FAQs

What's included in the rental price?

The basic price includes rental of the van, all standard equipment, AA cover and fully comprehensive insurance for up to 3 named drivers between the ages of 23 and 75 years of age qualifying under the exclusions in our Hirer Driver Endorsements policy,

We can usually arrange insurance for drivers for which some or all of the exlcusions apply. However, our insurance company will usually levy a higher insurance excess for this.

Extra equipment as requested on the booking form will be subject to additional cost. The total cost of your rental will be confirmed with you before you are asked to finalise your booking and make your deposit payment.

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Are the vans suitable for children?

Absolutely. Children love the excitement and adventure of a camper holiday. Although not strictly required by law, all of our vans have been refitted to include 3-point front facing seat belts and (where applicable) 2-point front facing lap belts to ensure that they are as safe as possible. The rear seats with 3-point seatbelts will accommodate most forms of baby and child car seats (Groups 1-4). However, because the back seats of our vans do not have headrests we suggest that low back booster seats are of little benefit.

If you are travelling to us via public transport we have a forward facing child seat available for you to use if necessary. Please call or email us if you'd like more information.

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How do we pick up our van?

You can see our location on the Find Us page, where you will also find details of how to get here via public transport or taxi. 6 weeks before your holiday, once your booking is paid for in full, we will send you detailed instructions on how to get here. If you are driving to us, you can leave your car in our large covered car port at our home. However, this is done so at your own risk.

We can occasionally offer delivery of a van at a cost, please contact us for details and a quote.

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What time can I pick up the van?

During peak season (Jun-Aug) Heidi, Bluebell and Daisy can be picked up any time between 12pm and 6pm on your departure day (Saturday).

During off-peak season (Apr, May, Sep and Oct) you may collect your van between 3pm and 6pm on the day of departure.

Sally, Oscar & Mr.T can be picked up between 3-6pm on the day of your departure throughout their rental seasons.

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What time does the van need to be back?

During peak season Heidi, Bluebell and Daisy will need to be back with us by 4pm on the last Friday of your booking.

Off-peak, your van should be returned no later than 10.30am on your final day of your rental. This should give you sufficient time to get back to us and also allows us to prepare the vans for the next hirers.

Sally, Mr.T & Oscar must be returned by 10.30am on the scheduled day of return throughout their rental seasons.

If for reasons outwith your control you feel you may be late, please call us - we'd rather you were late than risk damaging the engine.  However, if you are late for no acceptable reason you will be charged an additional day's hire.

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What happens if I have an accident?

Please call us on 08435 235723 as soon as it is safe and practical to do so and let us know what's happened. We'll take it from there.

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What happens if I break down?

We make all reasonable endeavours to ensure that all our vans are roadworthy at the time of rental. Our campers are all expertly maintained by Davie Jardine @ Solway Campers who has had over 26 years experience with aircooled VWs.

However, Bluebell, Heidi, Sally and Mr.T in particular are old vehicles and will occasionally breakdown. Call the number for the AA, which is printed o the AA card located in the window wallet and quote the membership number on the card. If the vehicle may be fixed at the roadside (each vehicle carries a small spares kit which includes replacements for most frequently worn parts) then you should be back on your way in no time. If not, then you will be towed back to us. If we have a spare van then you are welcome to take it to continue your holiday, otherwise you will receive a partial refund.

As a hirer you are responsible for regularly checking the oil level and tyre pressure. The costs incurred from any mechanical breakdown as a direct result of hirer neglect in this regard will be borne by the hirer. (See Terms and Conditions for details).

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What happens if something's not working?

Again, we make all reasonable endeavours to ensure that your van is in full working order when you pick it up, but occasionally things will go wrong. In the first instance, please refer to the Van Handbook for “self help” tips. However, if you’re still stuck, please give us a call and we’ll do our best to fix the problem. If you end up out of pocket by purchasing replacement items (up to a maximum of £50), please keep the receipts and we’ll reimburse you. However, please call us to let us know before you buy anything.

