Choosing the right van hire business, can be
tricky, especially for those who have never needed to drive a larger vehicle
before! Here, we try to help you decipher what you need from your van rental,
and how to find the perfect van to match the job at hand.
First things first, make a plan!
How
much space do you need?
Figuring out how much space you need can help
when it comes to choosing the right van, and also making the process of moving
your items much easier. There is a range of standard van sizes that carry
popular dimensions of work equipment and materials.
For example, it may be that you’re moving a
lot of smaller items - particularly relevant when moving house - so boxing all
of these up and making an estimate of the total space needed will help you plan
where everything is going to be placed.
Going through this process can also help you
figure out how many trips are needed. Often the bigger items are transported
first, with smaller items following, however it may be that with the use of a
larger van, everything can be loaded in one trip, saving any unnecessary stress
of extra trips.
It’s also worth remembering that you may need
to make allowances when it comes to space, particularly when moving items that
need to be secured to protect them such as couches or cupboards. The straps within
the back of the van will dissect space which may affect fitting any extra items
in the surrounding space.
What
weight do you need to carry?
It goes without saying, vans will all have
maximum loading capacities that have to be adhered to, to ensure proper
operation.
Luckily this should be relatively easy to
figure out. All you need to do is look through our lists of vans and trucks for
hire, and click on more details for a simple explanation of the payload it can
carry. Our
7.5 Tonne Truck with Tail Lift, for
example, can carry 3 tonnes of weight.
There are, however, restrictions placed on the
weight of the vehicle you can drive depending on the license you have. Anyone
with a regular driving license can drive a van up to 3.5 tonnes in weight.
Anything above this, and you need a special license
to drive the truck.
How
much time do you have?
Another thing to keep in mind is the length of
time you need the van for.
If you have a weekend to move the contents of
your entire house, you would probably need the biggest van available to make
sure you get everything across in time.
If you have a similar amount of time for items
that are easily transported, it may be wise to look for a van that isn’t as
demanding to drive, which could result in more trips that are much easier to
manage.
What
are you comfortable with?
Perhaps the most crucial question: what type
of van are you comfortable with? Vans may seem a doddle when you’re booking
them, but larger vans have a longer wheelbase than cars, which can mean there’s
a bit of adjustment time needed before you’re driving like a pro.
If you don’t necessarily need the larger vans
we have available, you may be best going for a smaller van that is only
slightly bigger than a car, making you feel much more comfortable on the road.
However, if you do need a larger van, we
promise it’s not difficult to pick up. Our biggest tip? Your mirrors are your
best friends. With no back window to look through (in most cases) you’ll want
to make sure you can see each side of the van and know where your tail end is.
What do
you need to move?
This might seem like an obvious statement, but
it there are some things to look out for when you’re hiring a van. For example,
if you’re transporting something of a particular size or dimension, that you
know could push the available space to the limit, check how the van itself is
actually made.
It could be that the advertised space will fit
your items in theory, but when you get to the nitty-gritty of loading up your
item, a curved room (as an example) can hamper anything you might have
originally planned for.
Plus, if an item is particularly heavy, have
you considered how you’re going to load it into the van? Some vans, especially
larger ones, can have quite a gap between the road and the back of the van,
meaning you might not be able to support it on its way into the van. Naturally,
larger vans will have methods of helping you load items, however, you may need
to be licensed to drive and operate these vehicles.
Research
Now that you know what type of van you need
for the job, the first thing you’re likely to do is to go straight onto Google
or a comparison website and start looking at what’s available.
What we’d say, is that you need to make sure
you take the advice that rings true when research for cars or motor insurance.
Compare like with like.
Comparison websites are useful, but they
sometimes don’t make it clear that while one supplier may be much cheaper, they
don’t offer the same service or added extras.
The more conscientious of us may be willing to
pay a slightly higher price to rent a van with features such as reverse sensors
or a reverse parking camera. In contrast, others may simply want to get the
best deal possible and not worry about any of the modern features the latest
vans come with.
The best van rental
businesses
will make sure that you’re guaranteed a safe, reliable
and well-equipped vehicle at all times. This is one of the main
responsibilities of a good van rental business, and one you should be looking
for when you contact potential suppliers.
Picking up your van rental
The best van rental businesses will make this
process incredibly simple, without any extra sales pitches and ensure both
sides are happy with the agreement in place.
A key consideration when picking up a rented
vehicle is to check the interior and exterior for any signs of damage. You know
the drill here more than likely - to protect yourself from any unnecessary
costs when you come to return your vehicle, make sure any damage is noted or
highlighted on the inspection sheet when you pick the vehicle up.
This will not only save a headache when it
comes to return but also makes sure you’ve had a look around the vehicle and
got to grips with the specifics and overall size of your van rental.
After all, it’s at this point that you’re
signing a rental agreement that locks you into receiving the van in its current
form, and you wouldn’t want to be held accountable for anything that had taken
place previously.
Again, a reputable van rental business will
make sure everything is noted during the vehicle inspection, as it’s within
their best interests to keep their customers happy to make sure they return the
next time they require van rental.
The best businesses will communicate with you
effectively, letting you know of your responsibilities as the renter, and also
their responsibilities to you. For example, any accidents that occur in the
vehicle while it’s under your control are liable by you, however, many
established businesses offer cover against this to reduce any payments to a
small excess.
How to choose the best van rental
business
While it may sound like a cliché,
communication is key when it comes to vehicle rental, especially when renting
vehicles such as vans that are outside of the knowledge most of us possess.
We take great pride in our connection with our
customers here at First Self Drive, ensuring they receive accurate information
that suits their needs with the best possible price in mind.
Whether you need a van for one day to do a
move or need it for your business in the long term, try First Self Drive for
van rental in Norwich. We offer excellent rates for both short and long-term
hire, so you can stay within your budget.
When you use First Self Hire, you can be sure
that your vehicle is secure and well-maintained. When you rent a van in
Norwich, you need to know that your vehicle is modern and safe.
Our vans are carefully inspected and cleaned
before they’re hired, ready for you to drive away.
For more information,
contact us online
or call 01603 624 275, and one of our experts will get back to you right away.
