5 Mistakes businesses make while hiring vans

Are you considering renting a van for business use? Not sure which one suits or which is best for you? If so then the first place to to start is avoiding some of the pitfalls which some businesses make when it comes to van hire.

Hiring a van for your business is often the smartest solution when it comes to getting things from A to B, especially if this is not something which you rely on all of the time. For whatever needs you and your business may have, there is most certainly a van for you which can also fit in with whatever budget you may have.

Let’s take a look at some of the mistakes that businesses make when hiring vans, so that you can avoid them and hire your van with the confidence that it will serve its purpose without a hitch.

Wrong type of van

To the uneducated, the difference between two or three van types may not be noticeable but the choice between them can be the difference between getting a van which works for you, and a van which most certainly won’t. What is the best way to overcome this? The first step is to identify your needs, here are just some of the items to consider.

• What will you be carrying?
• How heavy are the goods that you are carrying?
• How far will you be going?
• Is your cargo delicate?
• Do you require a refrigerated van?

Once you have identified your needs, speak with the team who you are looking to hire from, and get their advice on which will be the best fit for you. You don’t need to know all the different van specs, but you don’t need to understand your own requirements in order to get the best hire van.

No insurance

Most van hire companies offer standard third party, fire and theft coverage on their vans, with full insurance offered as an extra. Many businesses look to save money through not investing in the comprehensive insurance, a move which may save money in the short term, but could do a great deal of financial damage. If there is an accident in the van, and there is damage to the van itself and the cargo inside, businesses can end up facing a hefty bill, which for small businesses can cause a great amount of financial problems.

Additional costs not reviewed

Depending on which hire van service a company may use, there are often many additional costs added to the hire agreement, including penalties for overuse of fuel and late returns. These fees are not hidden in the small print, they are clearly and obviously written on the rental agreement, yet many businesses will simply sign the form and be on their way. All additional costs should be reviewed and understood before the agreement is signed.

Failure to research

Whilst in the main, van hire companies offer excellent service with high quality vehicles, it is not always the case, especially with some independent van hire services. The result of not researching the company properly means that some businesses will turn up to rent the van, to be greeted by a vehicle which looks as though it will struggle to make it through the day. A business should always be on the look out for a hire company who takes great pride in their vehicles and their service.

Rushing through the inspection

Whenever a business rents a van, they will have the opportunity to inspect the van with a member of the sales team, to spot any existing damage to the van. Unfortunately in many cases the members of the business team rush this through to get on their way. If however, there is existing damage on the van which has not been identified prior to the rental, it is possible that the rental company will think that the renter caused this, and therefore will seek payment for the damages. In such a situation the business doesn’t have a leg to stand on, as they forwent the opportunity to revise the van for any damage.

These are the mistakes which you must avoid when renting a hire van, in order to get the best service, the best vehicle and avoid any financial penalties.