TERMS & CONDITIONS

Our motorhomes represent a huge investment for Whittams, with each individually costing between £50,000.00 to £60,000.00 each. As such we hope that you look after them as if they were your own, to the same level as we do when preparing them for your hire.

We take an honest and practical approach to the hire of our vehicles whilst looking after our clients’ best interests. As such, we like to be transparent with all our policies, costs and penalties. These have been clearly listed for you to read and digest. 

We are fortunate as the majority of our customers return having looked after our vehicles, and that’s how we like it.   Our approach is very fair and simple, if you look after it… it costs nothing! A classic example could be, never leave your dog in one of our vehicles unrestrained as stress can cause chewing of fabrics and this is a super expensive fix. 

Accidents though do happen on occasion. When they do, rest assured we are not judgmental and always work in your best interest.

Please note, the Terms & Conditions laid out here are in compliance with our Insurance and fair-trading practice and are non-negotiable. The securing of your dates at confirmation of hire are subject to reading and accepting these Terms & Conditions. 

RESERVATIONS

Please telephone or email your date, party number and vehicle choice so we can confirm vehicle and date availability. Please also advise us of any special requests or extras so we can have these included in your costing.

Please note, a booking deposit is required to book and secure your dates. Please see ‘payments and deposits’ for details. BANK HOLIDAYS have a minimum term of hire for 5 days in line with campsites across the UK. Please book early for bank holidays.

CANCELLATIONS

Please inform us as soon as possible if you can’t make your booking. We operate a fair-trading policy to look after our clients’ best interests and fully understand cancellations do occur. These happen either by choice or due to ‘Acts of God’.

Cancellation (by choice) & Administration charges

In the unfortunate event where you may have to cancel your booking just prior to collection through ‘choice’ we will endeavour to help you avoid any loss by finding you an alternative booking date, assuming that is feasible for you. If, however, that cancelled booking can be replaced with a new booking, we will refund any cancellation fee incurred in full, less an administration charge of £50.00

We do strongly advise, in order to avoid any loss due to unforeseen circumstances, that you acquire adequate travel insurance.

Please note: cancellation charges are staggered on a time basis prior to your collection date. The fee is calculated as a percentage against the full invoice value of your hire.

Cancellation 30+ days prior to collection, after booking & paying your deposit

Once your booking is confirmed from the payment of your booking deposit any cancellation made 30+ days or prior to your collection date is eligible for a full no quibbles refund on all monies paid less an administration charge of £50.00

Cancellation 29-15 days prior to collection

Any cancellation made 29 to 15 days prior to your collection date is liable for a 10%/£100 (whichever is the greater) cancellation fee & administration charge.

Cancellation 14-8 days prior to collection

Any cancellation made 14 to 8 days prior to your collection date is liable for a 50%/£250 (whichever is the greater) cancellation fee & administration charge.

Cancellation within 7 days prior to collection

Any cancellation made within 7 days of your collection date is liable for a 100% cancellation fee.

Cancellation via ‘Acts of God’

Where a cancellation is not by choice and is ‘forced’ through global/national events beyond your control, Whittams will take all reasonable actions to minimise any potential loss. A choice of transferring booking dates or a full refund will be offered

If the event/act is localised/regional and does not affect the collection or use of the vehicle booked, then the standard cancellation policy above applies as the cancellation would be by choice.

Personal circumstances that could fall in to the ‘forced’ category i.e. bereavement, medical conditions, etc. will be considered at our discretion. Proof will be required to validate the cause of cancellation to uphold our fair-trading practice.

Please note: If your hire has been moved to a new date, this does not reset the cancellation timings. The timings that govern our cancellation policy will always be judged as from the time of the original booking and the original collection date.

BOOKING CONFIRMATION & BALANCE DUE

A booking confirmation email will be sent confirming the hire charge and the booking deposit required. The booking deposit is due on receipt of the booking confirmation email.

It is important to note that your booked dates are only secured once your deposit is received along with the confirmation of having read and accepted our ‘terms & conditions’.

If your booking deposit is not received within 7 days of having sent the booking confirmation email your dates will automatically be released back onto the open booking schedule and you pending booking is effectively cancelled.

The hire balance has to be paid 28 days prior to the collection date. Failure to do pay your balance could mean your hire being cancelled and your dates being released back onto the open schedule for other client’s availability. 

DEPOSITS & PAYMENTS

When making a booking a deposit is required to secure your dates.

Booking deposits are as follows… 

- Holiday value up to £499, deposit of £200 is required. Balance is due 28 days prior to. 
- Holiday value £500 or more 40% of hire value is required. Balance is due 28 days prior. 
- Holidays booked with less than 28 days then the full amount is payable upon booking. 

