Terms of hire
1 · Eligibility
The minimum age is stated on each vehicle’s own page. Most of the fleet accepts drivers from 18; a small number carry a higher minimum. No vehicle we run requires you to be 25. You must hold a valid driving licence, provide a DVLA check code so the licence and endorsement record can be verified, and satisfy our insurer. We may decline a hire without giving a reason; where we do, nothing you have paid is retained. There is no minimum licence-holding period. We do not accept provisional licences or international licences — a full UK licence only.
2 · Booking and payment
Bookings are made by WhatsApp and are confirmed only once we have replied confirming the vehicle, the dates and the total. Payment is by cash or bank transfer; there is no card checkout on this website and no payment is ever taken through this site. No prices are published on this website. Every hire is quoted individually and the quote includes the insurance; weekly and monthly rates work the same way.
3 · Deposit
A refundable deposit is taken when the vehicle is collected — every car carries its own deposit, confirmed with your quote. It is returned within 10 working days to two weeks of the vehicle coming back, provided no damage has been found and no penalty notices arrive in the post. Where a notice does arrive, we send you the evidence before anything is paid from it.
4 · Insurance
Insurance is included on most of the fleet — a few vehicles exclude it, and your quote confirms either way in writing. Where included, the hirer is added to our fleet policy for the period of hire, and only named drivers may drive the vehicle. An insurance excess applies in the event of a claim; this is separate from the deposit. Across most of the fleet the excess is £15,000. The figure for your vehicle is confirmed with your quote. Cover is void if the vehicle is driven by an unnamed driver, driven under the influence of drink or drugs, used for hire or reward, used in any race, rally, track event or competition, or taken outside the United Kingdom without our written consent.
5 · Use of the vehicle
The vehicle must be used lawfully and in accordance with the Highway Code. Smoking and vaping are not permitted in any vehicle. The vehicle may not be sub-let, used to carry passengers for payment, used to tow, used off-road, or modified in any way. Only the named hirer may drive it; if the vehicle is seen being driven by anyone else the charge is £1,000. Any wrap, plate change, decal or accessory fitted by us must remain in place. Pets only by prior agreement.
6 · Fuel and mileage
Mileage is 100 miles per day, included. Beyond that the rate is £3 per mile; miles bought in advance are cheaper. Every petrol vehicle takes premium E5 fuel only, must be returned with the fuel level it was supplied with, and you must keep the refuelling receipt. Charging arrangements for the electric vehicle are agreed at booking.
7 · Fines, charges and penalties
You are responsible for all congestion charge, ULEZ, Dartford Crossing, parking, bus lane and speeding liabilities incurred during your hire, together with any administration charge we incur in transferring liability to you. Where a notice is received after your deposit has been returned, we will contact you with the notice and the amount.
8 · Cancellation
Every car carries a £50–£100 booking charge which is deducted from your total. It is non-refundable if you cancel. If we cancel — for mechanical reasons, damage caused by a previous hirer, or anything else within our control — you will be offered an alternative vehicle where one is available, or a full refund of everything paid.
9 · Late return
Vehicles must be returned at the agreed time and place. Late returns affect the next hirer. If you are going to be late, tell us as soon as you know and we will accommodate it wherever the diary allows. More than five minutes late without notice is a £20 deduction from the deposit.
10 · Condition, damage and recovery
A walk-round of the vehicle is recorded with you at handover and again at return; both recordings are the reference for any condition dispute. Fair wear and tear is expected and is not chargeable. Kerbed wheels, panel damage, interior burns, stains, and any return requiring more than a standard wash are chargeable. In the event of an accident, breakdown, theft or seizure you must contact us immediately and must not authorise any repair or recovery yourself.
12 · Delivery, collection and hire length
There is no minimum hire length — a single day is fine. We deliver as far as you need; distance is charged, and the figure is confirmed with your quote. Airport drop-offs are available and are also charged. Delivery and collection times are agreed in the same conversation as the booking.
13 · Governing law
These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction. Nothing here limits your statutory rights as a consumer.
Hire rules
Issued with every booking, in the owner’s own words. Read them before you collect — they are the rules the deposit is measured against.
- Please ensure to take a full clear 360 video of the car when picking up and dropping off the vehicle to avoid fees for damage that wasn’t done by you.
- Each car on the fleet incurs a £50-£100 booking charge, which is non refundable in the event of cancellation and will be deducted from the total rate.
- Exclusively use premium fuel (E5) for the car, and ensure you have the receipt for refueling; failure to provide the receipt will result in deduction from your deposit, with no exceptions.
- Each vehicle should be returned with the initially provided petrol.
- Daily mileage limit of 100 miles; any extra miles will incur an additional charge of £3 per mile. Miles can be bought before you exceed at a discounted price.
- The return of all vehicles in a pristine and clean condition is mandatory; failure to comply will result in a £25 deduction from the deposit.
- If the car incurs damage, your deposit will be deducted. For more severe damage, you’ll be accountable for both the daily off-road cost and repair expenses (repairs will be done at our reliable garage only — customers will not be allowed to go and fix the car themselves). If the damage is irreparable, immediate payment of the entire purchase price is required.
- Misuse of the vehicle will lead to a maximum of three warnings, activation of our tracker to switch off the vehicle, collected by us, and deduction of your deposit, as we see this as vehicle abuse.
- If the car gets impounded a fee of £1000 will occur.
- When returning the vehicle, if you are later than 5 minutes then a deduction of £20 will occur.
- A deposit — from £500, set per vehicle — will be charged when the vehicle is taken and gets returned back in 10 working days to 2 weeks as long as no damages and tickets come through the post (evidence will be sent first before paying any tickets off).
- If the vehicle is seen driven by someone else a charge of £1000 will be taken.
- Please use Waze to avoid tickets as they mark out ANPR & speed cameras.
Please don’t abuse our assets — we have a 3 warning rule. First strike, a soft warning: a text message from us to stop over speeding. Second strike, a medium warning: a phone call from us to stop speeding. Third strike, a hard breach: we freeze the car, come and collect the keys off you, and the deposit will be taken.
We expect our customers to enjoy our vehicles but to a limit. Thank you for choosing The Rental Plug. Enjoy your hire. 🤝
Privacy policy
What we collect
Your name, phone number, age, driving licence details and DVLA check code, the dates of your hire, and the messages you send us. If you use the enquiry form on this site, nothing is submitted to us by the form. It composes a message on your own device that you then choose to send, so no personal detail reaches us until you press send. This website sets no analytics or advertising cookies.
Why we hold it
To take and fulfil your booking, to satisfy our insurer that you are eligible to drive the vehicle, to transfer liability for any fine or penalty incurred during your hire, and to meet our legal obligations. The lawful bases are performance of a contract and legitimate interests.
Who we share it with
Our insurer and broker, the DVLA for licence verification, and the relevant authority where a fine or penalty notice must be transferred. We do not sell your data and we do not share it for marketing. Messages sent to us on WhatsApp are held on your device and ours and are subject to WhatsApp’s own terms.
How long we keep it
Booking and licence records are kept for as long as we may need them for insurance, tax and legal purposes. Retention period — ask us. Handover and return recordings are kept until any condition question relating to that hire is closed.
Your rights
You can ask for a copy of what we hold about you, ask us to correct it, or ask us to delete it where we are not required to keep it. Message the number below or email Therentalplug24@gmail.com and we will action it. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.