If you’ve never hired a vehicle before or you’re used to hiring cars but not vans, there are some things you’ll want to check before you commit to a hire agreement. Hiring a van can be a cost-effective way of accessing a larger vehicle, but it’s important to make sure you book the right of vehicle and then arrange the best hire terms.
What size vehicle do you need?
If you’re hiring a van, it’s probably because you need to move goods, such as furniture, stock or household appliances. As well as hiring vans for work purposes, people routinely hire large vans and trucks when they’re moving house. Ideal for loading up your house contents ready for transportation, hiring a van can be far cheaper than using a removal service.
However, you’ll want to make sure that you choose the right size van for your needs. Ask your van hire firm what the load capacity of their vans are, as well as the dimensions of the cargo area. Whilst compact van hire might be well-suited for moving boxes of possessions and smaller household items, you might want something larger if you’re moving the entire contents of your home.
How many passengers can you carry?
Some vans only have room for two passengers, whilst others have three or even four seats. If you’re planning to travel solo, you may not mind how many passengers your van can hold, but an excess of seats could reduce the cargo size. Of course, if you’re transporting one or more passengers, you’ll need to check how many people the van can legally carry.
How accessible is the van?
When you’re loading and unloading goods, it’s vital to have easy access to the back of the van. Side sliding doors can make this easier, as you can access goods from both the back and side of the vehicle. Perfect if you’ve got help with loading, as it means more people can access the cargo area at once.
If you’re transporting heavier items, such as furniture or household appliances, you may want to go for a van with a tail lift. Easy to operate, a tail lift ensures you can load and unload the van easily, without struggling to lift heavier items.
Are ropes, lashings and ratchet straps included?
When you’re transporting goods in a van, you often need to secure them properly. Failure to do this can be a breach of road safety laws, and it can put you and other road users in unnecessary danger. If you’re transporting furniture, for example, the weight of these items can’t be allowed to move around as you take corners or drive around roundabouts, for example, as it would make the van more difficult to handle. By using ropes, lashings and ratchet straps, you can ensure that everything is kept safe and secure whilst you’re driving. Check whether the cost of your van hire includes the use of these items, or whether you need to provide them yourself.
