Frequently Asked Questions

Your standard rate covers your core rental costs, excluding only the Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) excess. The standard rate is for one driver and includes insurance, breakdown cover, VAT, and a daily mileage allowance of 150 miles. If you would like to lower your financial risk, you also have the option to pay a fee to reduce your insurance excess liability. This is explained in more detail below in the "How much is the Insurance Excess" section.

We do not take an upfront deposit. However, when you collect the vehicle, you must have sufficient funds available on your card. We will place a temporary pre-authorisation hold on the main driver’s card equal to your chosen Insurance Excess amount. (See ‘How much is the Insurance Excess’ below)

• Accepted Cards: A physical, valid Visa or MasterCard only (credit or debit) in the main driver's own name.
• Payment Methods Not Accepted: Cash, pre-paid cards, and contactless payments (such as Apple Pay or Google Pay).
• How the Hold Works: No money leaves your account unless an issue arises or you exceed your free mileage. However, it will temporarily freeze these funds in your bank account (if using a debit card) or lower your credit card spending limit. We will release the hold at the end of your hire if the vehicle is returned without any issues.

The cost of your hire is subject to a standard Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). You are automatically responsible for the excess amount, which will be held on the main driver’s card at pick-up:

Drivers aged 25 to 69

• Standard Vehicles (up to 3.5 tonnes):
• Standard Excess: £950 hold on your card.
• Reduction Option: Pay an additional daily charge of £15 when you collect the vehicle to reduce your card hold and excess responsibility to £350.
• Larger Vehicles:
• Standard Excess: £1500 hold on your card.
• Reduction Option: Pay an additional daily fee of £20 per day when you collect the vehicle to reduce your card hold and excess responsibility to £750.

Drivers under the age of 25

• All Vehicles:
• Standard Excess: £1500 hold on your card. This excess cannot be reduced.

The Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) does not cover all types of damage to the vehicle. Items such as the tyres, windows, roof, and undercarriage are strictly excluded from our standard cover. This means you will be responsible for the full cost of repairing them, so we ask all drivers to take extra care when operating and parking the vehicle. Please note that these are examples, and other exclusions apply – a complete list can be found in our Terms & Conditions.

While you can purchase an independent excess insurance policy online from a third-party provider before your pick-up date to help cover these costs (by searching online for "van hire excess insurance"), the best way to avoid unexpected charges is simply to drive safely, check your clearances, and look after the vehicle during your hire.

Our insurance is designed to protect our vehicle, the CDW doesn’t cover your belongings or cargo so you will need to make sure your items are well-protected during transportation, and keep the vehicle locked when unattended.

Our standard rentals are for drivers aged 25 to 69 who have held a full UK driving licence for at least two years and hold the correct category for the vehicle. If you are 23 or 24 years old, please get in touch with our team directly. We can often make exceptions to lift the age restriction, though different rates will apply to your booking.

You can only drive a 7.5 Tonne vehicle if you have a Category C1 entitlement on your driving licence. If you are using the vehicle solely for personal use, such as moving your own house, your C1 licence is all you need. However, if you are using the vehicle for any business, commercial, or trade work, you will also legally require an Operator’s Licence to drive it and the driver will need to use their Digital Tacho Card.

No, our vehicles are strictly for use on the UK mainland. You must not take our vans on ferries to any offshore islands. This strict geographical restriction includes travel to the Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, the Orkneys, and the Shetlands.

Yes, but they must be officially added to your booking before the hire starts. Any additional drivers must meet our standard age and licence requirements, provide their physical IDs and DVLA codes, and pay an additional driver fee. Drivers cannot be added after the vehicle has been collected. Allowing an unauthorised person to drive the vehicle at any time will result in the immediate termination of your rental contract, and you will lose your entire insurance excess while remaining fully liable for all third-party claims.

You can claim a free one-day self-drive van rental by setting up a new, qualifying storage unit with our sister company, Admiral Self Storage Ltd. This complimentary hire is included within your new storage room package. While the daily rental cost is free, please note that you will need to pay for the vehicle insurance cover. To claim this offer, simply contact our team today. We will confirm your eligibility, walk you through the details, and schedule your free van rental day.

Yes, we’ll complete a digital walkaround with you before handing over the keys. A member of our team will log the fuel level, mileage, and take photographs of the van's condition from various angles. Once you are happy, you will just sign directly on our screen. If you include your email address the App automatically emails a copy of the report and photos straight to your inbox, protecting you from being held responsible for any pre-existing damage.

We will always do our best to help you reschedule your booking. You must call our team at least 72 hours in advance of your original pickup time, excluding Bank Holidays. Please note that a postponement fee will apply to any date changes. If we cannot accommodate your new dates due to vehicle availability, our standard cancellation policy will apply.

