Category Archives: Van Hire News

News and special offers from other UK van hire and rental companies.

Van Hire Trade Association Warns Customers To ‘Look For The Logo’

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vanrental.co.uk vanThe British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association (BVRLA) is warning car and van hire customers to ‘look for the logo’ when hiring a car or van.

The BVRLA is the UK’s trade association for vehicle rental companies, and to help customers understand the benefits of hiring from a BVRLA member firm, the organisation has published a new leaflet entitled “Why use a BVRLA member?”

According to the new leaflet, which is available on the BVRLA’s website, BVRLA has more than 500 members operating more than 2.75m cars, vans and trucks all over the UK.

BVRLA members are required to follow a Code of Conduct which requires members to provide safe and roadworthy vehicles, provide clear and accurate information about their services and offer a complaint resolution service. You might think that all of these requirements are standard for any car or van hire company, but sadly, there are all too many tales out there of companies whose vehicles did not meet the required standards, some of whom are outright fraudsters.

Member companies rental vehicles are required to pass a 44-point checklist before being rented out, while even more stringent checks apply to goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes — and companies are subject to random inspections periodically, to ensure they are up to scratch.

Virtually all of the companies whose services we include on vanrental.co.uk are BVRLA members, and while there are reputable companies who aren’t members (mostly small, local independent firms), what I’d recommend is that if you are not familiar with the reputation of a firm, then make sure it’s a BVRLA member.

Van Hire For Students & Young Drivers: How Much Does It Cost For Drivers Under 25?

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If you’re aged between 21 and 25 and you need to hire a van, you will find that your choice of rental companies is restricted. Some companies won’t rent to young drivers — and those that do will normally charge an additional young driver surcharge.

If you’re under 21, things get even worse. I’m afraid that none of the major van rental companies will accept your business. Even if you’ve had a full, clean driving licence since you were 17, you’re out of luck.

If you’re a student trying to head back to university in a hired van under your own steam, I’m afraid you may not be able to, unless you are already 21, so it may be time to enlist the help of a parent, or an older friend or sibling.

Young Driver Surcharges – how much?

As far as I know, all companies will require drivers under 25 to pay a young driver surcharge, but the cost of this can vary considerably between companies. Here’s a quick summary of the minimum ages and the young driver surcharges charged by each of the main companies we include in our van hire price comparison searches on vanrental.co.uk*:

  • OUR PICK: Thrifty: All drivers must be over 21. Drivers aged under 25 can only rent short wheelbase vans (e.g. Ford Transit SWB and smaller). Drivers aged 21-24 are subject to an additional charge of £25 per day. This is about as good as it gets for under-25 van hire — click here to get a Thrifty quote.
  • Sixt: Age restrictions vary for different types of van, but smaller vans are available for drivers from age 21, subject to a young driver surcharge of £30 per day. Age restrictions apply to drivers aged under 25.
  • Europcar & National: Minimum age 22, a surcharge of £32.50 per day applies to drivers under 25. Additional restrictions apply at some locations to drivers under 26.
  • Hertz: Hertz doesn’t list age requirements for smaller vans, but 23 is the minimum age for UK hires. Most vehicles require drivers to be at least 25 years old. The smallest car groups allow drivers aged 23 on payment of a young driver surcharge of £30.84 per day (up to a maximum of £308.40).
  • Van Hire 3000: As Van Hire 3000 is a broker, age restrictions and surcharges vary depending on the supplying hire company and the vehicle being hired. In general terms, age and young driver surcharges may apply to drivers aged 21-25.
  • Argus Car Hire: As Argus Car Hire is a broker, age restrictions and surcharges vary depending on the supplying hire company and the vehicle being hired. In general terms, age and young driver surcharges may apply to drivers aged 21-25.

If this article has frustrated you, then I’m sorry! I don’t make the rules, and in some other countries you can hire at a younger age than in the UK. However, forewarned is forearmed — so I hope you will see this information in time to make alternative plans.

For what it’s worth, I reckon Thrifty is the best of the bunch, with Sixt in second place. Drivers aged 21 and upwards can hire vans up to the size of a Ford Transit SWB from Thrifty, which is plenty big enough for many purposes. Thrifty’s daily young driver surcharge is also the cheapest of those listed here, and the firm’s hire rates are generally pretty competitive, too.

This article is part of a series looking at the true cost of van hire. To learn more about the true cost of van hire, check out the following articles:

*All figures were checked at the time of writing in August 2013, but these may be subject to change. vanrental.co.uk and the author take no responsibility for any errors, omissions or future changes. Please check yourself before booking.

