Terms and Conditions

When you come to hire a vehicle you will be required to read and sign the rental agreement which lists total charges and conditions of rental and is your contract with us.

Rental Agreement

1. Your Contract with us, when you sign the "Owner's Liability and Declaration" is as follows:

Please read this agreement carefully, if there is anything you do not agree with or understand please ask for assistance from a member of staff at this office.

2. Rental period.

You have agreed to rent the vehicle from the time and date shown and agreed to return at the specified time and date shown. The period may only be extended if agreed in writing with us.

If you do not bring the vehicle back on time you are breaking the conditions of this agreement. We can charge you, at our tariff rate, for every day or half day you have the vehicle after you should have returned it to us.  If we have no contact with you, we have the right to treat the vehicle as stolen and inform the Police.

3. Your responsibilities

You must look after the vehicle and the keys to the vehicle. You must always lock the vehicle when you are not using it and use any security device fitted or supplied with the vehicle. You must always protect the vehicle against bad weather (i.e. Storms or flood), which can cause damage.

You must always use the correct fuel. If you refill the vehicle with the wrong fuel, contact us immediately and do not drive it. You will be liable for all costs incurred by us in having the fuel system cleaned and of rectifying any resultant damage to the vehicle.

You are responsible for any damage to the vehicle caused by hitting low level objects such as bridges, branches or speed humps.

You must not sell, rent loan or dispose of the vehicle or any part of it. You must not give anyone any legal rights to the vehicle.

You must not let anyone work on the vehicle without our recorded permission, if we do not give you permission we will only give you a refund if we can validate the work and you produce a vat receipt for the work done.

You must let us know as soon as you are aware of a defect to the vehicle not only to minimise any breakdowns, but for your own safety.

If the vehicle is hired for an extended period and the service interval is reached you must inform our office, so that arrangements can be made to service the vehicle.

You must return the vehicle back to our office during opening hours. One of our staff must inspect the vehicle to check its condition, fuel and mileage. Where we have agreed that you return the vehicle outside of our normal business hours you will remain responsible for the vehicle and its condition until a member of our staff inspects it.

On the return of the vehicle you will have to pay if:

1. It is excessively dirty and requires more than a standard pre-hire clean.
2. There is damage to the inside or outside of the vehicle.
3. You have damaged or lost parts of the vehicle.
4. The fuel is below the fuel at start level.
6. You have used the incorrect fuel.
7. You have allowed the vehicle to overheat and damaged the engine through neglect.
8. You have allowed the vehicle to run low of oil, water and consequently caused damage to the vehicle.
9. There is damage to tyres and punctures and road wheels.
10. The total mileage exceeds the mileage allowance. Excess miles  will be charged at our current rate.

The above charges are over and above your deposit, which is held as security
 
You must check prior to handing the vehicle back to us that you have not left any personal belonging in the vehicle.

4. Our Responsibilities

We will maintain the vehicle to at least the manufacturers standard. We undertake that the vehicle is roadworthy and suitable for renting at the start of the rental period.

We do not accept any responsibility for any personal expenses incurred or loss of hire by any breakdown or accident of the vehicle, but we will act with all due haste to assist either in the repair of the vehicle or in association with our nominated breakdown service.

We are not responsible for any indirect or unforeseeable losses or damage, we recommend that you arrange your own insurance if required for such losses.

5. Property

We are only responsible for property in the vehicle if the loss or damage is a result of our negligence.

6.Conditions for using the Vehicle

The vehicle must only be driven by the person named or by anyone we authorise in writing. Anyone driving the vehicle must have a full valid driving licence with the correct vehicle entitlement for the type of vehicle driven and not prohibited by law from holding or obtain such licence. With a minimum of two years driving experience and over 21 years of age.

