# motorhome hire



## brightsparkretired (Sep 26, 2008)

Does anyone have any experience of hiring a motorhome? I would like some info regarding insurance cover for driver & passengers
Tel :?


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## Boolush (Jul 30, 2009)

Hi, I think you'll find it's all part of the hire price... at least it was when I hired one several years ago.

Hugh


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## oddball135 (Jul 30, 2009)

brightsparkretired said:


> Does anyone have any experience of hiring a motorhome? I would like some info regarding insurance cover for driver & passengers
> Tel :?


My lad hires motorhomes out in the south west area, if you want i could send you his phone number.
He is away on some holls just now but will be back in the next week.
Let me know.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Boolush said:


> Hi, I think you'll find it's all part of the hire price... at least it was when I hired one several years ago.
> 
> Hugh


With some it's all inclusive, others break the total charge down and show hire and insurance separately as insurance cost varies depending on all sorts of factors such as number of drivers/points on licence(s)/age of driver(s)/foreign travel cover/nationality of driver(s) etc.

If insurance is included you may well find it is only for one driver, UK resident with UK licence, between specified ages, with no points on their licence. Any additions/variations to that formula will attract extra fees.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Ohh and for passengers you may well find that it only covers those travelling in the "approved" seats. The agency I use recently had a party of 5 turn up to use a 3 berth/4 "approved" seat m/home (the 2 children were going to use a tent). 
They (and the agency) had checked with the police the "legality" of using a side facing seat for the 5th passenger and the local police had confirmed it wasn't currently "illegal".

However just as a precaution the agency then checked with their H&R insurers - the answer was "not a chance". 
Some insurers don't care though - or at least say they don't before the event - so it's worth checking and getting it in writing.


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## brightsparkretired (Sep 26, 2008)

I thought that maybe you drove on your own insurance obviously not!
Tel


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

brightsparkretired said:


> I thought that maybe you drove on your own insurance obviously not!
> Tel


If your insurer would permit it and if the hiree agreed to it - it might be possible.

But I think the hiree would require a cast iron assurance that their multi tens of thousand pound asset was adequately indemnified.


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## b16duv (Feb 14, 2006)

Hi Brightspark,

Are you wanting to hire out your motorhome to others?

If so, you will need to arrange proper hire cover for the duration of the hire. I have heard of people who hire out their vans and just add drivers to their ordinary motohome insurance policy. Most 'domestic' insurance policies will expressly forbid the hiring out of the insured motorhome. Should there be an accident, there will be an opportunity for the insurer to decline payment on the grounds that the vehicle was hired for a fee, as opposed to a friend borrowing it! Then there is the issue of driving whilst not insured etc etc.

There are companies who will arrange insurance on a daily basis for those who wish to hire out their vans. Some will also advertise the van on your behalf and provide you with customers (for a fee!)

If you wish to hire a motorhome yourself (or a friend or relation does) then there are many professional motorhome hire companies that automatically provide insurance for the hirer.

Look in the motorhome hire forum on here - there are numerous topics that may provide hours of reading!

HTH

David


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## Rainbow-Chasers (Sep 2, 2008)

Most companies do all inclusive, the amount they include depends on the company, but with us there is everything! 

What has to be made clear when you hire off a company or an individual is the level of insurance, liability cover, breakdown cover, customer support, equipment included and the level of that equipment. A good company will bend to help you and put extras on to suit your needs at no extra cost. We have bought specific child seats to help people out, supplied specific tables, added extra toys for children all at our standard rate. Our main aim is to ensure the customer has a good holiday! A good company will look after your needs!


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## LondonMotorhomeHire (Jan 20, 2008)

Rainbow-chasers,

Why is it that you frequently raise my hackles?

All too often you put yourselves high on a pedestal putting down other agencies in the hire business. There is one thing, using a site like this to subtly promote your own professional services, but it is another to frequently don a halo and suggest that all others are not doing it quite as good as you.

Glancing at your website, you're actually not doing things far differently from the rest. A very high reservation deposit; a damages deposit that matches or exceeds others; similar 'extras' to other agencies at the same 'extra' surcharges are just some examples.

Your comment in this post suggesting that you pretty much supply everything extra for free is misleading which drew me to your site which then revealed that though there are alsorts of claims of public liaibility insurance, better this, better that and more of the other...........you're probably no different to many many other agencies out there who continue to promote and supply motorhomes to the wider public.

