Motorhome hire

Hiring is a great way to get a taste for motorhoming and to find the best layout for you

Hiring a motorhome or campervan is a great way to get a taste of the outdoor lifestyle, before you make a commitment to buy a ’van. It’s a chance to see if a motorhome and its layout suits you and to get used to driving one. But, before you make a booking, read these top tips to make sure you get the perfect model for your taster trip.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT ’VAN

Check the model you’re hiring has enough seatbelts and berths for everyone, whether that be fixed beds or sofas that can be converted at night. Think about where the beds are, too – if the kids are going to sleep in the lounge (or in a drop-down bed that descends into it), where are you going to go when you tuck them up for the night?

If you plan on cooking inside, rather than barbecuing or eating out, make sure the kitchen is well equipped. Do you need an oven or a microwave (the latter will only work when you are hooked up)?

What will you be doing on holiday? If you’re planning on cycling, make sure the

’van has a bike rack and/or a garage large enough. If you’re considering a family holiday and eating outside, ask for an external BBQ point and/or sufficient storage for all your chairs, table and BBQ to fit in. And ask if these are provided or will you need to bring them from home.

Of course, you might hire a VW camper and then decide that you need the extra living space of a coachbuilt, or hire a big motorhome and wish you’d gone smaller, in which case it’s much better to find out with a rental than after purchasing a new model for £60k! Search the web, and you will find that you can hire anything from a classic 1970s VW camper to a brand-new A-class.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT COMPANY

Bunk Campers tells us, “Every motorhome hire company will offer something different. What is important is not which is the cheapest, but what offers the best value for your holiday. For example, a vintage VW camper might seem fun but, if it has low fuel economy or breaks down when leaving the rental station, then that isn’t going to give you a great holiday experience. Consider something less than three years old to ensure maintenance and performance.”

If you want to take your pets along, your choice is more limited. Some companies have pet-specific vehicles, although there will likely be an extra charge for this to cover the cleaning fees.

The Motorhome Holiday Company recommends doing research into the hire company itself, “Facebook, Google pages and Tripadvisor will give you an idea of customer satisfaction,” while Companies House will give an indication of the company’s performance and stability.

It also adds that there are other important questions to ask about contingency plans, “What happens if the rental motorhome you’ve paid for returns from the previous hire damaged or unusable? What will the company do if you’re ready with suitcases in hand but the motorhome hasn’t returned at all? Even the best-intentioned customers can miss a ferry or be stuck at the wrong end of a closed motorway. Before you confirm any motorhome or campervan holiday

booking, check the company’s contingency plan. How many motorhomes do they own? Is it part of a national network, franchise or joint venture that can source an alternative motorhome at short notice?”

AGE AND DRIVING LICENCE

There are typically age limits for drivers who want to hire a motorhome; be prepared to pay extra, or even be turned away, if you’re aged under 21 or over 70. This doesn’t mean you can’t hire but you may find there are fewer options. There could be a minimum term that the full driving licence has been held for, too.

Calder Motorhome Hire clarified,

“You need to be aged between 25 and 75 with at least two years’ driving experience. Older drivers can be accommodated, but may need to pay a higher security deposit. No more than six points for minor convictions (speeding) and no major convictions (drink driving, etc) on your licence. No major accidents (involving claims above £5,000) in the last three years.”

You will be governed by your driving licence regarding the models you can hire. Almost all campervans will be fine on a standard UK car licence but, if you want a larger motorhome, check you have category C1 on your licence or you will be limited to a motorhome with a maximum gross weight of 3,500kg or less, which will exclude some larger models.

Think about whether you are comfortable driving a larger vehicle. Many campervans are no longer than a typical family estate, but many coachbuilts will be longer, taller and wider.

MAKING A BOOKING

Most companies will have prices on their websites – school holidays are likely to be the most expensive periods – but hire is much cheaper in the winter and, if you’re planning to use your new ’van all year, it might be good to see how cosy you are on board in November or December.

There are hire companies across the UK and abroad, too, as well as organisations that arrange rental of privately owned vehicles when the owners aren’t using them.

Think about whether you want to hire from a company near to your home or closer to where you’ll be touring.

Also consider a fly-drive holiday, hiring on the Continent (in which case you’ll be driving a left-hand drive vehicle), or even a dream trip to Canada or New Zealand. Often, it’s these once-in-a-lifetime trips that lead to a motorhome purchase.

You can hire in the UK and drive to Europe, but there’s often an extra charge to do this, so confirm this beforehand.

Also review the handover and handback policy. “Check that the company/individual you are hiring from has a clear process for checking vehicles between hires. You want to be reassured that the vehicle is checked properly after the previous hire, so you aren’t liable for others’ damage. You also want to ensure that the vehicle is cleaned effectively and any potential problems are noted and rectified before your hire commences,” says Just Go.