EXCLUSIVE: Save 10% on Hertz Van Rental With VanRental.co.uk

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Hertz logoHere at vanrental.co.uk, our main goal is to save you money on van hire. We’re sometimes able to negotiate exclusive discount codes with some of the UK’s top van rental companies, and I’m very pleased to say that we have managed to arrange an exclusive voucher code deal with Hertz for this week.

EXCLUSIVE : 10% Off Hertz Van Rental and collect Nectar points

  • Code:  778647
  • Pick up period: 26th August to 22nd September 2013
  • Valid: From: 26th August 2013 / Expires: 1st September 2013

This offer has now expired.

>> CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE HERTZ WEBSITE <<

Van Hire Isn’t The Only Cheap Way To Move Stuff

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Although vanrental.co.uk is dedicated to van hire, we’re always trying to help visitors find the cheapest, most effective way to move their stuff — and sometimes, van hire isn’t the best answer.

Today, I’d like to tell you about an alternative service that offers a real alternative to van hire.

Basically, the idea is that you hire empty space in a courier van, and the courier will take your item and deliver it to its destination. The service is called Anyvan.com and it’s something I mentioned in a recent vanrental.co.uk newsletter, but in case you missed it, here’s a quick summary.

  • List your item online with details of its size, location and destination
  • Couriers who will be in your area with empty space in their vans will provide you with quotes through the Anyvan system.
  • You choose the best quote, then sit back and wait for your item to be collected…
  • …and delivered to its destination — all without you having to drive anywhere.

To me, it sounds like an ideal way of collecting or delivering a large eBay purchase — maybe a sofa or wardrobe that won’t fit in a car.

In my view, there are two particular situations where you could save a lot of money by using Anyvan.com instead of hiring a van:

  1. Your delivery destination is a long way away, so if you hired a van, you would have a lot of fuel to pay for, or would have to pay extra for a one-way hire and then catch a train or bus back home -> it’s all very expensive.
  2. You only have one or two items to move, but they won’t quite fit in your car, or you don’t have a car. If you hired a van, it would be 3/4 empty but you’d still have to pay the full cost of the hire and fuel -> it’s all very expensive.

Regular users on Anyvan get eBay-style user ratings, so you can see how reliable other people have found their services. In some ways, the whole setup is a bit like eBay — and indeed, it’s ideal to use for large eBay purchases, as I mentioned above.

Anyvan.com is an interesting new service that I think could be worth a look if you have one or two large items that need to go in a van, but won’t fill it up.

Child Seat Hire With Van Rental: How Much Does It Cost?

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A group 1 child seatIn today’s article, I’m going to continue my ‘How Much Does It Cost?’ series with a look at child seat hire, a widely available optional extra on car and van hire.

Although you may be more likely to need a child seat when you’re hiring a car, most of the big van hire companies also offer this service with van hire, since these vehicles do have three seats and are often used for family removals and other occasions where a child may be travelling in the van.

As anyone who has bought a child seat will know, a child seat isn’t simply a child seat. Broadly speaking, child seats come in four types, catering for children from birth up until 12 years old (or 135cm in height). Here’s a brief explanation (all ages are approximate, weight and/or height are more important to ensure a good fit):

  • Group 0 / 0+: Rear facing, suitable from birth until 9/12 months or 0-13kg
  • Group 1:  Age 1-3 years or 9-18kg
  • Group 2: Age 4-6 years or 15-25kg
  • Group 3: Full seats or booster seats for children aged 6-12 years or under 135cm

Group 2 and 3 are sometimes combined, and you may see this in some rental companies offerings, too.

If you’re a parent and in need of a child seat, you’ll probably know this stuff already, but if you would like more information you can find details of the legal requirements for child seats in a guide I wrote for SimpleMotoring.co.uk a while ago, as well as some more details on the different types of child seats.

Hiring a child seat?

A group 2 or 3 child seat boosterSo what do you need to know if hiring a child seat from a van hire company?

Well, vans are unlikely to have ISOFIX mounting points than cars, so child seats will have to be fastened using the seat belt option or by using an ISOFIX base onto which an ISOFIX seat can be mounted.

You can expect reputable hire companies to offer you a suitable package to fit in the van you’ve hired. If you ask for assistance fitting the seat, you may be refused – most hire companies seem to have a policy that the customer must fit the seat themselves, presumably to avoid insurance/liability claims in the event of an accident where the seat was incorrectly fitted.

