Gruinard Bay, Scotland. Photo by Dennis Wall

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Clear £500 for a week's hire

An Aussie and Kiwi's guide to planning a UK motorhome tour

Booking Terms

The terms below are the "default terms" adopted by all our owners unless they provide you with other terms in writing prior to accepting your reservation.

In case of any contradiction,
anything written on the "Campervans to Rent page takes precedence over anything written here.

Seasons

  • Low Season: until 2nd March, and from 27th October inclusive.
  • Mid Season: 3rd March until 4th May, and 8th September until 26th October inclusive
  • High Season: 5th May until 7th September inclusive.

Contract

  • PrivateCamperHire.com publicises the motorhomes using words and procedures approved by the vehicle's owner.
  • The hire of a vehicle is a contract between the customer and the owner of the motorhome, and the customer pays all money directly to the owner of the motorhome.

Reservations

  • A booking deposit of £150 per week of hire is payable to the owner at the time of making a reservation and will be deducted from the total hire charge.
  • This deposit is non-refundable in the event of cancellation (please see our cancellation policy).
  • A confirmation of the booking will be posted or emailed to you.
  • The balance is due 1 month prior to commencement of hire. Any late payment allows the owner to cancel the booking.
Security Deposits
  • The owner will ask the customer for a bond, or security deposit, of between £750 and £1250 (depending on the insurer used) when you collect the vehicle.
  • It is possible for customers to insure themselves for this deposit using companies such as Worldwideinsure.com .
  • Alternatively, some travel insurance polices cover vehicle rental excesses. For example in Australians often use RACV, or QBE .
    New Zealanders also have QBE, and in the UK annual policies for hire car excess can be found on the internet.
Insurance
  • Occupations: for reasons best known to themselves, our insurers will not cover drivers who are; students, unemployed, a member of the armed forces, professional entertainers, or professional sportsmen. However, they do accept self-employed, and retired drivers.
  • Age: In order to hire one of our vehicles, you must normally be between the ages of 25 - 75 years old. There is some lattitude in this rule depending on the driver's safety record and health, etc. The best way to explore this option is to submit a driver questionnaire. Download here.
  • There are additional charges depending on the driver details and intended destination. Please Ask.
  • If you or the additional driver have had an accident please inform us for insurance reasons as there may be added costs.
  • Proof of identity with photo must be produced prior to commencement of hire, with original driver's licence (including the paper counterpart of UK Licences).
  • A second proof of address is also required e.g. a recent utility bill.
  • All drivers must be present when the vehicle is picked up.
  • Europe: For those travelling into the EU or Switzerland, there is an additional daily charge.
  • Southern Ireland, is covered by our UK road traffic insurance without any extra charge. However, the breakdown cover is separately arranged by the owner, and may or may not cover Southern Ireland. Please ask.
  • Insurance is Fully Comprehensive.
  • The excess on each vehicle varies between £750 and £1250 depending on the insurance company and the driver's record. The security deposit described above is designed to cover this excess.
  • It is possible for customers to insure themselves for this excess using companies such as Worldwideinsure or Questor. Alternatively some travel insurance polices cover vehicle rental excesses. For example in Australians often use RACV, and in the UK, annual policies for hire car excess can be found on the internet.
  • It is the customer’s responsibility to provide their own holiday insurance to cover personal items and belongings and personal injury in the event of an accident.
  • Towbars may be used if fitted, but cover is restricted to "third party only" on the towed item. (For overseas visitors, this means that you are covered if you do damage to someone else's property, (after you have paid the excess) but you are not covered for damage to the towed item itself, or its contents.)
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  • Vehicles with a maximum weight greater than 3500kg may only be driven by people who are at least 36 yrs old, and having a C1 category licence. Drivers who passed a normal UK Category B (Car) test before 1 January 1997 will have received Categories C1 and C1+E automatically. Thereafter a separate test was required for a C1 licence. European C1 category licences are accepted, but equivalent "Heavy Goods Vehicle" licences from outside the EU are generally not. Please ask.

Usage

  • Our vehicles may not be used in stop-start situations, such as support vehicles for any type of charity run, walk, bike ride, etc.

Pet Policy if applicable

  • Many owners are reluctant to accept pets, partly out of concern for damage and sometimes out of a desire to keep the motorhome free of allergens.
  • Where "pet policy applies" the owner is willing to accept small well behaved pets, on the basis that guests are reminded that they would be responsible for any damage done by the pet, and the owner reserves the right to charge an extra £35 cleaning fee if there is a lot of hair left in the van on its return.

Fines & Penalties or Congestion Charges

  • The customer shall settle all fines and penalties incurred during the term of hire.
Toilet
  • The customer is responsible for emptying the toilet and waste tanks prior to returning the vehicle. Failure to do so will incur a charge of £50
Smoking
  • We operate a NO SMOKING policy in all vehicles.
Breakdown/Accidents/Incidents
  • Every effort is made by the motorhome owner to ensure the vehicle is in a safe and roadworthy condition prior to each and every hire.
  • The motorhome owner will refund the hire charges for any complete days loss of the use of the vehicle.
  • The motorhome owner shall be under no liability for any third party claims or damages in connection with or in consequence of, any accident or breakdown.
  • Our vehicles have breakdown insurance. In the event of a breakdown, contact the number given to you by the motorhome owner.
  • Approval must be obtained from the motorhome owner in respect of repairs and replacements.
  • The maximum height of your vehicle is clearly stated. Any overhead damage is the responsibility of the customer.
  • Tyre damage including punctures, and damage to the windscreen and windows are the customer's responsibility.
  • Any call out charges due to negligence on the part of the customer; for example, flat batteries, wrong fuel, lost keys etc will be their own responsibility.
Fuel/Gas/Oil
  • A full tank of fuel will be provided with the vehicle at the start of hire and the customer is expected to return the vehicle with a full tank of fuel.
  • Fuel will be charged at £1.70 per litre if the vehicle is brought back with less fuel.
  • It is the customer's responsibility to ensure that oil and water levels & tyres are checked on a daily basis.
  • A gas cylinder will be supplied at the time of hire and the cost of any refill during the hire period is refundable by the motorhome owner on production of a receipt.
Mileage
  • Unlimited mileage is allowed.
Customer Co-operation
  • The customer agrees not to part with the possession or control of the vehicle hired and not to allow any person other than the agreed drivers to drive the vehicle.
  • The customer also agrees not to carry more passengers than the seating capacity of the vehicle, and not to use the vehicle for carrying passengers or goods for hire.
Pick Up / Drop Off
  • Collection time for the vehicle is to be agreed with the motorhome owner in advance.
  • You should allow one hour for explanation of how everything works. The explanation cannot be skipped even if it would make you miss a ferry etc.
  • The motorhome is to be returned at the agreed time, otherwise there is a risk of driving without insurance, and of inconvenience to the next user of the motorhome.
  • If you encounter unavoidable delays, you MUST contact the motorhome owner to ensure that insurance cover is maintained.
  • A £25 per hour charge will be made for vehicles returning after the agreed time.
Car and Luggage Storage
  • We offer a car and luggage storage facility but these are left at owners own risk.
Cancellation Policy
  • More than 6 weeks before the hire: Loss of deposit only.
  • 4 - 6 weeks prior to start of hire: 50% loss of the total hire charge and deposit.
  • 28 days or less: 100% loss of the total hire charge.