Please note: You can pay your deposit, balance and the security deposit by… 

- Bank transfer (preferred) 
- Cheque/ Cash 
- Credit/ debit card 

Security deposit is as follows… 

- Taken on collection day via card transaction 
- Applies to minor damages only 
- £500 (by pre-authorisation) 
- Voided within 48 Hrs after return, provided you haven’t incurred any damages to the motorhome, and on completion of internal and external inspection. Inspections are usually done within 48 Hrs depending on your return time. 

Please note: the security deposit does not cover your liability for the Insurance excess should a claim have to be made in lieu of any severe/major damage. 

INSURANCE

Your hire will include fully comprehensive insurance for the use in the UK. Insurance for EU travel incurs a supplemental charge; first week at £200, second week at £20 per day and the 3rd week and thereafter at £15 per day. Long term hire durations with EU travel are calculated separately (POA).

Insurance cover is only valid for the period of the hire, therefore, late returns constitute a traffic offence under the ‘Road Traffic Act’. Invalid insurance means the driver and main hirer become personally liable for any accident/damage to the motorhome, third-party property and third-party personal injuries. It is also worth noting that leaving the keys in the van, and if subsequently stolen, this will invalidate the insurance and you are liable for the full cost of replacement.

The insurance covers the vehicle and equipment only – personal possessions are not covered! Hirers are advised to take out travel insurance as you would on a normal holiday.

The insurance is fully comprehensive for your peace of mind. Claims, if required, are made for accidental damage where ‘fault’ occurs. However, damage incurred through ‘Gross Negligence’ may result in a claim not being made irrespective of the level of excess liability. Again, it is advised that you have the appropriate level of travel insurance to cover all eventualities for your travel plans.

The insurance also covers the windscreen. Repairs may be chargeable where repair costs from the windscreen company will be passed on. If the damage is severe and a replacement windscreen is required your liability is an excess payment of £150.00.

SECURITY DEPOSIT - Minor/Severe damage

A ‘minor damages’ security deposit must be taken before the hirer can take delivery of the vehicle (this is a requirement of our insurance company). Minor damages are instances that typically occur to minor parts of the vehicle by accident and should fall well within the security deposit taken i.e. breaking cupboard catches, interior stain removal, exterior scuffs and scrapes. The security deposit also covers any penalty charges if incurred on the return of the vehicle after inspection.

The security deposit is taken by card on the day of collection and is processed by way of ‘Pre-Authorisation’. This means no money is physically taken from your account. The security deposit pre-authorisation will be voided in full within 5 working days provided that the vehicle is returned undamaged, with the inventory complete as supplied and where the interior has been cleaned and tidied, with a clean cooker, fridge, sink, shower & toilet.

On your return of the vehicle it will be inspected briefly. A full inspection and inventory check will be carried out within 48 hours. Should the condition of the vehicle be otherwise where there are requirements for minor repairs, replacements or cleaning, then a deduction will be charged against the security deposit (please see penalties below).

If the hirer is found to have caused ‘severe damage’ to the vehicle by negligence (i.e. no other person or vehicle is involved) and the damage cost exceeds the £500 minor damages security deposit then the security deposit may be kept in full and the hirer will be responsible for the full balance of the rectification costs over that of the security deposit taken. For example: damaged awnings circa £850 would leave a £350 balance to pay.

Severe damage can also result in an insurance claim being made. If this is the case, you are liable for the insurance claim excess payment of £1,000.00 (this may vary/increase depending if any special conditions are imposed by the insurers after the DVLA check is performed). Depending on the nature of the damage incurred and whether it is restricted to one obvious location or if it is in several locations (depending on the misuse involved) this may result in your security deposit being taken as well as the liability for the insurance excess to be covered. In instances where the severe damage is localised, and the insurance covers the cost in its entirety, then the minor damages security deposit can be returned either in part or in full.

Please note: not all severe damage will be claimed for as it will depend on the occurrence of the damage, primarily by negligence. Typical instances here are seen with, but not limited to, front and rear bumpers, over cab mouldings, roof lights, windows, wing mirrors, external doors, dog chew damage, wrong fuel added, fuel added to the water tank rendering the vehicle off the road for weeks, none of which will be claimed for meaning you the hirer are responsible for those costs due to misuse. Claims may also not be sought should the value be close to the excess amount. Whittams reserves the right to opt for top up payment of nominal amounts to claim values. This is considered, depending on claim value, as a company policy to avoid claiming too frequently, this being to manage negative impact on the business by way of increased insurance premiums.

AVAILABILITY

Whilst we will make every effort to ensure that the reserved motorhome is available, if due to circumstances beyond our control this is not possible, and an alternative suitable motorhome is not available, our liability is limited to the refunds of all monies paid by you.

If an alternative motorhome can be provided under these circumstances, some motorhome features may differ to those of the original vehicle chosen and/or illustrated on the brochure / web site.