I am going to apologise as I hate drawing swords but honestly, take a look back over some of your posts and you might see what I mean.


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

The moderators have received a complaint about traders promoting their services on this thread.

In the interests of maintaining an ubiased reply to the O/P we would appreciate it in any members with a commercial interest in motorhome hire would desist from making any further posts.


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## Rainbow-Chasers (Sep 2, 2008)

Just a response to tugs points - after which i will keep quiet and refrain from giving any advice to anyone.

I apologise to tug if he felt i was promoting anything - i *do not *promote things ever but do fight the corner for the honest operator when everyone advises them as being rogues that are after your van to make lots of money and rip you off!. 
There are many companies that put massive amounts of time and effort and money into making sure everything is as good as it can possibly be - it does get a little insulting when you then get portrayed as cowboys! Although many feel that it is not their cup of tea - it hardly gives an objective answer to a question regarding hiring does it?

I may have gone a little overboard, but was trying to emphasise what effort goes into a good operation - not mine - any good operation.

I have never put any other company down, i never mention names at all, even those that clearly raise my shackles! - yes there are cowboys, and the advice is the same time and time again - *research the company and take time on your decision *- that motorhome may be all you have in the world. There are so many 'bad' stories and accounts out there. I do not promote or ask them to join us, nor contact anyone promoting anything - just state that there are good and bad and to research carefully!

I do not mean to lead anyone to our website - *I have never hired to anyone through this site, and do not have any members on our list. *Inclusive items are not on there as they are inclusive - we make no fuss about it. Higher damage reflects EU travel with higher risk and is set by insurers. *If we wish to advertise we would buy a space and sponser the website! *We do not advertise on the hire company list either as it would be a conflict of interest - you either post socially or advertise through sponsership of the site. I post socially, so do not advertise here.

Just as a point also, sub contract vans cost us money - we make little if anything out of them due to the extra work involved. For this reason we never actively seek these out - people may ask advice, and as always - research until you are happy and don't be afraid to ask questions to that company rep. It is YOUR van, Your investment! *At no time do I ever suggest coming with us *- quite frankly I am too busy to travel round the country assessing vehicles. It is time consuming.

I do make those aware of liability etc, as there are many who wish to hire their own vehicle and may not be aware of the legalities. Health and Safety is a minefeild and all must be done correctly, You must be able to produce lots of paperwork at the drop of a hat by law - there is a sue culture out there as well - it is all *free advice, *nothing more. But if it stops one person falling foul then it is all good, it helps people at the stage were it is just an idea know what is involved.

I also do declare i am a business due to a previous post complaining of companies not disclosing themselves - so i do clearly. It is *not *advertising, just being honest so everyone knows!


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## tel999 (Aug 17, 2007)

Tug 66

Spot on


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## 126350 (Jul 30, 2009)

If i was to hire a motorhome out [6 berth] how many weeks a year is average?


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

meiriadog said:


> If i was to hire a motorhome out [6 berth] how many weeks a year is average?


What is the average length of a piece of string?


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## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

In answer to the helpful piece of string response - twice the distance from the middle to one end

I reckon you could probably expect to hire out your van for 50% of the school holidays ie 3 weeks summer, 1 week Easter, 1 week winter - assuming it is

A - affordable

B - drivable by Joe Average (less than 3500Kg)

C - fully equipped and in good nick

D - available

We hired before we bought but it was so expensive we bought early (originally meant to buy for retirement)

Cheers

Dave


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

HarleyDave said:


> In answer to the helpful piece of string response - twice the distance from the middle to one end
> 
> I reckon you could probably expect to hire out your van for 50% of the school holidays ie 3 weeks summer, 1 week Easter, 1 week winter - assuming it is
> 
> ...


Sorry if you thought my reply was "helpful" but it was simply meant to indicate that there is no such thing as an average hire season any more than there is an average length of string.

However you clearly have a short average length of string. If that was a typical hire regime nobody would do it.

Seasons vary greatly - this time last year our van was already booked for twice your average in just 3 bookings, this year it isn't anywhere near that yet. Last year the season ran from May to October, it doesn't start until June this year (so far).

Luckily hiring isn't intended to make us a profit just offset our costs, so anything we get is a bonus and hopefully we will actually get to use it ourselves for more than the 3 days we managed in 2010.


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