Motorhome conditions of Hire You will find a copy of our Motorhome Hire terms and conditions on this page. Please read these terms prior to entering into any hire agreement with Freedom Caravans Ltd. You will be deemed to accept these during our handover of the motorhome and completion of the hire contract. THE AGREEMENT IS BETWEEN: Freedom Caravans (Us, We or Our) and The Hirer (You) 1. Your Contract with Us 2. Booking Confirmation and Payment 3. Cancellations 4. Collection and Delivery Times 5. Availability 6. Events Beyond the Operator's Control 7. Suitable Persons 8. Pets 9. Smoking 10. Bed Linen and Towels 11. Rental Period 12. Your Responsibilities 13. Conditions for Using the Vehicle 14. Charges 15. The Hire Insurance 16. What to do if you Breakdown 17. What to do if you have an Accident 18. Windscreens and Tyres 19. Information 20. Ending the Agreement 21. Governing Law 1. Your Contract With Us By taking the hire vehicle you are accepting these terms and conditions. Please read this agreement carefully. If there is anything you do not understand or do no agree with, please ask us. 2. Booking Confirmation and Payment A deposit of £1000 is required of which £500 is non-refundable (terms & conditions apply) and enters you into a binding contract for the hire. The balance of your hire money is payable six weeks prior to the start date of your hire, or at the time of booking if you book less than six weeks from the start date of your hire. Documentation is to be provided on the day of collection. Failure to provide full payment and documents as above will result in the booking being cancelled and the loss of £500. 3. Cancellations All cancellations must be notified to us in writing, but please call us immediately to inform us, as this will improve our chances of rehiring the motorhome. If notification of your cancellation is receive more than six weeks before the start date of your hire you will be refunded in full less the £250. If notification of your cancellation is received less than six weeks before the start date of your hire all monies paid and due are not refundable and you are still liable for any sums not yet paid. However, we will do all we can to rehire the motorhome and if we are able to do so, you will be refunded up to the maximum of your total hire less £250, subject to the amount we are able to rehire the motorhome for. 4. Collection and Delivery Times Unless otherwise agreed, the motorhome will be available on the day of collection from the agreed location between 10:00am and 1:00pm and must be delivered back to the agreed location by 11:00am on the last day of hire. Late returns can have a significant impact on the next hire. If you fail to return the motorhome on time you may be liable to an extra charge at our discretion, but typically £50 plus any additional costs incurred by us as a result. There are no refunds for motorhome's returned early. 5. Availability Occasionally motorhome's are not available as agreed, which is almost always due to events beyond our control (see below). If your booking has to be cancelled (which we have the right to do) we will offer you the choice of an alternative motorhome or, if no suitable replacement is available, provide a full refund of all monies you have paid for your booking. 6. Events Beyond The Operator's Control Unfortunately, events beyond our control occasionally affect booking. When reference is made to such events in these Conditions of Hire, this means any event(s) or circumstance(s) which we could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. We cannot accept responsibility or pay any compensation, costs or expenses where the performance of your contract with us is prevented or affected or your otherwise suffer any loss or damage as a result of events beyond our control. This includes any delays to and/or restrictions to your hire to which you may be subject. However, if your booking has to be cancelled as a result, we will of course offer you the choice of an alternative motorhome (if available) or refund as described above. 7. Suitable Persons Drivers must be over 25 and under 65 years of age, and have held a full driving licence for at least one year. It is the hires responsibility to ensure they have the relevent categories on their licence, details of which can be found at www.direct.gov.uk. The licence must be produced at the time of the vehicles collection. We have the right to refuse to hand over a motorhome to any person who, in our reasonable opinion, is not suitable to take charge. In such cases, all hire charges paid will be refunded in full, without any further liability to Freedom Hire. It is your responsibility to ensure we are made aware of any disqualifications/restrictions that have been imposed on your license. Failure to inform us of these at the point of booking will result in a termination of your hire. All monies paid to us within 6 weeks of the date of your collection will be retained by us. 8. Pets We do not allow pets of any description in our vehicles. If it is found that pets have been in our vehicles without pre authorisation your entire deposit of £1000 will be retained. 9. Smoking No smoking in the motorhome is tolerated. Smoking in the motorhome will result in the full damage deposit being forfeited. 10. Bed Linen and Towels Bed Linen, pillows and towels are not provided with the motorhome as standard. If you specifically require these items or are travelling from abroad please enquire about availability. 11. Rental Period You will have the vehicle for the rental period shown in the agreement. If you do not bring the vehicle back on time you are breaking the conditions of this agreement. You can be charged for every day or part day you have the vehicle after you should have returned it. Until the vehicle is returned you will be charged daily rate (pro rata of weekly rate) of your hire plus 50%. 12. Your Responsibilities a. You must look after the vehicle and the keys to the vehicle. You must always lock the vehicle when your not using it, and use any security device fitted to the supplied with the vehicle. You must always protect the vehicle against bad weather which can cause damage. You must make sure that you use the correct fuel. You are responsible for any damage to the vehicle caused by hitting low level objects, such as bridges or low branches b. You must not sell, rent or dispose of the vehicle or any of its parts. You must not give anyone any legal rights over the vehicle. c. You must not let anyone work on the vehicle without our permission. If we do give you permission, you will only receive at refund if you have a receipt for the work. d. You must let us know as soon as you become aware of a fault in the vehicle. e. You must bring the vehicle back to the agreed place agreed, at the time agreed and remain responsible for the vehicle until this time. We must see the vehicle to check that it is in good condition. f. You will have to pay for repairs if: - The vehicle needs more than our standard valeting (cleaning); - You have damaged the vehicle, inside or out g. Before you bring back the vehicle you must check that you have not left any personal belongings in the vehicle. h. You are responsible for any loss or damage to the motorhome including that caused by neglect, misuse, accident or not your fault. 