Van Hire Knowhow
What is a rental agreement in van hire?
The rental agreement is the contract you have to sign before you get the key to your hire van. Find out what you have to sign when you rent a van, so you can avoid unexpected hassle down the road.
A rental agreement is the contract between you and the van hire company. It sets out the terms and conditions of the rental. You’ll sign it before they hand over the van keys to you.
When you’re keen to get on to the road as fast as possible, it’s tempting to simply sign what you’re given and not give the rental agreement a second thought. But it’s worth taking a few minutes to check what you’re signing, to avoid unexpected hassle down the road.
Why do you have to sign a rental agreement?
You sign the rental agreement to record that you’ve read, understood and agreed to all the conditions of renting the van. The agreement will also explain the penalties you will face for breaching the conditions.
Once you’ve signed the rental agreement, you’ve agreed to be liable for the van during your rental.
What does a rental agreement include?
Every rental company has its own particular terms and conditions in its rental agreements. And they will vary by which country you’re renting in too. So even if you’ve rented vans plenty of times before, check the contract before you sign.
These are usually covered in a rental agreement:
- Hire van details
- Rental period details
- Mileage limits and fuel policy
- Breakdown of rental fees, extra charges, deposits and terms of payment
- Existing damage details
- Insurance protection and liability waiver details
- Breakdown recovery and emergency contact numbers
What if you’re in a hurry?
It can be tricky trying to read and digest the small print when the counter staff are expecting you to sign the agreement straight away. And there might be other customers waiting to be served behind you. To save yourself that stress, you can take a look at the terms and conditions of your rental van online ahead of time. Then you’ll know what you’re signing up for before you book, and you can check them before you travel.