Terms and conditions for a campervan hire business

A campervan hire is a vehicle hire and a holiday let at once: a licensed driver on the road, and a kitchen, a bed and an awning at the destination. The terms have to cover both, from who may drive and what the excess is, to fuel, gas, waste and equipment that is returned missing. I draft those terms for a fixed fee of £995, delivered in five working days.

Who this is for

Campervan and motorhome hire businesses in England and Wales, from one van to a fleet, hiring to consumers for holidays and to businesses for events and location work, with vehicles collected from your base or delivered.

What matters in campervan hire terms

Drivers, licences and eligibility

The terms should state who may drive: named drivers only, each with a valid licence of the category the vehicle needs under section 87 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999, which for a motorhome over 3.5 tonnes means category C1, meeting your age and experience conditions and your insurer's, and disclosing convictions and medical conditions the insurer requires. Allowing an unnamed driver, driving abroad without consent or towing without permission breaches the hire and can leave the vehicle uninsured contrary to section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, so the terms should say that the customer bears the consequences.

Damage, the excess and the deposit

The vehicle is at the customer's risk throughout. The terms should set out the insurance excess, that the deposit or pre-authorisation secures it, that damage to the roof, awning, mirrors and interior is often outside the insurance and charged in full, and how repairs are costed. A handover condition report with photographs, signed by the customer, is what makes a damage charge stick against a consumer who denies it.

Mileage, fuel, gas and the living equipment

The terms should state the mileage allowance and the excess mileage rate, the fuel and gas policy on return, that the customer is responsible for the correct fuel and for using the gas, water and waste systems as briefed, and that the living equipment is inventoried at handover with missing or damaged items charged. Toilet and waste tanks returned unemptied should carry a stated charge.

Breakdown, accidents and the holiday that stops

The terms should say what breakdown cover is provided, that the customer must report accidents and breakdowns at once and must not authorise repairs, and what you will do if the vehicle cannot continue: a replacement where available or a refund for the days lost. Your liability for the customer's losses, such as campsite fees and flights, should be limited to the hire charges for the period lost, which the Consumer Rights Act 2015 allows for a service.

Booking, cancellation and pets

Vehicle hire for specific dates is excluded from the fourteen-day cancellation right by regulation 28 of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, so your own cancellation scale applies and must be fair, with a balance due before the hire. The terms should also cover late return, cleaning, smoking and pets, and where the vehicle may not be taken, such as festivals or unmade tracks. Business customers can be invoiced with interest on late payment under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted for your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want them checked and brought up to date. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Email me at geoffrey@caesar.co.uk with what you need and any documents, and I will confirm the scope and the fee in writing, usually the same working day.

What you get

• A full set of bespoke terms drafted for your business, reflecting the legal requirements that apply to your business and sector
• A note in plain English explaining the terms I have drafted for you
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions that protect your position and are drafted to withstand scrutiny from the other side
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly
• Your questions and comments answered by email or phone
• One round of amendments to finalise the terms ready for use

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers (I am happy to quote for this as an additional service if required)
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country
• Tax advice

Questions I am often asked

The awning was destroyed in the wind. Can I charge the customer?

If the terms make the customer responsible for the vehicle and its equipment and state that awnings are used at the customer's risk in wind, replacement is chargeable. Awning damage is commonly outside the insurance, and the terms should say so at booking.

Can the customer take the van to a festival?

The terms can prohibit festivals, off-road use and unmade tracks, or allow them on conditions with an extra charge or excess. A prohibition only works if the customer saw it at booking.

What if the customer returns the van late and the next hire is waiting?

The terms should charge late return at a stated rate and make the customer liable for what you have to give the next hirer, provided the amounts reflect your real loss.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Contract review, £495
• Terms and conditions for a car hire business
• Terms and conditions for a glamping or campsite business

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.