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Who can drive the van?

If you're between the ages of 23* and 75, have had a drivers licence for at least 2 years, have not had any more than 6 penalty points on your licence in the last 3 years and have not been refused insurance in the past then you may almost certainly rent one of our vans.

The basic cost includes fully comprehensive insurance for up to 3 named drivers (refer to the FAQ "What's included in the rental price?" for conditions).

*Insurance companies are clamping down on younger hirers. So for drivers aged 23 & 24 please contact us before booking so that we can collect details of your drivers licence and history.

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How do I book?

The easiest way to book a "standard period" holiday is via the website. Simply chose your van, select your rental dates and fill out the booking form. However, you can also call us and make a reservation over the phone. If we're unable to take your call, please leave a voice message or e-mail us letting us know when would be a good time to call you back.  Please note that a booking is only confirmed once we have received your Booking Deposit.

If you wish to book outside of our standard rental periods, please call for a quote and to make a provisional booking.

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What happens if I need to cancel my booking?

If you cancel more than six weeks before the start of your holiday you will forfeit your booking deposit. Between six weeks and two weeks, you will be charged 50% of the total cost of your holiday, less the booking deposit. If you cancel less than 2 weeks before your holiday, then you will be charged for the full cost of your holiday.

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How do I pay?

If you book online, you will be immediately directed to a PayPal website where you will be instructed to pay a 25% Booking Deposit, which will secure your booking. You can pay by credit or debit card or via your PayPay account, if you have one. Atternatively we can take credit or debit card payment over the phone or you can send us a cheque.

Please note that youre rental is not guaranteed until we receive your Booking Deposit.

You will be sent an e-mail reminder to pay the remaining balance 6 weeks before your holiday is due to start. Follow the link on this e-mail to pay PLease make payment at this point otherwise your booking will be cancelled and you will lose your deposit. Don't hesitate to contact us if you are unable to make immediate payment.

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Do I have to pay the full amount up front?

Only if you make the booking less than six weeks before the start of your holiday.

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How long can I rent a van for?

Heidi, Daisy & Bluebell:

During peak season (Jun-Aug) pick-up day is Saturday, drop-off day is Friday.

During off-peak season (22nd March to May, Sep to Oct) our pick-up and drop-off days are Mondays and Fridays.

Sally, Mr.T & Oscar:

are available to pick-up and drop-off any days, bookings must be for a minimum of 3 nights during their rental seasons.

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Will you take a security deposit?

When you arrive to pick up the van we will take a security deposit of £800 on a credit/debit card via paypal authorisation. Once this has been done you will be given a print out of this transaction. Your money will not be removed from your account, only held there until safe return of your van. Upon the return of the vehicle to us at the agreed time, in the condition it was let, relatively clean and with a full tank of fuel, this authorisation will be voided. No charges will occur from this authorisation. We also accept cash for the security deposit if you don't have a card.

We do not expect you to thoroughly clean your van, but please clear out any and all rubbish, wipe down the interior surfaces and sweep the floor before you hand it back to us. We will charge £50 for any excessive cleaning that we need to undertake.

We will make a charge of £25, in addition to the fuel costs, for refuelling if you fail to return your van with a full tank.

The cost of any material damage will be directly deducted from the security deposit. Refer to our terms and conditions for details.

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Will I need ID to pick up the van?

We will need to inspect the driver's licences (both card and paper copies) for the named driver(s) insured on your van. We will also require a utility bill (not more than 8 weeks old) from the lead person as proof of address. We will take photocopies of both the licence documents and utility bill. However, these will be destroyed upon safe return of the vehicle.

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Can I take the van abroad?

You can take Oscar or Daisy only abroad. Just let us know that you wish to take either of them abroad on the Booking Form and we'll calculate the additional insurance cost for you.

By the way, you can take a van to the Rupublic of Ireland on the standard UK insurance cover.

