Terms and Conditions of Hire
General Information
Welcome to our general info document for renting Under the Stars Campervans, our beautiful Campers. The Classics are our VW T2 Bays Winnie, Daisy and Hilda and the youngster of the clan is out T5, Heidi. Together these are our Campers.
They are excited to meet you and take you on your upcoming journey!
Where can I travel? - We’d suggest travelling around the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and Lancashire (sorry no festivals.) Click the link to our suggestions for the best places to visit. A mileage allowance of 125 miles per night is included (any extra and there is a charge of 30 pence per mile)
Who can drive? - Anyone in your party aged 23-75. The driver must have no more than six points from two offences or more than one fault accident in the last 3 years. (Licence and proof of address is required) There is a little flexibility if we can persuade our insurer, see details below. Please make sure you can meet this criteria before booking.
Do I need to pay a deposit? - Yes. We take a security deposit of £500 (£750 aged 23-25) to cover any damage to the campervan or their contents whilst in your care.
Where can I collect the Campers? - Pick up is from Scorton, Lancaster, PR3 1DD.
This is just. 1mile / 2 minutes off the M6 on your way up to the Lake District or Yorkshire Dales. See Contact Us page exact location. Once you have collected your VW Campervan we have secure parking ready for you onsite for you to safely leave your vehicle whilst on your trip.
What’s included? - Everything you need for great time is included:
Ø Fully equipped kitchen.
Ø Gas for cooking heating
Ø Electric Heater which can be used when at a camp site with hook up. (Additional gas heater can be provided in autumn / winter between October - April only)
Ø Separate leisure battery with lots of USB points.
Ø Electric hook up.
Ø Bluetooth stereo.
Ø Fridge or cool box.
Ø A full tank of fuel (please refill on return.)
Ø Camping chairs
Ø Thermal window covers for winter camping
Ø and just in case - full breakdown cover is provided.
We’d recommend you bring your own bedding but we can provide a bedding pack for 2 persons for £20
Is Insurance Included? - Yes insurance is included. We will need to check your ID and driver’s licence plus an excess deposit of £500 (£750 if aged 23-24) applies. (See document requirements below.)
Are they easy to drive? - The classic Campers are simple to drive and just take a little getting used to (a full induction is given.) The classics just need treating with a little TLC and understanding that things take a little longer (like anything over 50 years old) but you soon get used to them.
Can I Bring My Dog? - Small to medium dogs are okay yes. Blankets must be used on the seats to protect the material from scratches.
A Few Don’ts -
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No smoking
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No stressing the campers - please aim to return without having to rush.
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Avoid camping in spots that are ‘too wild’ and would be difficult to find incase of an emergency or breakdown.
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No festivals (they’re not designed for muddy fields or rocky roads.)
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Avoid the steep passes e,g Hardknott Pass, Honister Pass etc. The classics do not cope with these driving conditions.
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Only those booked can travel/stay in the vehicles.
A Few Do’s -
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Enjoy the campsites or try some wild camping.
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Make full use of the facilities (cooking, heating.)
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Make sure your passengers’ wave to the other passing campers, especially other VW’s!
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Keep in touch and please tell us if anything is wrong before you return - so we can do our best to resolve it for you - and fix this before our next guest.
Further Terms and Conditions of Hire
Key Information
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Booking terms
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Cancellation by you
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Cancellation by us
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Driving style & safety
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Return of Deposit
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Cleaning Charges
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Trackers
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Reliability of the vehicles.
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Fuel Policy
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Return Time & Late Arrival Policy
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How to Return the Campervan
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Insurance
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Adding you to our Insurance Policy
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Driving Criteria
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We Reserve the Right To-
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Traffic Offences
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Known Damage
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Liability
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Data Privacy
1. Booking Conditions
1.1 All bookings are to be secured on a payment card. We take a non refundable £150 booking deposit with full payment due 14 days before the hire commences.
2. Cancellation by you
2.1 Bookings can be cancelled but are subject to the following cancellation fees -
The £150 booking deposit is non refundable. Any remaining balances paid are subject to the following:
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Cancellation 30 Days+ before hire commences = Full refund
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Cancellation 15 - 29 Days before hire commences = 50% refund
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Cancellation 2 -14 days notice before hire commences = 25% refund
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Cancellation less than 48 hours full notice days before hire commences = No refund.
