Please review the following important information before booking or collecting your vehicle.

Age & Licence Requirements

Standard Eligibility

• Drivers must be between the ages of 25 and 65.
• Drivers must hold a full UK driving licence for at least 2 years.
• If the licence has been held for between 1 and 2 years, an additional insurance charge & Excess and a higher refundable deposit may apply.

Extended Age Eligibility (Ages 23–24 and Over 65)

• Drivers aged 23–24 or over 65 may be considered, subject to the following:
  • An additional insurance charge & Excess
  • A higher refundable deposit may apply

Licence Points & Endorsements

• Additional charges & Excess may apply for any points on the driver’s licence.
• Major endorsements may void insurance coverage and lead to the refusal of hire.

Higher Deposit

• A higher deposit, ranging from £350 to £1,000, may apply depending on the driver’s age and licence history.

European licence holders are accepted, subject to an additional charge.

Minibus Hire (17-Seater)

• Drivers must be over 25, hold a full UK driving licence for at least 2 years, and possess the D1 category entitlement (automatically included on UK licences issued before January 1997).

Required Documents

If the Cardholder is different from the Driver:

• Cardholder must provide: Proof of address (e.g. utility bill or bank statement), Valid photo ID (Driving Licence or Passport) and Bank card used for payment and deposit
• Driver must provide: Full UK Driving Licence, Proof of address and National Insurance number or DVLA Check Code (from gov.uk/view-driving-licence)

If the Cardholder and Driver are the same person: All the above documents are required.

Additional Drivers

• Additional drivers can be added for a small daily fee.
• Must provide the same identification and licence documents as the main driver.

Accidents & Insurance

• All accidents must be reported within 48 hours & An accident report form must be completed. Failure to report within 48 hours may invalidate insurance and result in a £500 late reporting charge.
• Standard insurance excess: £1,000 per incident and Theft or write-off excess: £3,000
• Excess applies if the vehicle is driven by any unauthorised person.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)

• Premium CDW is available to reduce or remove your insurance excess (pricing varies).
• CDW does not cover: Tyres, mirrors, aerials, Stereo or fridge units and overhead or internal damage
• Hire charges remain payable until the vehicle is repaired or declared a write-off (up to 28 days).

Daily Vehicle Checks

• Hirers are responsible for daily checks on oil, water, tyre pressure, AdBlue, and general vehicle condition.

Vehicle Condition & Cleaning

• Vehicles must be returned in the same condition they were collected.
• If the vehicle is returned dirty or untidy, cleaning charges will apply.

Fuel Policy

• Vehicles must be returned with the same fuel level as provided (same-to-same policy).

Breakdown Cover

• All hires include UK Roadside Assistance. (Please refer Information on Breakdown page underneath)
• European breakdown cover is not included and must be purchased separately.

Foreign Travel

• Vehicles may not be taken abroad without prior written consent.
• A surcharge and extended insurance are required.
• European breakdown cover is mandatory.
• Minibus foreign use: Special terms apply – please contact us.

Payment & Deposit

• Full hire payment must be made before collection.
• Accepted payment methods: Credit/debit card, cash, or BACS.
  • Deposit is a Pre-Authorisation must be paid by card (in person using the physical card). Contactless or Apple Pay doesn’t work for Deposit

(Please refer Information on Deposit page underneath)

Park Your Vehicle While You Hire

If you’d like to leave your own vehicle with us during your hire, we offer on-site parking (subject to availability):

• Car parking: £8 per day
• Van parking: £12 per day

Please note: Parking is at the owner’s risk & Keys must be left with the office for the duration of your hire

Bookings & Cancellations

• Book online or by phone using a valid card.
• Cancellation policy:
  • £15 admin fee if cancelled or amended 48+ hours before hire
  • No refund for cancellations made within 48 hours
  • No refunds for cancelled minibus bookings (9 & 17-Seater)

Extending Your Hire

• Extensions must be arranged before the hire period ends.
• Subject to availability. Payment must be made in advance.

Vehicle Return & Follow-Up

• We reserve the right to contact the hirer up to 9 working days after return for any vehicle-related issues.
• If the reserved vehicle is unavailable, a same or higher category vehicle will be provided at no extra charge (provided the booking fee has been paid).

Sam’s Hire reserves the right to refuse to hire without giving any reason.

Thank you for choosing our service.
If you have any questions, please get in touch – we’re happy to help!