Matt Sims, from The Motorhome Holiday Company, adds, “Always ask what is included in the hire fee. Does the advertised price include insurance, breakdown cover, gas, toilet chemical, secure parking for your car whilst you are away, etc? There are often optional extras that you may not have considered, for example bedding or additional drivers.”

Plus, make sure you understand the mileage limits – if you go over this you must pay an excess mileage charge.

Most companies will also request a deposit, with the full balance payable before you pick up the motorhome (often around six weeks).

Also ask about charges that could be incurred on return – excess cleaning charges, emptying the toilet, returning without a full tank of fuel and the gas you have used from the gas bottle.

Finally, with all of the uncertainty around Covid and travel restrictions, it’s important to be able to book with confidence. Bunk Campers tells us it is offering free date changes on all bookings in addition to its Coronavirus Guarantee, which offers a full refund if the UK or Ireland governments impose restrictions closing the depot or introduce nonessential travel restrictions over the dates of your rental. As with anything, though, check the terms and conditions before booking.

WHERE TO GO?

Jake Stone, from Goboony, a peer-to-peer rental service, tells us, “There are two types of motorhome holidaymakers – those who prefer planning everything ahead to be more relaxed during their trip and those who prefer it being completely open to suggestions – they don’t want to stress about anything and instead enjoy going with the flow.

“Part of choosing an area is deciding whether there will be multiple destinations. This depends on how long your trip is, how much you enjoy driving and where you intend to go. Either way, be sure to always enjoy the journey, as a motorhome holiday is not solely based on the destination, which you can choose to stay overnight at or move on, depending on campsite availabilities

and how much there is to see.”

But still aim for a maximum three hours’ driving per day so the majority of your time is spent enjoying places and not behind the wheel. This can be timed to avoid busy traffic.

If you plan to stay at campsites, look into possibilities when you decide on your destinations. Some areas will not have great/any campsites or, if you’re close to a city, the prices will be high. Wild camping is not possible everywhere so, if this is important to you, check destinations based on that.

INSURANCE

Insurance should come as part of the hire fee. There will be an excess, though, and it’s easy for an inexperienced motorhome driver to catch the roof on an overhanging branch or scrape the rear on a post. Ask if you can reduce the excess for an additional cost and check excesses when comparing rental prices.

Usually, insurance will be fully comprehensive for the named driver only but it makes sense to have additional driver/s if you can. This will cost extra, but, in the case of tiredness, illness or an emergency, it will be money well spent.

All drivers must declare relevant medical conditions before the booking is completed, as they may invalidate the insurance cover.

Breakdown cover should also come as part of the motorhome rental charge, although it’s often limited to the UK. So, if you’re heading for Europe, ensure the breakdown policy is extended accordingly, so that you’re fully covered if something goes wrong.

Hire firm, Just Go, recommends checking the policy provider, “If it’s a dedicated motorhome hire company, then comprehensive insurance is usually included as standard and is very straightforward as the hire company owns the vehicle. If you are hiring through a broker, peer-to-peer, or syndicate arrangement, it would be wise to confirm who is insuring you – is it the private vehicle owner, or the broker? You want to make sure you are covered if something happens.”

It’s advisable to take out travel insurance. If you have to cancel the booking before you have paid the full balance, you may get some of your deposit back – this varies between companies. If you have to cancel the booking after the full balance has been paid, then you may be encouraged to move the booking to a later date if you can but, if this is not possible, then this is where good travel insurance will kick in.

COLLECTING THE MOTORHOME

On the day of collection, don’t forget your driving licence! UK drivers will need the plastic card driving licence and the DVLA code. You’ll need to go on the DVLA website prior to arrival to get the code, which allows the rental company to view the details held by the DVLA.

You’ll need a credit card for the security deposit, too. Just like renting a car, this will be preauthorised for the amount – normally between £1,000 and £2,000 for a motorhome. Make sure it is not deducted, but just preauthorised. If it’s actually deducted, ensure that it will be refunded immediately on return of the motorhome.

You may also need to show proof of a UK address, in the form of a recent utility bill or bank statement.

On the handover, check the motorhome for any damage and declare any you see and ensure these are marked on the rental form. If you don’t declare them before signing the form, you may be liable for the damage when you return.

Ask the staff to demonstrate all the features and record all of this on your phone or camera, as you won’t remember everything. If something doesn’t work, get it signed off so you aren’t liable for it.

If you have brought all your items with you, transfer everything to the motorhome and pack it securely. Then, it’s time for the adventure to begin. Remember, all your passengers must be in seats with a seatbelt fitted.

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

If you’re 90% of the way to buying and want to be completely sure that you’re doing the right thing, investigate try-before-you-buy schemes. Some dealers and campervan converters offer this arrangement where you can get a week’s hire refunded if you go on to purchase a vehicle from the same company. This is a perfect way of trying motorhoming before buying.