13. Conditions for Using the Vehicle The vehicle must only be driven by you and any other driver named on the hire insurance policy, or by anyone else we authorise in writing. Anyone driving the vehicle must have a full valid driving licence. You or any other driver must not: - Use the vehicle for hire or reward; - Use the vehicle for any illegal purpose; - Use the vehicle for racing, pace making, testing the vehicle's reliability and speed or teaching someone to drive; - Use the vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs; - Drive the vehicle outside England, Scotland and Wales, unless we have given you written permission; - Overload the vehicle; - If the vehicle is a commercial vehicle, use it for a purpose for which you need an operator's licence if you do not have one. The total number of people that can be carried in the vehicle is limited to the total number of seatbelts fitted. This is a legal requirement - you must not carry anyone that is not using a seatbelt. 14. Charges Charges are based on our price list at the time of booking. You will be charged for: a. The rental and any other charges we work out according to this agreement. b. A charge for any loss or damage to the motorhome including that caused by neglect, misuse, accident or not your fault, subject to the cover provided by the hire insurance. c. A charge for loss or damage resulting from you not keeping to condition 12. d. You must empty the toilet cassette at the end of the hire period. There is a £50 charge for un-emptied cassettes. e. A refuelling service charge if you have used, and not replaced, more fuel than was supplied originally. The charge is based on the cost of the fuel plus £20. f. Gas is included, but should you need to replace an empty bottle during the course of your hire, this is your responsibility. g. All fines and costs (including court costs) for parking, traffic or other offences, congestion charges, (including any costs which arise if the vehicle is clamped). You must pay the appropriate authority any fines or costs if and when the authority demands this payment. A deposit for £150 will be required on paying balance of monies owed and will be held on account for a period of six weeks after the end of the hire period. The amount will be refunded to you after this time if no charges become apparent. h. Any charges arising from Customs and Excise or Immigration Authorities seizing the vehicle, together with a loss-of-income charge while we cannot rent out the vehicle, if and when we demand this payment. i. Any published or agreed rates for delivering and collecting the vehicle. j. Interest which will be added everyday to any amount you do not pay on time, at the rate of 4% a year above the base lending rate of Barclays Bank from time to time. k. Value added tax and all other taxes on any charges listed above, as appropriate. You are responsible for all charges, even if you have asked someone else to be responsible for them. l. A deposit of £1000, in addition to the £150 already mentioned in 14g above, is required upon payment of balance owed to cover any damage, loss or claim. You agree that the deposit is payable in full as a condition of hire. The deposit will only be used in the event of any loss, damage to the motorhome (externally or internally) costs or insurance claims as described in these terms and conditions. The balance of the deposit (if any) will be refunded to you. The deposit is refundable where no claim for damage is made. 15. The Hire Insurance The motorhome is insured for the period of the hire and a copy of the insurance policy is available from the us on request. By signing the attached form you are accepting the conditions of the hire insurance policy. 16. What to do if you Breakdown No responsibility can be accepted by us for any loss or damage or expense which occurs as a result of any defect or breakdown unless it is due to a proven reason of our failure to adequately maintain the motorhome in a fit state and condition, If you breakdown you should: - Contact the breakdown service that cover the vehicle. - Inform us immediately. 17. What to do if you have an Accident No responsibility can be accepted by us for any loss or damage or expense which occurs as a result of any accident. If you have an accident you must not admit responsibility. You should get the names and addresses of everyone involved, including witnesses. You should also: - Make the vehicle secure. - Tell the police straight away if anyone is injured or there is a disagreement over who is responsible; and - If possible, take photographs. - Contact us immediately. 18. Windscreens and Tyres You are responsible for any damage to windscreens and windows, punctures or other damage to tyres during the period of hire. Where possible it should be repaired as appropriate and paid for by you at the time. You should contact us to seek information before carrying out the repair. Failing this, an amount will be deducted from your deposit against damages for the cost of the repairs. 19. Information If you break the agreement we can give the information you have provided to credit reference agencies, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), debt collectors and any other relevant organisation. We can also give this information to the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), who can pass it on to any of its members for any purpose stated in the Data Protection Act 1998. 20. Ending the Agreement a. If you are a consumer we will end the agreement straight away if we find that our belongings have been taken away from you to pay off your debts, or a receiving order has been made against you. We will also end this agreement if your do not meet any of the conditions of this agreement & All monies paid to us up until that period will be retained. b. If you are a company, we will end this agreement straight away if: - You go into liquidation; - You call a meeting of creditors; - We find our that your good have been taken away from your until you pay off your debts; - You do not meet any of the conditions of this agreement. c. If we end the agreement it will not affect your right to receive money we are owed under the conditions of this agreement. We can also claim extra costs from you if you do not meet any of the conditions of this agreement. We can repossess the vehicle and charge you if we do this. 21. Governing Law This agreement is governed by the law of the country in which it is signed. Any dispute may be settled in the courts of that country. Telephone 01889 883 088.