MoHo Rental - Potentially Expensive T&Cs

Blue Knight

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I've just read this 3-week old review which applies to one of our local MoHo Rental firms.

I've never given much thought to MoHo rental T&Cs before but I wonder if everyone truly understands the consequences when they sign on the dotted line.

This one was expensive:

20191111_091108.jpg
 
No surprise to me.

Having managed the hiring of a friend's motorhome for a season, I can report that it returned with some sort of new damage every time.

And the larger rental firms will no doubt have onerous terms imposed on them by their insurers.
 
With the European motorhomes they rely on you having sufficient means to be fleeeced , thats probably why you cant get a self drive American RV in UK , they will only let you inhabit it when positioned by them ! The damage risk is probably based on how much is done to a relatively little vehicle by self drive hirers .

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Maybe I'm too sceptical but it happens so frequently that I can't help but conclude that the penalty charges are a nice little earner for vehicle hire companies.
When my son and DIL hired a m/h for 3 months last June in NZ he photographed every sq. ft. of it before driving away. No penalties upon handing it back.
 
I was told a long time ago, whenever hiring a car etc to walk around it and video or take photos while one of the workers is there. That way there is no comeback.
 
We have just returned a hirecar, in Cyprus.

It was very new and in excellent condition.

On enquiring about hiring I was quoted a very reasonable figure but, when it arrived, there were additional charges.....

First VAT was added
80€ fuel deposit
900€ “damage” deposit

A 90€ charge was suddenly over 1000€. (980€ refundable if returned with full tank and no damage).

I videoed the whole car before returning it to prove no damage occurred. The TPMS warning light was illuminated during the whole period of the hire. I returned the car with a report pointing this out and stating that I had checked tyres and tyre pressures on both days of hire without finding any problem.

I await any attempt to screw money out of me, with interest.

In view of the “additional charges” on receiving the car I will probably not use Europcar again.
 
After struggling his way through all the unwanted offers of add ons and upgrades, my husband managed to hire a car from Enterprise to drive home to west Wales from Gatwick at the end of last month.
He noticed a couple of tiny scratches on the front bumper. The chap in the rental office said they were too small to count as damage, but hubby took pictures anyway.
The following day we returned it to the local Enterprise office. You guessed it, they leapt upon these scratches and insisted he must have done them. He showed the girl his timed and dated picture but after a lot of head shaking and negativity she said she would have to refer it to head office. We were fuming when we left, not knowing if he was going to get his deposit back or not. The following day he had a phone call saying the deposit had been returned, at which point he gave them the full benefit of his opinion on the subject. It's the first time we've done one way hire, previously using the train, and it could have been a nice earner for them but I doubt he will bother again.
 
Another 'trick' is to put the damage deposit through as a 'sale' - GOLD CAR are prime offenders

They get to keep and earn interest on your deposit money for the duration of your hire

You get TWO lots of foreign currency transaction charges - when they collect and then return your deposit - if you are lucky enough to get your deposit back !!

Signed:
he, who is currently taking action against a rental company, for white road marking paint flicked up on to the bodywork and evident in the pre-hire photographs - half of damage deposit withheld

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We did a one way hire From Vancouver to Edmonton for 17 days, asked for class 3 (Focus/Golf) European or Japanese hire car which we were assured we could have. We arrived at Vancouver airport to be given a poxy little Chevrolet something or other which we could change if we wanted, quoted $30 per day extra (extra $510) for the car we originally asked for. I told them to stick the hire car where the sun don't shine, got a full refund of our deposit, and got a bus into Vancouver and hired what we wanted there.
 
I've just read this 3-week old review which applies to one of our local MoHo Rental firms.

I've never given much thought to MoHo rental T&Cs before but I wonder if everyone truly understands the consequences when they sign on the dotted line.

This one was expensive:

View attachment 344974

i had read many horror stories. One of the reasons the ‘try before you buy’ approach is of limited value.
 
i had read many horror stories. One of the reasons the ‘try before you buy’ approach is of limited value.

Me too Liz. It sounds good on paper but I would rather jump in and go for it.

I'm not sure that you can find much out about a van in a week away of touring as you spend (as a newbie) more time wondering how to work the control panel and water levels than thinking about the comfort and convenience bit.
 
Car hire, van hire.... all seem to border on legitimised scams !

.....and the 'motorhome-thing' especially. These dealers will make more profit in two months for renting a van than if they sold it twice over.
 
