In part 2 of my guide to popular hire van models, I’m going to look at the king of DIY removals – the Luton box van. Famed for its high capacity yet legal to drive on a car driving licence, it’s favoured by ‘man and van’ removal services all over the UK.

At the same time, it’s taller, wider and less stable than anything you are likely to have driven before (unless you have a motorhome), so it’s worth taking a little time to understand what it is and how it differs from a regular panel van.

Here are some of the characteristics that define a luton van:

• The word ‘Luton’ refers to the large storage area that sticks out over the cab of the van. Strictly speaking, this is what defines a luton van. Allegedly called luton becuase the first ones came from the Bedford factory that used to be located in Luton. Modern lutons increasingly have streamlined lutons to help reduce fuel consumption.
• Luton vans normally have a maximum gross (laden) weight of 3.5t (3,500kg). This means that they can be driven on a standard car licence.
• Unlike panel vans, lutons have a completely flat load floor. This is because the body of the van is built on top of a framework that places it above the rear wheels. This means that the floor in a luton is much higher off the ground than in a panel van.
• Many luton vans have tail lifts and they are extremely useful, if not essential, for moving house. The reason that some lutons don’t have tail lifts is because the tail lifts themselves are very heavy, thus taking away some of the payload (carrying capacity) of the van. Some commercial users choose to do without a tail lift so that they can carry more weight.
• The make of the van is pretty irrelevant with a luton – all that the van manufacturer produces is the cab and vehicle chassis. A separate bodybuilding company then builds the luton or box body on top.

Luton bodies are increasingly streamlined to help reduce fuel consumption - although this reduces the storage space available in the overcab luton

Here are my top tips for hiring a luton or box van:

1. A luton will usually be big enough to move the contents of a 1-2 bedroom flat, unless you have a lot of bulky furniture. Remember, if it’s not far, you can always make two trips.
2. When booking a luton van rental, most companies allow you to specify whether you want a tail lift or not. If you do not book a van with a tail lift, you may not get one. This could mean a lot of heavy lifting when you are loading the van.
3. Tail lifts are electrically operated from the van’s battery and are simple to use – you should be shown how the tail lift works when you collect the van from the hire company.
4. Most luton vans have a payload of around 1,200kg – 1,500kg, but if you think you will be cutting it fine, make sure you ask the hire company what the payload of your rented luton van is. Driving a van that is overweight is both dangerous and illegal.
5. The length of luton box vans can vary considerably, but the following approximate load space dimensions are fairly common: 3-4m long, 2m wide & 2.1m high
6. Luton vans are much higher than most panel vans – the overall vehicle height is likely to be between 2.5m and 3m, so watch out for height restrictions and overhead obstructions like trees – you will have to pay for damage caused by overhead objects.
7. Remember, in the UK, van speed limits are lower than car speed limits – don’t get caught out.

Please remember that all of these can vary slightly. If you need to know the exact dimensions or payload of the van you are hiring, you will need to speak to the company concerned when making your booking.

It is standard practice in the car and van hire industry to specify a ‘typical’ model when customers make bookings – this won’t necessarily be the exact make or model you get. Usually, this doesn’t matter, but it can do if space or weight is tight.