Key Information for Hiring a Rental Vehicle

FAQs about our vehicle hire services

Before hiring a self-drive vehicle from Senior Car and Van hire please take the time to read through our FAQs below. If you have further questions on anything or if there’s something we haven’t mentioned check our frequent questions page, alternatively seek clarification by contacting either our Leicester or Market Harborough branches.

Upon collection of a rental vehicle you will need to bring the following:

  • PHOTOGRAPHIC DRIVERS LICENCE. If you have on old paper licence a separate form of photographic ID is required ideally a passport
  • NATIONAL INSURANCE NUMBER. This allows us to check your licence status. Alternatively, you can generate a 'share my licence code' from this government website - https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence
  • x2 RECENT DOCUMENTS TO CONFIRM YOUR CURRENT ADDRESS. These must be official documents such as a bank statement or utility bill dated within the last 3 months.
  • A BANK CARD. We will need either a credit or debit card to make a chip and pin insurance deposit.
  • Any additional drivers will also need to produce a licence, NI number and proof of address.

The age required to hire a vehicle can depend on the vehicle type. 

Hirers can range from 23 to 74 year of age. There are restrictions on younger and older drivers.

For hirers between 23 -25.

  • Drivers must have held a full UK driving licence for at least 2 years.
  • Your driving licence must be free from any convictions/endorsements.
  • Free from any accidents in the past 2 years
  • Younger drivers are restricted to small cars and vans no bigger than SWBs.
  • Younger drivers cannot hire MPVs or minibuses.
  • Minimum insurance excess of £700 applicable on all vehicles

For hirers between the ages 70-74.

  • Older drivers are unable to hire MPVs, minibuses or 7.5ton trucks.
  • Minimum insurance excess of £700 applicable on all vehicles.
  • Free from any accidents in the past two years.

 

Yes, you can have as many extra drivers as you require.

  • There is a charge of £12 per driver for the first day. For a week the charge is £36 per driver.
  • After a weeks rental extra drivers are free of charge.
  • Drivers can be added on during your rental, but only if the rental office is notified and the correct documentation provided.

This will depend on the types of points you have. If unsure on the below information you are best to check with the rental office for advice.
 

  • If carrying six or less points you are okay, providing they are only for minor offences like speeding. 
  • If you have any more than six points, providing they are only for minor offences, we can hire to you but with a minimum insurance excess of £700.
  • We are unable to insure anyone with major convictions in the past three years. An example of a major conviction could be an IN10 (driving without insurance) or MS90 (failure to give information). 
  • If unsure whether your licence points are minor or major, please ring the relevant rental reception.

We will be unable to insure you if you fall within one of the below criteria:

  • You have been disqualified from driving for a period exceeding six months in the last three years.
  • You have been disqualified from driving for a period exceeding three months in the past year.

Unfortunately, we will be unable to provide insurance if you have been involved in more than one fault accident, resulting in an insurance claim, during the past 3 years.

  • Providing we can understand an English translation of your licence we can still hire to you.
  • A passport will be required, and an international drivers permit is preferred.
  • We would need to see proof of your current address as well as return flight details for journey home if not living in the UK.
  • You must have held your non-UK licence for at least two years.

Yes, but you will need to speak to the rental office first. 

  • We will need to see a passport in place of a licence. 
  • You will also need to know your licence number and NI number to generate a code from this website https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence
  • If you are a previous hirer, we may have your licence number on record but not your NI number. 

You are required to leave a security deposit on all our rental vehicles.

  • The amount of the deposit will vary depending on the vehicle category
  • On some vehicles you can reduce the deposit amount by taking out the excess reduction CDW.
  • All deposits must be made by chip and pin transaction on a credit or debit card once the vehicle is collected. Cash or Cheque is not allowed. 
  • If your rental is less than a week in length, we will preauthorise your deposit meaning it will not leave you account but will restrict your access to your funds for normally between 5 and 10 working days. We have no control over the holding period, this will depend on your card provider.
  • If your rental is over a week, we will take a payment then refund it back to you once the vehcile has been returned. Once refunded the funds may take 2-3 days to appear in your account.

All vehicles have an insurance excess which is higher than the security deposit. The excess can be reduced by taking out CDW. 

For more information please visit our insurance page - http://senior.csoneproofing.co.uk/info/general-information

 

 

  • Payment for the full rental cost is taken at the point of booking either over the phone or via the online booking platform.
  • Deposit payments are made at point of collection at the reception desk.
  • We accept all major credit and debit cards including American Express.
  • We no longer accept cash or cheque payments due to insurance requirements.

Yes, we have a very fair mileage usage policy in place. This allows us to keep our basic rental costs down.

  • 250 miles per day for the first 2 days.
  • 1000 miles for a week.
  • 2500 miles for a 28-day period.
  • The charge after these caps is 12p+VAT per mile.  For 7.5ton trucks the charge is 20p +VAT per mile. The final cost is calculated on return of the vehicle.

For each booking made you will be quoted your own mileage allowance.

It is the customers responsibility to ensure they have the correct category to drive their rental vehicle, we offer the below information as a useful guide.

  • Category B

Cars, 4x4’s, light commercial vehicle up to and including Luton box van (maximum weight 3.500kgs). MPV’s with no more than 8 passenger seats (see ‘Can I drive minibus’ for some exceptions to this rule)

  • Category B auto

You can drive a category B vehicle - but only an automatic one.

  • Category C1

Commercial vehicle up to an including a 7.5 tonne truck (maximum weight 7.500kgs)

  • Category D1

Minibus - maximum of 16 passenger seats.

If you have category D1 on your licence you can drive all of our minibuses with no restrictions. If you passed your driver's test before 1st January 1997 you may automatically have this category. 

If you only have a standard B licence you can drive our 7 and 9 seat MPVS without restrictions. You may also be able to drive our 14-seater minibus providing you meet the following criteria:

  • you’ve had your driving licence for at least 2 years.
  • you meet the ‘Group 2’ medical standards.
  • you’re driving on a voluntary basis and the minibus is used for social purposes by a non-commercial body.

We would be unable to insure you if you do not comply with the above rules. You would then be liable for the full cost of any possible insurance claim whilst using the vehicle. 

You MUST have category D1 to drive either our 16 our 17 seat minibuses. 

 

 

  • You MUST have category C1 to drive a 7.5 ton vehicle. If you passed your driver's test before 1st January 1997 you may automatically have this category. 
  • If driving on behalf of a company you will also need to provide us with an operators licence to legally drive the vehicle. 
  • These rules apply to both our 7.5 ton box van and flatbed.