2.2 Cancellation due to you not meeting the hire insurance criteria - If you are unable to provide the documents required by our insurer - or you do not meet the driving criteria - (e.g you have two many licence points) and have to cancel then the above cancellation criteria will still apply. It is your responsibility to check you are eligible upon booking.
2.3 Transfer of Booking - If you are unable to meet the criteria for hiring the vehicle we will accept a change in the booking to accommodate a driver who will be insured.
2.3 If you wish to change the date of your booking we will do our best to accommodate this although this although the cancellation terms may still apply (please call us to discuss)
3. Cancellation by us.
3.1 It is extremely rare that we would need to cancel your booking and this would only happen where a vehicle is not available due to issues beyond our reasonable control (e.g if the vehicle has been involved in an accident and we are unable to provide a replacement Camper. If this occurs you will receive a full refund plus a discount voucher for a future booking.
4. Driving Style, Safety and Operating
4.1 A full induction is provided for the Campers however there are some guidelines below regarding the Classic campervans.
The classics are 1970s vehicles and do come with (or rather without) some of the modern technology you may be used to:
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Braking is not power assisted - press the brake pedal as hard as you feel is necessary - and give yourself plenty of time to stop.
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Steering isn’t power assisted - take your time on the bends and use both hands. (They are nicknamed the bus after all.)
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Gears There are only 4 gears in the classics - but they are a little way from the gear stick - sometimes it can take a little time to find them - but they are there.
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Height - the vehicle are higher - and therefore please be careful when entering height restricted areas e.g Car parks with height barriers. You will be liable for any damage
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Follow the instructions you are given at the induction and the signs / instructions displayed in the vehicle
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Ensure you are following the manufacturers guidance when fitting any baby or booster seats.
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Note the water in the van is not suitable for drinking
5. Deposit
5.1 If the campers are returned as they left this will all be returned once the van has been checked over after being dropped off. Please allow us time to inspect them. We need to check for general issues and do a checklist of the inventory. If there is an issue which you think could result in a loss of some of your deposit please tell us to speed up this process. Otherwise we will return your deposit as soon as possible but please allow up to 48 hours.
5.2 Missing Items- We check the camper after each trip. Please try to ensure all items are kept safe. Missing or damaged items will be knocked off the deposit. Cost per missing item to be communicated case by case basis.
5.4 Left items - If you do leave anything in the van then of course we will try our very best to find it and return it as swiftly as possible by post. (A small postal fee may apply.)
5.5 Damages - If there is any damage to the engine or mechanics of the vehicle due to a direct result of your actions, you will be liable for any repair or replacement costs as a result. Examples include but are not limited to, using the wrong type of fuel or driving the vehicle too hard beyond its limits or driving in the wrong gear. The classic campers drive at a safe speed of 55 miles per hour and going faster than this can cause damage.
5.6 Any deductions from your deposit will be made honestly and fairly, only charged for repairing any damages or replacing missing items during your hire.
6. Cleaning Charge
6.1 If the Campers are returned reasonably clean and tidy then there is no cleaning charge. A cleaning charge of £30 will apply if a deeper clean is required (including removal of any dog hairs or smell of smoke.)
7. Trackers
7.1 The vehicles are fitted with trackers. We won’t be using these on a daily basis but are there for security purposes. We therefore reserve the right to use them.
8. Reliability of the vehicles
8.1 The classic campers are quite old.. We have fully refurbished them and there’s plenty of life in them yet. However… despite all of our efforts, sometimes something may go wrong. This is why we provide the best national breakdown cover we can, and emergency spares so things can hopefully be fixed on the spot. But we want to be really upfront with you about the risk involved in renting such an old vehicle. 9/10 she will be perfect. But that 1 time does happen on occasion and please remember it is out of our control and if it does impact your trip, that’s part of the risk of renting a 1970’s vehicle. We try to ensure all of our guests have the best time possible and work very hard doing so. So if something does happen please speak to us about it and we’ll do our very best. We are always happy to help as much as we can and we hope your trip runs as smooth as possible.
9. Fuel Policy
9.1 The campers will have a full tank of fuel upon collection so you can start your trip without the hassle of needing to find a petrol station. Please return her with a full tank too.
9.2 The closest petrol station is just 5 minutes from the pick up point. This is the “Esso Garage” at PR3 1AD. If returned without fuel, the difference will be deducted from your deposit at a rate of £1.50 per litre.