Our cancellation policy will apply: Once your booking is paid for, it is formally confirmed and completely non-refundable. Under the UK Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, vehicle rentals are legally exempt from standard cooling-off or cancellation periods.

We can't offer refunds or credit notes for any unused days. While you are welcome to bring the vehicle back ahead of schedule, the price stays the same and you will still be charged for the full time you booked. Unused mileage allowance cannot roll over to another rental.

Rental extensions are never guaranteed because another customer may have already reserved your vehicle.

However, if the van is available and you contact us before your original booking expires, we will do our best to help. If we approve your extension, you must sign a new digital agreement and pay all extra rental charges and extension fees in advance.

We can accept certain driving licence endorsements for drivers aged 25 and over. Please contact our team directly before booking so we can check your specific penalty points and confirm your eligibility. We strictly cannot hire to anyone under the age of 25 who has points or endorsements on their driving licence.

Driving Licences & Photo ID

• Physical UK Driving Licence: Every driver listed on the booking must present their physical driving licence. THE HIRE WILL NOT GO AHEAD WITHOUT THIS. Digital copies or scans are not accepted.
• Additional Photo ID: If your driving licence photo is more than 5 years old, or if you still have an older paper licence please also bring a secondary physical photo ID (such as a passport). For security reasons, your appearance must closely match your ID photos.

Payment Card

• Main Driver’s Card: We require a physical credit or debit card (Visa or MasterCard only) issued in the main driver's name. THE HIRE WILL NOT GO AHEAD WITHOUT THIS.
• Pre-Authorisation Hold: This card will be used for a temporary security hold equal to your Collision Damage Waiver excess amount. Please note that the main driver must bring their physical card, as we do not accept cash or contactless payments (like Apple Pay).

Proof of Address – for each driver (If not already provided)

• Two Forms of Address ID: Please provide two separate proofs of address dated within the last 3 months. THE ADDRESS ON THESE DOCUMENTS MUST MATCH THE ADDRESS ON YOUR DRIVING LICENCE. We accept physical documents, or you can email digital copies to us in advance.
• Accepted Address Documents: We accept utility bills, bank statements, or credit card statements.
• DVLA Check Code: You will need to provide a check code from the GOV.UK website. Because these codes expire after 21 days and can only be used once, we recommend generating yours shortly before your hire date.

Our cancellation policy will apply if the hire cannot go ahead because the above requirements are not met.

A DVLA check code is the digital counterpart to your driving licence. It lets you securely share your driving record, including penalty points, with vehicle hire companies. Each code takes about two minutes to generate, is valid for 21 days, and can only be used once to protect your privacy. You can get your code on the GOV.UK website by entering your driving licence number, National Insurance number, and registered postcode.

We accept utility bills, bank or credit card statements dated within the last 3 months. Digital copies are accepted.

The hire rate includes 150 free miles per day (or 750 per week for hires of 7 days+). If the free miles limit is exceeded, then mileage will be charged between 20 pence and 40 pence per mile thereafter depending on type of vehicle. Rates vary by vehicle group, so please ask our team if you would like to know the specific rates for your vehicle.

We will make sure there is enough fuel in the tank to easily get you to a local service station. All we ask is that you bring the vehicle back with roughly the same amount of fuel it had when you picked it up.

Yes, we have a full range in stock available to buy anytime during our opening hours.

We have a limited number of sack trolleys available to hire at the cost of £10 per day (with a £20 returnable deposit).

Loss or damage to anything being transported is not covered by our insurance.

Breakdowns are uncommon because our rental vehicles are regularly maintained, but we know they can still happen. If your hire van develops a fault, please put safety first, contact us as soon as you can, and follow the steps in our Breakdowns and Incidents Guide so we can help you get back on the road quickly.

Our Breakdowns and Incidents Guide is here to help you through the process.

Sorry we do not allow any animals in our vehicles. Valeting charges will be applied if this is not adhered to.

Yes, you can! We are happy to offer you one free parking space for the duration of your hire. When you arrive, just give your registration number to a member of our team and they will show you where to park.

A quick reminder: Our parking area will only be accessible to you during our regular Reception opening hours. Vehicles are left at the owner's risk, and we can't accept responsibility for any damage or loss.

No, you will need to bring the vehicle back during our normal opening hours. Because of our site security systems, it is important that you do not approach our premises when we are closed.

No. Smoking and vaping are strictly prohibited inside the vehicle for both the driver and all passengers.

No. We use CCTV for the prevention and detection of crime. Disabling them would result in the immediate termination of your rental contract, and you will lose your entire insurance excess.