Should the last customer have damaged the motorhome to the point it is unable to be re rented then we will refund all monies. We offer no compensation for such and customers are advised to seek their own holiday insurance for such events however unlikely.

COLLECTIONS & DROP OFFS

The pick-up & return times of your vehicle will be stipulated in you hire agreement. Typical bookings though will be arranged as follows…

WEEKEND 3 nights

Collect from Fri 3.30pm – Return by Mon 10:30am

MIDWEEK 4 nights

Collect from Mon 3.30pm – Return by Friday 10.30am

FULL WEEK 7 nights

Collect from 3.30pm Fri or Mon – Return by 10.30am Friday or Monday

Please note: failure to return your vehicle on time can result in late fees being charged.

BREAKDOWNS

In the unlikely event of a breakdown a recognised recovery service is at the disposal of the hirer. The number is in the quick reference guide in the cab area of the van.

The hirer is authorised to spend up to £100.00 on repairs, this will be repaid on submission of a valid receipt only. For repairs costing more than £100.00 prior approval from Whittams Motorhome Hire must be obtained.

Please call the office on 07392 600 400 if you are unsure. All our vehicles are suitable for tarmac roads only. Travelling off road or on rough tracks can damage wheels, dislodge pumps, pipes and exhausts. Tyres are NOT covered by our insurer’s roadside assistance.

Please note: call outs due to no fault of Whittams will be charged in full by the call out company to the hirer.

PROOF OF IDENTITY

Acceptable proofs are shown below. You must provide us with…

- 1 ITEM FROM PROOF TYPE 1

- 2 ITEMS FROM PROOF TYPE 2

Please note: all documents must include your full name. Also, we can only accept original documents and/or PDF downloads of online statements. We cannot accept black and white photocopies or photographed documents as the insurers will not accept these.

PROOF TYPE 1

- Current UK Full Photocard Driving Licence and Convictions Page from the DVLA.

- Current EU member state National ID Photocard and current driving licence.

Please note: If you do not have a valid Photocard then you will need to bring your passport

PROOF TYPE 2

Primary proofs:

- A credit card, Bank or Building Society statement, dated within the last 3 months.

- Current Council Tax bill, Mortgage statement or Tenancy Agreement, from a local council or a recognised lender / agency.

- Utility bills – gas, electricity, water, TV Licence, land line, Sky, broadband or cable TV, all dated within the last 3 months.

- Polling card / HMRC document (PAYE Coding Notice/Tax Notification/Self-Assessment/Statement of account / NI contributions bill) issued in the last three months or valid for the current tax year - we can’t accept P45 or P60 forms.

- Mortgage statement from a recognised lender.

- A notification letter from Benefits Agency/Local Authority confirming your right to benefits (Department for Works and Pensions, Jobcentre Plus, Benefits Agency or Veterans Agency), dated within the last 12 months.

Secondary proofs:

- Loan statement / Student loan / Shotgun licence / Payslip / Mobile phone bill / Pension letter / Car finance statement / Property deed

DRIVERS & LICENCES

Drivers must be over 21 and under 79 years of age, (there is an insurance loading for drivers under 25 and over 70) and have held a full driving licence valid for the relevant vehicle classification for at least two years prior to the commencement of hire.

Driver’s licence must be free of endorsements except for minor speeding or parking offences (drivers with more than 6 penalty points, made up of 2 x 3 point minor offences, may be subject to an insurance excess loading). Also, no more than one fault or outstanding incident/claim in the last three years.

All of our vehicles are able to be driven by anyone with a category B licence as the weight is under 3,500KGS. Please note: (As from 8 June 2015 the paper counterpart to the photo card driving licence will be abolished).

Visitors from abroad must produce a valid endorsed domestic driving licence or international driving permit and their passport. Please note, failure to present the correct documentation at the time of collection will result in cancellation of the vehicle hire and loss of any monies paid.

MILEAGE LIMIT

Known over mileage on a planned journey can be discussed in advance; where on preferential mileage rates can be applied rather than being charged the penalty rate for none notification prior to return.

Limits set at:

UK Travel 1000 miles per week - Penalty @ 50p per mile therefafter

EU Travel 1000 miles per week - Penalty @ 50p per mile thereafter

SEATBELTS & THE LAW

It is important when choosing your vehicle to take into consideration the number of passengers you will want to take with you. The driver, front passenger and rear passengers must wear a seatbelt by law. Passengers in the rear must wear seatbelts in the forward or rear facing seats.

All our motorhomes have the same number of seatbelts to match the number of berths i.e. if the motorhome is a 4 berth then there are 4 seatbelts.

Please note: our vehicles sadly do not have Isofix. Also, the rear facing seats in our vehicles are lap belts only.