As with cars, passenger air bags should be deactivated when you use a rear-facing child seat, although I don’t know how feasible this is with common models of van.

How much does it cost to hire a child seat?

I’ve gathered together the daily rates for child seats from all of the main hire companies listed on vanrental.co.uk, together with details about the terms and conditions where I’ve been able to find them. This isn’t an exhaustive guide, but it should give you an idea – remember that advanced booking is normally required:

  • Europcar & National: Child seats of all sizes cost £10.99 per day, up to a maximum of £109.99 per rental. Lost, damaged or stolen seats will incur a £200 charge. Booster cushions cost £3.99 per day, up to a maximum of £39.99 per rental. Lost damaged or stolen booster cushions will incur a £50 charge.
  • Hertz: Hertz only offers child seats and booster seats for larger model vans; at the time of writing*, these were listed on Hertz’s website as Ford Transit Dropside and Tipper models only. Child seats are available to cater for children aged 9 months – 6 years (9-36kg), not for younger children. Hertz’s daily rate for child seats is £11.88 per day, up to a maximum fee per rental of £83.16. Booster seats are available to suit children from 6-11 years of age, for a daily rate of £4.62, up to a maximum fee per rental of £32.64.
  • Sixt: Baby seats (Group 0+ / 0-13kg), child seats (9-18kg) and booster seats (15-36kg) are available for a daily rate of £10.00 or £59.99 per month.
  • Thrifty: Child seats are available to suit children from birth to 12 years/135cm. All seats are £5 per day, with a maximum of 10 days charged. Subject to local availability, contact the hire branch directly to confirm availability.
  • Argus Car Hire: As a broker, availability and cost of child seats varies depending on the rental supplier for your booking.
  • Van Hire 3000: As a broker, availability and cost of child seats varies depending on the rental supplier for your booking.

Who is the cheapest?

Thrifty’s child seat hire is by far the cheapest of all the companies listed – at £5 per day up to a maximum of 10 days charged, it leaves you wondering how much profit companies charging more than £10 per day are making on each child seat.

In my last article on the cost of sat nav hire, Thrifty was also cheapest (along with Hertz), so it’s definitely worth getting a quote from Thrifty if you want to hire a van with extras.

To learn more about the true cost of van hire, check out the following articles:

*This article was written on 9 August 2013.

Sat Nav Hire With Van Rental: How Much Does It Cost?

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Sat nav screen while driving

A sat nav can be very useful if driving alone to an unfamiliar destination — especially if you’re driving a large van.

In today’s article, I’m going to continue my ‘How Much Does It Cost?’ series with a look at sat nav hire, a widely available optional extra on car and van hire.

Sat nav hire has become one of the most popular car and van hire options over the last few years.

Even if you don’t normally need a sat nav, you may find one useful when you are driving a large, unfamiliar hire van that’s harder to turn round than a car, and are unfamiliar with your route.

Most big van hire companies now offer sat nav hire as an optional extra on van rental, but I’ve found that you can spend a surprising amount on hiring a sat nav — so much so that if you do it often, you may want to consider buying a sat nav instead.

Here’s a run-down of the prices being charged by the main companies featured on vanrental.co.uk:

  • Europcar: £13.99 per day, £300 penalty if the sat nav unit is lost, damaged or stolen.
  • National: £13.99 per day, maximum charge of £139.99 per rental. Replacement fee of £300 if lost, damaged or stolen.
  • Thrifty: £10 per day for 1-6 days, £6 per day for hires of 7 or more days.
  • Hertz: A maximum cost of £19.80 per rental where available (Hertz offers sat nav hire as its ‘NeverLost’ service)
  • Sixt: Minimum £11.99 per day, cost per day decreases for longer hires — I was quoted £9.20 per day for a five-day hire.
  • Van Hire 3000: As Van Hire 3000 is a broker, the cost of sat nav hire varies depending on the supplying hire company.
  • Argus Car Hire: As Argus Car Hire is a broker, the cost of sat nav hire varies depending on the supplying hire company.

As you can see, the cost of sat nav hire can vary considerably when you rent a van. Hertz and Thrifty look like they are the cheapest two, and Hertz’s flat-rate maximum of £19.80 looks very good value for longer hires, assuming there are no extra costs that I missed.

On the other hand, National’s maximum of £139.99 per rental (10 days) would be likely to make you think about buying a sat nav for yourself — since you can buy quite a decent sat nav for around £150.