We have just finished our first year as Ellis Campervan Hire with total 5 star reviews. We try to give a 5 star ‘Hotel on Wheels’ experience with most of our guests driving a camper for the first time. We have had very minor damage, but we view this as part of the business risk and do not charge. Luckily no major damage other than a damaged sky light which has been charged at the invoice cost of replacement less vat.
Also we specialise in renting PVC as they are easier for a novice to drive.
We are not in the business to rip guests off but we have to protect ourselves with. £1,000 security deposit as they are taking a £50k vehicle.

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We have just finished our first year as Ellis Campervan Hire with total 5 star reviews. We try to give a 5 star ‘Hotel on Wheels’ experience with most of our guests driving a camper for the first time. We have had very minor damage, but we view this as part of the business risk and do not charge. Luckily no major damage other than a damaged sky light which has been charged at the invoice cost of replacement less vat.
Also we specialise in renting PVC as they are easier for a novice to drive.
We are not in the business to rip guests off but we have to protect ourselves with. £1,000 security deposit as they are taking a £50k vehicle.

That sounds very fair indeed. The industry needs some good guys like you so I hope you do well in the future.
 
I did a one way hire from Sydney to Cairns while I was over there for three months travelling up the coast.
One charge I didn't realise was a damage waiver excess or whatever it was called (it was 18 years ago, memory is a little foggy) 5000 Oz dollars :eek::eek::eek::oops::eek::oops::eek::oops: That was nearly ALL my spending money for the entire trip..
and on the first day, on the pacific highway in a sort of storm, which blew a load of branches into the road and one smacked into the windscreen and put a bloody great crack in it. I nearly died thinking that was the end of 5K
I never said a word when I handed it back, reception said when they'd inspected it, I'd get a call about the refund..
I was bricking it...
Got the call and the refund, not a word said about the cracked windscreen....
:giggle::cool::giggle::cool:(y)
 
I've hired 3 cars in the last couple of years and on each car I spotted damage while walking round the vehicle before I drove away. These were pointed out to the person checking the car with me. They were not listed on their check sheet, so I assume if I hadn't pointed them out, they would have tried to claim off me.
 
We have just finished our first year as Ellis Campervan Hire with total 5 star reviews. We try to give a 5 star ‘Hotel on Wheels’ experience with most of our guests driving a camper for the first time. We have had very minor damage, but we view this as part of the business risk and do not charge. Luckily no major damage other than a damaged sky light which has been charged at the invoice cost of replacement less vat.
Also we specialise in renting PVC as they are easier for a novice to drive.
We are not in the business to rip guests off but we have to protect ourselves with. £1,000 security deposit as they are taking a £50k vehicle.
Someone only has to read this one thread to realise that you are in a tiny minority.. Keep up the great work you do (y)
 
We've used Avis several times. Never a problem.

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It's the first time we've done one way hire,
I've hired 3 cars in the last couple of years and on each car I spotted damage while walking round the vehicle before I drove away. These were pointed out to the person checking the car with me. They were not listed on their check sheet, so I assume if I hadn't pointed them out, they would have tried to claim off me.
I did a one way & also cross border hire from Poitiers ,France to home in Spain, 1500kms. I started the rental myself although adac later took it over but when I arrived at the Hertz office the vehicle damage report form was already filled out with all & anything being shown on it & all pointed out to me & additionally the tailgate was opened to show hidden scratch marks where a suitcase had been dragged over the inner part of bumper. Couldn't fault them but still took photo's which they encouraged . No problem with drop off either.
 
Reminds me.... what happened to the member that a hire company was trying to bend over for a damaged window not that long ago?
 
I have hired a car twice a year for the last 10 year from Hiper car in Majorca, they have never tried charging for anything, imaginary or real, last year I hired a white Nissan Duke not a mark on it, after shopping we noticed bad scuff/scrapes approx 15cm long on the rear bumper, after the hire I never heard anything from them.
There are gudins out there.
 
I've used Enterprise car hire for years, most of the time from Belfast International, always found them fair however I have always take a comprehensive set of photos of the car before leaving in it including shots looking straight down the sides that would show up dents that haven't cracked the paint. They're not fussed about alloy wheel scuffs, only tyre damage, and they also give you a gauge and any scratch/damage that is less than the size (poss 30mm from memory) is not counted as relevant.
 

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