more passengers than the number set out on the booking form and will ensure that the driver(s) and all passengers required by law to do so shall, at all times when the vehicle is being driven, wear the seat belts provided;
vii. must ensure that the driver(s) do not drink/take drugs and drive;
viii. must not tow any trailer or other vehicle behind the vehicle;
ix. must not allow the vehicle to exceed the permitted gross vehicle weight;
x. must not use the vehicle to carry passengers or goods for hire or reward and shall not lend or hire the vehicle to a third party;
xi. must not use the vehicle for, or in conjunction with any race, competition or trial; or
xiii. must not create a lien on the vehicle for any reason;
xvi. must ensure that the Global Telemetrics Driver Detection card we provide you with at the commencement of the hire and attached to the vehicle key fob, is always kept on your person, activated when you are driving the vehicle and never left in the vehicle when you are not driving/or in the vehicle. If you lose the Driver Detection Card, a fee of £75 will be payable by you, to us, at the end of the hire period, to cover the cost of a replacement card.

15: INSURANCE
a. Fully comprehensive insurance cover is provided for the duration of the hire period and covers the vehicle, vehicle equipment, the driver(s) and permitted passengers only. The cost of this insurance is included within the hire charge. A copy of the insurance policy document is available upon request.
b.  Your personal property, e.g bikes, luggage etc, will not be covered under such insurance and  you must obtain  your own insurance cover for  your personal property for the duration of the  hire period.
c.  We  will, in some cases, incur additional charges if the driver to be insured has, for example, a traffic conviction or has a driving licence from a country not covered by our insurers . You will be informed of any such charges and these will need to be paid by you prior to the commencement of the hire period.
d. The hire rate quoted does not include the standard insurance excess of £1000 for the Ford and £1500 for the VW and this will be covered separately by the security deposit (as detailed in 2e).
e. In the event of any damage to either the vehicle or the property of any third party, you will be liable for the amount of the insurance excess.
f. Any damage to windscreens will incur an excess charge of £500, payable by you, but any damage to tyres or windows and any theft of personal property are not covered by our insurance, so any such damage shall be at your expense. 
g. Driving by non-named drivers and any late returns of the vehicle renders the insurance invalid and  you and/or the driver(s) will be solely responsible for any damage or injury incurred.
h. Any accident or any damage to the vehicle must be reported to us immediately by telephone and in any event within 24 hours. You must also complete an accident form at the end of the hire period.
i. Travel insurance is your responsibility and it is recommended that you obtain such insurance to cover cancellation costs, personal luggage, money loss, personal accident and medical expenses.
j. Even though it may be covered by our insurance, you shall be liable to pay the cost of repair for any damage to the vehicle as the result of your wilful or negligent action.
k.  Our permission must be first obtained if the vehicle is to be taken to festivals and concerts.
l. Use of the vehicle for hire or reward is not permitted.
m.  You are responsible for all loss or damage arising from theft whilst the ignition keys of the vehicle have been left in or on the vehicle.

16: COLLISION DAMAGE WAIVER (CDW) 
CDW insurance can be obtained at an additional cost which would reduce the excess for any damage caused in a collision to either the vehicle or the property of any third party. CDW Insurance would however need to be arranged directly by you prior to the commencement of the hire period.

17: OVERHEAD DAMAGE 
All drivers must be aware of the unusual height of the vehicles (both are in excess of 2m), and you are responsible for all damage caused if driven under an obstruction that is too low for it to clear – the obvious examples are low bridges and height restrictions into car parks/motorway toll booths etc. In this event neither the  vehicle Insurance nor CDW insurance will apply and you will be responsible for the cost of repair of any damage.

18: EUROPEAN TRAVEL 
a. If you intend to take the vehicle abroad, you must let us know at the time of booking so we can inform our insurers and also inform you if there will be an additional premium to pay for taking the vehicle abroad. Failure to inform us before the hire period commences may mean the vehicle cannot be insured for your trip.
b. For travel to Europe, a VE103 Certificate must be in place before travel, to cover European insurance and European roadside assistance. You must confirm and provide evidence that you have a VE103 in place prior to the hire period, if you are taking one of our vehicles abroad.
c. The vehicles are covered to drive in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, The Isle of Man and (for residents only) Jersey and Guernsey. Andorra, Austria, Balearics, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Corsica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guernsey (non-residents), Hungary, Italy, Jersey (non-residents), Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, San Morino, Sardinia, Sicily, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Vatican City . Travel outside of these countries will be in breach of our terms and conditions. Please check your route carefully and ensure it does not  go outside of these countries. 
d. Warning triangles, a spare bulbs kit, headlamp deflectors and fluorescent safety vests are mandatory and will be supplied by us free of charge.

19: BREAKDOWNS
a. Every effort is made to ensure the vehicle is in a roadworthy and safe condition prior to each and every hire. In the unlikely event of a breakdown, Call Assist provide breakdown cover which is available to you and provides Home Assist, Roadside Assistance and Nationwide Recovery in the UK. If the vehicles are to be used in Europe then the cover also consists of European Assistance. 
b.  You will be expected to pay for any call out when the vehicle has not broken down due to a mechanical fault, e.g. being stuck in mud, having a flat battery due to charging items from the vehicle battery. In these instances our insurance will not provide cover for any assistance required by you.
c.  We will be entitled to charge you in circumstances where any request for a recovery and repair service is as a result of  your negligence, including but not limited to flat batteries, running out of fuel, wrong fuel used, keys locked inside the vehicle or losing the vehicle’s keys.
d. Any breakdown, malfunction or damage caused by your negligence must be repaired/made good by you at  your expense.
e. Minor running repairs such as damaged/flat tyres, bulbs and oil are your responsibility.
f. Under certain circumstances, if you are not able to drive the vehicle as a result of an incident covered by our insurance policy, the insurance will cover either recovery/repatriation/alternative transport or overnight accommodation. A copy of the full insurance policy document is available upon request.
g. We provide an Essential Car Safety Kit Bag in each van which includes a warning triangle, high vis vest, travel first aid kit and emergency foil blanket. You should ensure that this bag remains in the vehicle and is present at the end of the hire if not required to be used. If missing, the hirer will bear the cost of replacement.

20:  EVENTS BEYOND OUR CONTROL
If we are prevented from performing our obligations because of anything beyond our reasonable control, we shall notify you as soon as reasonably possible and use our reasonable endeavours to make acceptable and equivalent alternative arrangements for the hire period.

21: ASSIGNMENT
a. You shall not be entitled to assign the contract or any part of it without our prior written consent.
b. We may assign the contract or any part of it to any person, firm or company.

22: PARKING
We offer free car parking at the pickup/drop off location for your car during the hire period only. One allocated parking space is guaranteed per booking but your vehicle is left entirely at your own risk and we accept no liability for any damage caused to your vehicle. The customer is responsible for ensuring that their vehicle is appropriately insured when parked at the pick-up/drop off location.

23: PRIVACY POLICY
As part of the booking process, The Bike Van Co Ltd will collect personal information such as your name, email address, postal address, drivers licence details and telephone number. This information is necessary for booking and insurance purposes. None of this information will be passed onto any third parties (other than the Bike van Co Ltd’s insurance company). Payment details are processed through a secure system.

Updated: 6th May 2024