Terms & Conditions of Hire

General

1. If you are not the Hirer and sign this agreement on behalf of the Hirer, you are declaring that you have the authority of the Hirer to do so and that you are jointly and severally liable with the Hirer in respect of the terms and conditions of this Agreement including any breach there of;
2. Neither the Hirer nor any person acting or purporting to act on the Hirer's behalf in any capacity nor any authorised driver may act for Safehouse Van-Hire in any capacity or for any purpose
3. Safehouse Van-Hire is not liable for loss of or damage to any property stored or transported in or on the vehicle. Safehouse Van-Hire is not responsible for any property left in or on the vehicle when returned to Safehouse Van-Hire. The Hirer indemnifies Safehouse Van-Hire, its representative employees/directors and contractors against any claim relating to such property, whether on behalf of the Hirer's, or any third party's, property.
4. The Hirer may only use the vehicle in the mainland of England, Wales and Scotland and shall not remove the vehicle from the aforementioned territory unless prior written consent has been obtained from Safehouse Van-Hire.
5. The Hirer must not use or allow the vehicle to be used for the purpose of propelling or towing any other vehicle without the prior written consent of Safehouse Van-Hire.
6. The vehicle must at all times be driven with care and in such a manner that does not render void the insurance policy or other contract of insurance or in contravention of any Road Traffic Act or any Construction and Use Regulations.
7. The vehicle must not be driven by any unauthorised and/or driver not licensed to do so and/or not insured to do so under this agreement or by any driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs or otherwise incapacitated or unfit to drive including, but not limited to, persons deemed to have physical or mental defects of infirmity according to the insurer.
8. The vehicle must not be driven if it is in an unfit state and in particular if, by reason of any mechanical, electrical or structural failure, damage may be caused.
9. It is a breach of this Agreement for the hirer to fail to return the vehicle to Safehouse Van-Hire at the end of the rental period. The damages payable for such breach will be the rental charges that would be payable under Safehouse Van-Hires’ current tariff for the period until Safehouse Van-Hire recovers the vehicle or receives the full value thereof, and shall in any event be the appropriate days rental if not promptly on the date and time due on fixed return.
10. The Hirer shall not repair the vehicle or cause the vehicle to be repaired under any circumstance. Safehouse Van-Hire do not grant the Hirer any authority to have repairs made to the vehicle when damaged. Repairs made to the vehicle without the prior written consent of Safehouse Van-Hire will render the full original purchase value of the vehicle due as damages owed Safehouse Van-Hire and will render the Hirer and the Repairer liable to Safehouse Van-Hire for such damages whether made known to Safehouse Van-Hire at the time of repair or subsequently;
11. Hired vehicles may only be used for social, domestic and pleasure use and in connection with the hirer’s business. They must not be used for racing, rallying, towing or driving tuition. Passengers must not be carried for hire or reward. Under no circumstances must manufacturers recommended seating capacity of the vehicle be exceeded. Hirer’s breaking this rule may be liable to prosecution and unlimited fines under this Agreement.
12. The Hirer is responsible for all damages above cab height caused by striking overhead objects and also any damage to tyres howsoever caused. Any such damage incurred is not covered by damage waiver or Safehouse Van-Hire insurance.
13. By signing the vehicle condition report the Hirer is deemed to accept that the vehicle is in the condition as described on the report.
14. All references to 'written consent of Safehouse Van-Hire' shall be understood to refer to any person granted prior authority to provide such written consent by a Director of Safehouse Van-Hire. Written consent obtained from an unauthorised person shall not constitute consent nor shall it indemnify nor insulate nor absolve from responsibility or liability under this Agreement, the Hirer or any authorised driver.

Fixed Penalties & the Effective Owner

Upon entering into an Agreement by signing this document, the hirer shall be considered, under law, the effective owner of the vehicle hired in respect of:

1. Any fixed penalty offence committed, in respect of that vehicle, under Part 111 of the Transport Act 1982 and the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, and any subsequent amendments to these in effect at the time of the offence;
2. Any excess charge that may be incurred in respect of the vehicle pursuant to an Order under Sections 45 and 46 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and the Road Traffic (Parking) Act 1986, including subsequent amendments to these in effect at the time of the offence;

Insurance

1. The Hirer will be insured by Safehouse Van-Hire and may not use any other insurance policy. Prior to taking possession of the vehicle shall:
   1. complete an insurance proposal form;
   2. agree to pay insurance charges on Safehouse' current tariff and (except when the Hirer has agreed to pay any collision damage waiver charge, if made available by Safehouse Van-Hire) the cost of any condition damage repair up to the full amount of the excess
2. The Agreement is in any event subject to, and is deemed to include, the terms, conditions and limitations of Safehouse Van-Hire' insurance policy.
3. The Hirer has a duty of full disclosure when completing the insurance proposal form and shall disclose all previous convictions, whether spent or still in force;

Obligations of the Hirer

The Hirer is obliged:

1. To pay Safehouse Van-Hire at its current rate rental and fuel and to pay for any accessories, tyres, tools or equipment lost stolen or damaged;
2. In addition, the Hirer will pay Safehouse Van-Hire the cost of recovering the vehicle in the event that the Hirer fails to return the vehicle to Safehouse Van-Hire and also be liable:
   1. To pay any penalties, fines or Court costs incurred in the use of the vehicle before it is returned to Safehouse Van-Hire and which Safehouse Van-Hire is obliged to pay (save which is caused by the fault of Safehouse Van-Hire) and to pay VAT where appropriate at the current rate;
   2. To ensure the correct tyre pressures, engine oil level, battery fluid level, screen wash levels, coolant levels and automatic transmission oil levels are maintained throughout each period of rental or extended period thereof;
   3. To ensure that the vehicle is always secured locked when unattended and to take all reasonable steps to prevent loss of or damage to the vehicle or its tyres, tools, accessories, equipment or contents;
   4. To inform Safehouse Van-Hire immediately if the vehicle suffers any damage or loss, develops any fault or requires any servicing and to permit Safehouse Van-Hire to carry out any central repairs or servicing;
3. To return the vehicle together with its accessories, tyres, tools, and equipment to Safehouse Van-Hire to the place specified overleaf at or before the rental period or on the earlier termination of this Agreement the conditions prevailing at the commencement of the rental (fair tear and wear accepted) clean and tidy (traffic grime excepted);
4. To pay for the cleaning of the vehicle in the event the Hirer returns the hired vehicle in an unclean state (excepting traffic grime);

Obligations of Safehouse Van-Hire

Safehouse Van-Hire is obliged:

1. To take all-reasonable steps to provide the Hirer with a well maintained vehicle;
2. When informed of a breakdown by the Hirer, to see that the necessary repairs are carried out promptly, if possible;
3. If repairs to the hired vehicle cannot be carried out promptly, to provide a substitute vehicle or to allow the Hirer to terminate the hire.