Oliver Bennett
Start With the Paperwork, Not the Van
It is tempting to grab the keys and go, but the fifteen minutes you spend at the desk will save you far more grief later. Before anything else, make sure you have a full photocard driving licence, the DVLA check code that lets the hire company verify your record, and two proofs of address dated within the last three months. Bring the payment card in your own name — most firms will not accept a deposit on somebody else's card, and many will not release a van to a driver under 23 or with less than two years' experience.
Then read the paperwork properly. Ask specifically about:
- Insurance excess — how much you would pay if the van is damaged, and whether the roof, tyres, windscreen and mirrors are excluded from cover.
- The mileage policy — how many miles are included per day, what the excess charge is in pence per mile, and whether that is plus VAT.
- Fuel policy — full-to-full is the fairest; note whether it is petrol or diesel before you touch the pump.
- Breakdown cover — confirm it covers the whole of the UK and keep the out-of-hours number in your phone.
- Additional drivers — anyone not named on the agreement is driving uninsured.
Do the Walk-Round in Daylight
Walk around the van with the member of staff, not after they have gone back inside. Start at the front nearside corner and work clockwise: bumper, wing, doors, sills, rear corners, tailgate, then the roof as best you can see it. Crouch down and look along both flanks — low sunlight or a phone torch will reveal dents and scrapes that vanish in flat light.
Photograph everything, even the things you think nobody would ever query. Take a close-up of each mark and a wider shot that shows where it sits on the van. Do this on your own phone so the timestamps are yours. Send them to yourself by email the same day and they are safely stored.
Tyres, Lights and Fluids
Tyres are where a cheap hire can become an expensive one. The legal minimum in the UK is 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre, but for a loaded van you want considerably more, especially on the front. Run your hand around each tyre and look for cuts, bulges, exposed cords and uneven wear on the shoulders, which can point to alignment trouble.
Check the pressures when the tyres are cold, and remember that a fully loaded van needs higher pressures than an empty one — the correct figures are usually on a sticker inside the driver's door. Confirm there is a spare wheel, jack and brace, or at least a sealant kit and compressor, and that they actually fit the van.
Now the lights. Switch on the sidelights, headlights on both dip and main beam, indicators on each side, hazards, fog lights and the reversing light. Brake lights are the ones people forget, so ask a colleague to stand behind the van while you press the pedal, or reverse up close to a window and watch the reflection. Check the number plate lights too.
Finally, the fluids. With the engine cold, pull the dipstick, wipe it, reinsert and read the level — anywhere between the marks is fine. Check the coolant is at the line, the brake fluid is between minimum and maximum, and the screenwash is topped up. If the van is a modern diesel, ask whether it uses AdBlue and whether the tank is full, because running dry will put it into limp mode.
Record Every Scuff Before You Drive Away
The condition report is your evidence, so treat it as though it will be read out in a dispute. Mark every existing scratch, dent, kerbed wheel and cracked light lens on the diagram, however trivial it looks. If the form has no space, write a line in the notes and ask the staff member to initial it.
While you are at it, check inside as well: the seats, the load floor, the ply lining, any tail lift or ramp, and the straps or ratchet tie-downs that come with the van. Note the odometer reading and the fuel gauge position on the sheet, and take a photograph of the dashboard with the keys in the ignition. Keep your copy of the signed report in the glovebox.
Know the Van's Limits Before You Load It
Vans are taller than they look. Find the height in metres, write it on a sticky note and put it on the dashboard. Multi-storey car parks are often 2.0m or 2.1m, and height barriers at recycling centres and rural car parks are lower still than you expect.
Check the payload, which is the gross vehicle weight minus the kerb weight, not the weight of the van itself. Overloading affects braking, insurance and, if you are stopped at a weighbridge, your wallet. Secure every load with proper straps, spread weight evenly and low down, and remember the mirrors stick out further than a car's. Practise opening the rear doors and operating the tail lift in the yard, not on a busy street.
Returning It Without a Dispute
Refuel to the level you started with and keep the receipt. Sweep out the load bay, remove your rubbish and give the outside a quick rinse if it has picked up mud. Allow half an hour for the return rather than five minutes — rushed returns are how damage gets attributed to the wrong person.
Walk round the van again with a member of staff, agree the condition, and ask for a signed return report. Photograph the fuel gauge and odometer as you hand back the keys. And remember the charges that follow you home: London's ULEZ and congestion charge, clean air zones in other cities, and the Dartford Crossing are the hirer's responsibility, and a hire firm that pays a penalty on your behalf will add a hefty administration fee. Pay them yourself, promptly, and the whole hire stays as straightforward as it should be.