HOLIDAY INSURANCE - Vehicle availability

Whilst we will make every effort to ensure that the reserved motorhome is available, you are advised to take out your own holiday insurance as you would if you were going on a flight.

In the event your vehicle is damaged by the previous hirer, if we have another suitable motorhome then this will be offered to you. Please be aware that features on alternative vehicle may differ slightly.

If due to circumstances beyond our control a motorhome came back so severely damaged that it is not road worthy and we cannot hire it out and an alternative suitable motorhome is not available or you do not want to go ahead with a different motorhome, our liability is limited to the refunds of all monies paid by you. 

Please note: we offer no compensation for such events and customers are advised to seek their own holiday insurance.

SMOKING & ODOURS

The use of electronic cigarettes, scented candles, josh sticks, etc. must not be used in the vehicle. Where possible, any cooking involving strong odours that will linger should be avoided and the vehicle should be ventilated by opening widows.

Please note: in the event that the vehicle is returned with any unpleasant odours, the cost for valeting & deodorising will be taken from the security deposit.

FUEL & GAS

Fuel – The level of the fuel gauge will be noted upon collection (usually full). The hirer is responsible for returning the vehicle with the fuel gauge at the same level. 

Gas– One 6kg gas cylinder is supplied with your hire. Where bottles are part used, two bottles will be provided to provide equal to or more than 6kgs. If further Gas is required, we can supply at a cost of £28 per canister. Alternatively, you can perform your own bottle exchange at any ‘Flogas’ provider through their national distribution network. Identical to the Calor gas scheme.

RETURN CLEANING SERVICE

Whittams provides the optional extra of a return cleaning service for those clients who know they will be unable to undertake a basic clean of the vehicle on its return. 

The service though does not make provision for excessive dirt or debris to be left in the vehicle. Reasonable effort must be made to clear dirt and debris whilst not extending to a full cleaning process. The toilet must still be emptied, grey tank drained and surfaces/cooker clear of any spills or food matter.

Failure to adhere to this request for fair and reasonable usage of our vehicles can result in additional charges, these being taken from your security deposit, for any specialist/extraordinary cleaning that may be required (eg. stains / strong odours / foul waste removal).

PCNs (Penalty Charge Notices)

In the event a PCN is received during the course of the hire, for example: not paying at public crossings, parking fines, speeding notices and alike; your details will be passed to the appropriate legal body who issued the relevant PCN.

Whittams will not be liable, under any circumstances, for the penalties incurred. To avoid any administration costs levied for the handling of these PCNs you must advise Whittams, to the best of your knowledge, if you have incurred any during your journey.

VEHICLE RECALL

Whittams reserves the right to recall a van at any time should the need arise. This being for two prime reasons... 

If a factory recall is issued that could put your safety at risk we would recall the van for the necessary works to be undertaken. In this instance your monies would be refunded for the period of the hire not taken.

If the van is damaged to the point where major works are required and this impacts on future bookings, you may have to return the van early to accommodate those repair works so that it does not impact on the next hire after yours. This would be exceptional circumstances where the repair is beyond simple parts replacement alone and usually involves body works to be undertaken. Your monies in this scenario would be non-refundable if the damage is fault based. Non fault damage would be assessed and handled at our discretion.

EU TRAVEL

With the UK leaving the EU documentation for travelling across the continent has now changed. In place of the old green card system you now have to acquire a VE103R certificate. 

This requirement can be read up on the RAC website. In principle, as the vehicle is not personally owned and you'd be unable to produce the V5 if requested by foreign authorities, the VE103R provides formal/official proof that the vehicle is on hire.

Whittams can provide the service to apply for this on your behalf and make the necessary payments to the RAC for processing and sending certification through. Including some admin time, this is charged out at £40.00.

LEAVING YOUR VEHICLE AT WHITTAMS

We can provide parking for your vehicle whilst away on your journey. Whilst every effort is made to keep your car secure, with on-site CCTV and locked gates, you are leaving it at entirely your own risk. We offer no insurance or cover of any kind for the protection of your vehicle whilst on site with us. Any damage from the elements, wildlife, vandalism, etc. is your liability and the cost for remedial works, should anything occur, will be at at your own expense. 

PENALTIES

It is important that it is understood that the motorhomes are expected to be taken care of. If relevant terms are breached, penalties can be incurred for the fair processing and incurrence of rectification and administration costs.

We like to be transparent with all our costs. Below is a breakdown of penalties. The best way to avoid these is to return the motorhome in the condition you received it (allowing for normal acceptable use) – we do adopt a fair usage policy.

Please remember these motorhomes are a minimum of £50,000.00 to buy. We expect you to treat the motorhome as if you had just bought it. That includes keeping it clean. Please pay particular attention to the toilet, oven/grill, sink, shower and fridge. Failure to return the vehicle in the same condition you took it will result in the following penalties being applied and taken from your security deposit.