You or any authorised driver must not do any of the following:

1. Carry passengers for hire or reward.
2. Use the vehicle for any illegal purpose
3. Use the vehicle for racing, pacemaking, testing the vehicle reliability and speed or teaching someone to drive.
4. Use the vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
5. Carry a number of people in excess of the recommended number, or baggage or overload the vehicle or in the case of a commercial vehicle a payload which exceeds the maximum payload or axle plated payload.
6.Drive the vehicle outside England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, unless we have given written permission and the appropriate charges made.

7. Charges

You will pay the following charges on the day:

1. The rental as per the daily or weekly rate as agreed.
2. Any additional insurance charges.
3. Mileage charges after deducting Mileage allowance.
4. Any additional charges as per Clause 3.
5. On demand all fines and court costs for parking, traffic, speeding or other offences (including any costs which arise if the vehicle is clamped or impounded). You must pay the appropriate authority any fines or costs. If you do not, you will be responsible to pay our reasonable administration charges, which arise when we deal with these matters.
6. On demand any loss of income charge. We will charge you this if we cannot rent out the vehicle because it needs to be repaired, or if it is a write-off.
7. On demand, any charges made by the Customs and Excise as a result of seizure of the vehicle by them, together with any loss of income charge whilst the vehicle is unavailable for hire.
8. Any delivery and collection charges necessary.
9. Interest which we will add every day to any amount, which you do not pay on time at the rate of 4% over Barclays Bank Rate.
10. VAT and any other taxes on any charges listed above as appropriate.

The above charges are over and above your deposit, which is held as security

8. Insurances

If we arrange the insurances you will have to complete a separate insurance proposal form which, if accepted, covers you and the vehicle for road risks, but does not cover any contents or good carried within the vehicle.

You are responsible for all glass damage, tyres and punctures these are not covered by our insurances.

You are responsible for our insurance excess, which we have set at £500.00 for each and every accident or incident.

If we allow you to arrange your own fully comprehensive insurances in writing, with written confirmation from your insurance company it is still your responsibility to see that we are fully reimbursed for all costs. You are responsible for all insurances excesses as per your insurance agreement. We may ask your insurers to record our name as owners of the vehicle; if the vehicle is damaged or stolen you will let us negotiate with your insurers about whether the vehicle can be replaced or what compensation is due to us. You are financially responsible to settle any costs if the policy you have arranged fails and the vehicle is damaged, lost, stolen or claims made by any other innocent party.

9.What to do if you have an Accident

If you have an accident you must not admit responsibility. You should take the name and addresses of everyone involved, including witnesses. You should make the vehicle safe and tell the Police immediately if anyone is injured or there is a disagreement over who is responsible and call our office immediately. You must complete our accident report form as pre our insurance requirements immediately and assist our insurance company with any additional information as deemed necessary.

Our Breakdown services, will arrange recovery back to our office. This is a chargeable item.

10. Ending of this Agreement

If you are a consumer we will end this agreement straight away 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.

If we end the agreement it will not affect our right to receive any monies we are owed under this agreement and we can also claim extra costs from you if you do not meet any of the conditions of this agreement. We can repossess the vehicle and charge you if we do so.

11. Governing Law

The law of the country in which it is signed governs this agreement; in certain cases we reserve the right to appoint an arbitrator.

12. Owner's Liability and Declaration

I agree that while the rental agreement is in force I will be liable as owner of the vehicle or any replacement vehicle for the Parking, Speeding, or other Fixed Penalty Offences or other charges for the vehicle under Section 66 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Schedule 1 to the Road Traffic Regulations 1975 as or amended, replaced or extended by any subsequent legislation or orders.

I declare that I have read this Rental Agreement and understand that my deposit will not be returned if I am involved in any accident or incident involving damage to the vehicle or any third parties and are bound my law to disclose any accidents to Charter Self Drive on return of the vehicle.

I confirm that if I pay by credit or charge card my signature is authority to take the total amount I owe.
 
Signature of Hirer _______________
 
 
Name _______________

Date of Birth ___________