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Are there any mileage limits?

Ye, you are allowed to drive 150 miles per day of your hire, averaged out over the duration of your rental period, ie, 450 miles for a 3 night hire. You will be charged 40 pence per mile for every mile that you are over this limit. This will be taken directly from your security deposit.

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What do I need to bring with me?

The campers are fully equipped with most of what you will need (crockery, cutlery, cooking utensils, etc.) Unless you rent it as an extra from us, you will need to bring your own bedding (sleeping bags work well as they are neater to store), pillows and towels, extra blankets in cold weather.

If you have hired an awning from us and intend to use it for sleeping in you will need to bring sleeping mats with you or you can hire blow-up mattresses from us. We do recommend that you travel light - the less you take with you, the more space the camper can give you! Remember to bring with you driving licences (both parts) for all the named drivers, together with a utility bill addressed to the lead person and a credit/debit card for us to take your security deposit.

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Do you have bikes to hire?

We don't hire bikes, however, there are several options for bike hire within easy reach of us. Just ask and we will guide you based on your itinerary. We do rent out bike racks, however, at an additional cost. Each bike rack will accommodate up to two bikes.

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Do you have any exclusions?

No pets in Mr.T or Daisy (we allow dogs in Bluebell, Sally, Heidi and Oscar - see pets FAQ below).

No smoking.

For you own safety and the condition of the van splease limit speed to 55 mph.

Unfortunately we can not under any circumstances hire to anyone below the age of 23 due to insurance limitations.

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How many people could we get in a van?

Each of our vans will safely seat 4 (Mr.T) or 5 people whilst on the road (all front facing seats). Heidi, Mr.T, Oscar and Daisy will sleep 3 adults OR 2 adults & 2 children in the van, and Sally can also sleep a young child in the cab hammock (wt. limit 15 kilos). Bluebell will sleep 2 adults inside, with additional room for a travel cot on the floor and a young child in the cab hammock. Additional people could be accomodated in the tent awnings which can be hired as extras, or you can bring your own tent.

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How easy are the vans to drive?

You should not expect our campers to drive like a modern car, however, they are not difficult to drive. Each has its own quirks, which we'll run through with you when you pick up your van. We also have a Van Handbook in each van if you get stuck at any point. It may take you a few miles to get used to a new driving style, but you'll soon settle into an altogether more relaxing and rewarding driving experience.

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What fuel do the vans take?

All of the vans run on standard unleaded petrol, except Oscar who takes diesel. You should not use super-unleaded or equivilent.

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How is the stove fuelled?

The stoves are butane gas fuelled. Each camper is supplied with an installed gas bottle and a spare - this is included within the hire charge. We endeavor to ensure there is adequate gas supply for the length of your trip, but if you should run out please replace the bottle at a petrol station, camping shop or Calor Gas centre and we will reimburse you the cost on your return.

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Do we need to book campsites in advance?

We would advise that you book your campsites in advance during the peak season and school holidays, particularly if you would electric hook-up which will enable you to use all the camper facilities to their full advantage. Take a look at our Useful Links page for campsite suggestions and campsite directories.

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Can I bring pets?

We will allow well behaved pets in Bluebell, Heidi, Oscar and Sally.  However, pets incur an additional cleaning charge of £25.

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Can I smoke in the van?

Sorry, we do not allow smoking inside any of our vans.

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What are your Terms and Conditions?

Most of what you need to know is listed here in the FAQs. However, you can find the fine print on our Terms and Conditions page.

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Can I reduce my insurance excess?

You could decide to take out Collision and Damage Waiver option which will reduce the standard insurance excess from £500 to £0. This will cost an additional £20 per day. The Insurance excess is £800 for 23-24 yr olds so we cannot offer an Collision and Damage waiver for this age group.

Similarly if you have a higher excess applied due to any endorsements or licence restrictions, then an additional CDW is not available to you.

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