As always, however, the underlying cost of the rental can also affect which van hire company is cheapest, so you do need to compare prices and rental quotes quite carefully — the best starting point is with our van hire price comparison search engine.

To learn more about the true cost of van hire, check out the following articles:

Heading Abroad In A Hire Van? Here’s What You Need To Know

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EU flagHere at vanrental.co.uk, we receive a surprising number of questions about hiring a van to take abroad — typically across the Channel to continental Europe, although it’s worth remembering that the Republic of Ireland (Southern Ireland) also counts as overseas use and some restrictions also apply on taking rental vans from mainland UK to Northern Ireland.

We’ve got a page that’s dedicated to European van hire (or ‘cross border use’, as it’s sometimes referred to), but I thought I would use this post to answer common questions and gather together all the most essential information needed if you’re thinking about taking a rented van out of the UK.

Q: Can hire vans be taken abroad?

A: Yes. Many companies (but not all) offer this service, but you must arrange it in advance to ensure the extra paperwork and insurance requirements can be dealt with by the hire company before you collect the van.

You should also note that some companies only allow certain types of vehicles to be taken abroad, and not others. If in doubt, check before you book.

Q: Does it cost extra to take a rental van abroad?

A: Yes. As far as I am aware, all companies charge extra to allow you to take a van abroad, but these extra costs can vary widely.

Q: What paperwork is required to take a rented van (or car) out of the UK?

A: Vehicles travelling in Europe must carry a copy of their registration documents. As you are not the owner of a hired vehicle, you won’t be given the V5C vehicle registration document. Instead, the hire company should provide you with a VE103b form, known as a Vehicle On Hire Certificate. This is absolutely essential. Photocopies of the V5 are not acceptable and neither is a letter of authority, even if it is on headed paper!

Without a VE103, European police and border officials are likely to prevent you travelling any further until you receive a valid VE103 document from the vehicle’s owner. This could mean being stuck at a border crossing for several days, for example.

You will also need to make sure that the hire company is providing insurance and breakdown cover for European use, and if not, arrange this yourself.

Q: What if my hire van breaks down while I’m abroad?

A: If you have a breakdown in a hire vehicle, the same basic rules apply as in your own vehicle. Call the breakdown assistance number provided by your hire company, or follow the instructions you were given if these are different. You may also need to contact the hire company or branch directly to let them know what’s happened.

Q: What if I have an accident while I’m abroad?

A: For emergency services in Europe, dial 112. If no one is hurt, then you may need to call police anyway, depending on the law in the country you are driving in. You will also need to follow standard procedure for accidents: don’t admit liability, call the police if there is any dispute, take the names, addresses and vehicle reg. numbers of everyone involved and inform the hire company as soon as possible. They may provide an accident report form for you to fill in. For country-specific information on legal requirements abroad, check out the AA guide to driving abroad.

Q: Will the hire company provide accessories that are required abroad, like warning triangles?

A: That depends on the hire company. You should ask them at the time of booking, and if they do not provide the compulsory accessories for the countries you are visiting, you should provide them yourself. Check the AA’s guide to compulsory equipment abroad to find out what might be required.

How much does it cost, and which companies allow European use?

Most of the main UK van hire companies allow European use, as long as this is booked in advance and the vehicle is returned to a UK branch at the end of the hire. Additional costs apply in each case, but they’re not always the same. Here’s a quick run-down of what each of the main companies listed on vanrental.co.uk offers*:

  • Europcar: Europcar allows most vehicles to be taken abroad, but costs and restrictions can vary depending on which countries you want to visit. Contact the company for further information and to arrange for this service. An Overseas Charge applies for the provision of a VE103B and European insurance and breakdown cover. This is paid separately at the branch. At the time of writing, the Overseas Charge ranges from £45 (1-2 days) up to £160 (42+ days).
  • Thrifty: Some cars and vans up to 3.5t LWB can be taken out of the UK (that seems to exclude XLWB and luton vans). Travel into most EU countries is permitted and an additional charge for the VE103 form and European breakdown cover will apply in addition to the quoted rate. Make sure you check the ‘Taking a vehicle outside the UK’ box when getting a quote. Additional mileage limits also apply to overseas hires – see the Thrifty website for more details.
  • Hertz: Hertz does not allow vans to be taken out of the UK.
  • Sixt: A foreign use charge of 60% on the basic rental rate applies. A fee of £24 per rental applies for Northern Ireland. Additional fees also apply for foreign breakdown cover. As always, prior arrangement is required – see the Sixt website for more information.
  • Argus Car Hire (broker): As a broker, Van Hire 3000 supplies vans from a number of different hire companies, so restrictions on cross-border use vary. Argus includes information on cross border travel restrictions in the ‘rental conditions’ linked to at the bottom of the booking details page, but costs aren’t included, so contact them on 0800 088 5548 if you are unsure or need more information.

What About European One-Way Hire?

Q: Is one-way hire from the UK to Europe possible?

A: No, with one major exception — Spain. Regular rental companies will not offer international one-way hire, but a number of UK companies do offer a one-way van hire service to and from Spain, mainly to serve the expatriate community on the east cost (Alicante, etc). If you are heading to this area and need a one-way van hire, check out our Van Hire to Spain page for full details.

*All information provided was correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing (31/07/2013), but the author and vanrental.co.uk can accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions. Renters should check directly with their hire company to ensure that all necessary arrangements and permissions are provided for travel abroad.

I hope this guide is useful — if you’ve got any questions about European van hire or any experiences (good or bad!) that you’d like to share, leave a comment below, get in touch through Facebook or @vanrentaluk on Twitter, or send us an email.

Van Hire Delivery & Collection Services

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vanrental.co.uk vanWhen you hire a van, collecting it directly from the hire branch isn’t always very convenient.

For one thing, getting there may not be easy. You will probably need to get a lift, or leave your car parked unattended near the hire company’s office for the duration of your rental. Leaving your car may be convenient, but it isn’t very desirable, especially in urban industrial areas that may be a bit dodgy after dark.

Time’s often tight, too, and having someone deliver a hire van to you can be a real bonus, especially if you are at work.

Unsurprisingly, many hire companies do now offer delivery and collection (D&C) services — they will bring the vehicle to you are the start of the hire, and collect it from you at the end of the hire period.

Naturally, this service usually costs extra, and not all companies offer D&C from all of their branches.

To help you work out what’s what in the world of van hire delivery and collection, I’ve checked with all the major companies listed on vanrental.co.uk to see what their delivery and collection policies are*. This post brings all of that information together in one place for you.

Delivery & Collection:

  • Europcar: Van hire delivery and collection costs £10 each way for locations within 15 miles of the nearest branch, £20 for delivery addresses from 16-30 miles and £30 for delivery addresses more than 30 miles from the nearest branch. No minimum booking length applies, but 48 hours’ notice is required for delivery. The delivery address must be a home address that matches the address on the driver’s credit card and driving licence. Collection is available from a home, work or hotel address.
  • Hertz: Delivery can be arranged when you make your booking by contacting the Hertz Reservations Centre by phone. Collections must be arranged directly with the return location. An additional fee will apply in both cases.
  • Thrifty: Delivery and collection services are available at some locations – contact the branch directly for details.
  • Sixt: Delivery and collection is not available for private customers.
  • Argus Car Hire (broker): Availability and cost varies depending on the supplying hire company.
  • Enterprise**: Enterprise doesn’t offer a delivery and collection service. Instead, if offers a pick-up and drop-off service. This means that Enterprise will pick you up from your home or office and take you back to the branch to sign out your hire vehicle. At the end of your hire, they will drop you off at your home/office after you have returned the hire vehicle to your nearest Enterprise branch.

*At time of writing 26/07/2013. I’ve done my best to make sure this information is accurate, but the author and vanrental.co.uk accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions. If in doubt, check before you book.

**At the time of writing, Enterprise branches were not included on vanrental.co.uk.

Ten Tips For Hassle-Free Van Rental This Summer

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vanrental.co.uk vanSummer is the peak season for car and van hire and rental companies can get busy, with availability limited for popular models and van types. This makes it doubly important to make sure that your van hire is hassle-free and does not deliver any unexpected costs or surprises.

The best way to avoid problems is to be prepared and understand exactly what you’ve booked — and to be aware of any extra costs you may have to pay at the branch.

Gerry Keaney, Chief Executive of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) explains what can happen:

“Rental firms try to maintain the highest standards of customer service, but mistakes do get made. At the same time, some consumers do not pay enough attention when booking their vehicle and later complain about what they perceive as extra charges or a lack of adequate insurance cover.”

To help make sure that none of these potential problems affect you this summer, the BVRLA has produced a ten-point checklist that should enable you to avoid any costly surprises or unexpected restrictions on how you can use the van (or car):

  1. Beware of bogus car rental companies. Consumers have been caught out by bogus car and van hire companies in recent years, hoodwinked by their offers of very low prices and nationwide availability, even for last minute bookings. Many customers handed over deposits of hundreds of pounds for cars that never materialised.
  2. Use a BVRLA member. Seeing the BVRLA logo on the front desk or website is a sign that you are dealing with a reputable company that has been vetted and operates to a professional code of conduct. You will also be able to use the BVRLA’s conciliation service in the event of any dispute. Find a BVRLA member via the ‘member locator’ on the BVRLA website at: www.carhire.bvrla.co.uk
  3. Before you book. Pay close attention to what is and isn’t included in the reservation fee. For example, some rental companies charge extra if you can’t return the vehicle to the same rental branch or are leaving the country.
  4. Paperwork.Make sure you read and understand the terms and conditions of your contract with the rental company. Ask for a copy prior to your rental, so that you have plenty of time to read it through.
  5. Excess and waivers. Check if there are any exclusions to your loss/damage waiver. For example, in most cases windscreens, tyres, roof damage and undercarriage damage are not covered. You may want to consider arranging third-party van hire excess insurance to cover the hire company’s excess — do this before you collect the vehicle.
  6. Fuel.Your car rental quote will not include fuel. Most companies will give you the option of buying a tank of fuel from them and returning the car empty or returning it with a full tank. Remember what you agreed to, otherwise you could end up gifting the rental company a free tank of fuel or paying an extra charge to have the tank re-filled.
  7. Going abroad. Make sure that you tell the rental company if you are planning to take the vehicle abroad and that you familiarise yourself with the driving regulations at your destination. You may also need to take additional documentation, such as a VE103B certificate. Vehicles travelling in mainland Europe must carry their registration document, but an exception is made for hire vehicles, which must carry this certificate.
  8. At the rental desk. Make sure you turn up with the credit card you used to make your booking and BOTH parts of your driving licence.
  9. Collecting the vehicle. Do a thorough inspection, inside and out, walking all the way around the vehicle. Note every single chip, dent and scratch. Pay particular attention to the wheels, windscreen and lights, which are common damage areas. Before you drive the hire vehicle away, familiarise yourself with all of its controls – lights, windscreen wipers etc.
  10. The return. Allow plenty of time, particularly at busy rental sites such as airports. Try and return the vehicle during opening hours so that someone can check it over with you. Otherwise you will be liable for any damage that occurs between you returning it and them inspecting it.

If you haven’t driven a van before, then we’d strongly recommend that you also check out our guide to driving a van for the first time. It’s simple and easy to read and contains essential information, such as UK speed limit details for vans (van speed limits are lower than car speed limits).

One-Way Van Hire Could Save You Time & Money

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People hire vans for all kinds of reasons, but many of them relate to moving house or to business-related moves where the destination is a long way from the starting point.

This can make it expensive and inconvenient — or sometimes impossible — to return your rented van to the location you collected it from.

You can get an instant quote for one-way van hire on our dedicated page, but in this post, I’d like to explain a little more about how this works — and the extra costs you may need to be aware of.

Do all companies offer this service?

Not all companies allow one-way van hire, even if they have a national network of branches. One reason for this is that some companies, such as Sixt, use franchised branches in most areas of the UK. This means that the branches are not owned or directly operated by Sixt — they are really independent businesses who are hooked in to Sixt’s booking system.

Naturally, as independent hire companies, they need to keep control of their own vans, and cannot allow them to be dropped off at another company’s branch, somewhere else in the UK.

Who does offer one-way van hire?

If you want one-way van hire, your best bet is with a company that has a UK-wide network of corporate branches.

In our experience, the best choices in the UK are Europcar, Hertz and Thrifty. Each of these companies has 90 more UK branches and will usually allow you to pick up a van at one branch and return it at another location, as long as you specified this when you made your booking.

The other good thing about all four of these companies is that the one-way fee is included in your online quote — at least they were, when I tried some test quotes today.

How much will it cost?

Unfortunately, one-way hire fees (sometimes referred to as drop-off fees) vary widely. Companies sometimes charge different rates depending on the drop-off and pick-up locations, or the distance between them. Additional fees sometimes apply for locations within London, too.

The best approach is to use the our one-way booking engine, and then click through to the hire company’s website to check that everything you want is included in the quote. Remember that online rates are often only valid for online bookings — walk-in and phone bookings can cost most.

Any question? Drop us an email, tweet us @vanrentaluk, visit our Facebook page or leave a comment below, and we’ll do our best to help.