10. Return Time & Late Arrival Policy
10.1 Please note our standard return time is before 11am.
10.2 Please do not be late. If you are late there is a fee of £50 per hour. This is because we may have guests collecting the Camper for her next trip the same day. Being late may have a negative impact on the trip of our next guests which we really want to avoid.
Also you may not be insured over the specified time of your rental so if something does happen which may affect your arrival time please phone us as soon as possible.
10.3 If we do not have another booking that day we are flexible with the drop
off time and will try to accommodate a later drop off. This must be discussed and agreed before the date of your return.
11. How To Return the Campervan
11.1 20 minutes before your arrival back at White Carr Farm Caravan Storage, please text ahead on the number provided and they will have your car ready and waiting for you. Once you have unpacked you can leave the Camper with them and hand back the keys and they will do the rest.
11.2 If there has been an issue you would like to discuss in person, (eg. a scratch by accident or something else which you believe may result in a loss of deposit) then please communicate this as soon as possible and we or the White Carr Farm team will do our best to meet you on your return. Otherwise communication can continue via phone or email.
12. Insurance
12.1 The named driver(s) will be covered on our insurance to drive the campervan for pleasure purposes (not for business use.)
12.2 If you do have an accident you will be liable for up to the first £500 of any claim (as this is our insurance excess) or £700 if aged 23-24. (These are rules from our insurers.) Although any excess may be reduced if this is recoverable from a third party, if the accident was not your fault.
13. Adding You To Our Insurance Policy
13.1 To add you to our insurance policy we will need the following:
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Copy of the photocard drivers’ licence (Address & ID must be up to date)
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Online licence check - https://www.viewdrivingrecord.service.gov.uk/driving-record/licence-number-
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Two forms of proof of address either two primary OR one primary and one secondary and they must meet all mentioned criteria, see below under 14.3.)
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Cleared and traceable security deposit (BACS, Credit/Debit Card, PayPal, Cheque etc.)
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A signed rental agreement (this document) sent back to us, featuring all drivers wishing to drive the vehicle.
13.2 You will need your driving licence and national insurance number to get the code that you share with us for the licence check at least two days before the hire.
13.3 If you have a non UK licence, please discuss this with us and we can hopefully make alternative arrangements.
13.4 Forms of proof of address Acceptable Documentation Examples-
Form 1: Primary Form Of Proof of address includes :-
1 Utility Bill/Statement - (Eg. Electricity, Water, Gas, Broadband, Council tax or Landline. (Not a mobile bill .) and dated within 90 days of the date your hire starts , and with the same address as your licence
Form 2: Secondary Form of Proof
1 of the following documents dated within 90 days of the date your hire starts and with the same address as your licence.
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Another Utility Bill
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TV/internet/landline telephone bill (Including Sky/Virgin/BT etc.)
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Bank or Credit Statement
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Credit card bill / statement
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Mortgage/pension statement
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Government HMRC & DWP documentation
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Phone Bills (not mobile) (subject over 25 years of age only )
13.4 What is not acceptable-
• Any document relating to insurance.
• Any document that does not meet the above mentioned criteria – please contact us if you are unsure.
*Please note: Our insurance does not cover personal items as a result of loss, theft or other. If you wish to protect your personal belongings we suggest you hire insurance for this.
14. Drivers Criteria
14.1 Must meet the specified age limit within your policy (age 23) and have at least 2 years driving experience (Full UK or EU Licence.)
14.2 Two, 3 point convictions are acceptable without referral. Any single conviction totalling 6+ points will require referral (a premium may be payable and this may take a little longer to arrange so please advise us 1 week before hire.)
14.3 No more than one fault or outstanding accident/claim/incident in the last 3 years
14.4 Warning - unfortunately if we don’t receive all the above, exactly as asked - then the insurance we have for the camper is not valid (our insurers rules, not ours.) And therefore you would not be able to take the vehicle as you would be driving uninsured. Your own personal car insurance would not cover any hired vehicle.
14.5 Insurance terms you must abide by-
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Do not carry more than 4 passengers in the Classic vehicles or 6 in Heidi. The number of passengers must be no more than available seat belts.
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Drive responsibly and not drive the vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
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Use the vehicle to tow or push any other vehicles or obstacles to which may result in damage.
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Take part in any race or competition.
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Not drive the van overloaded
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Drive off road or on any surface which is uneven and may result in damage.
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Not take the vehicle to an event such as a festival.
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Insurance is only valid in the UK
15. We reserve the right to-
15.1 Refuse hire to anyone who does not fit the criteria noted above.
15.2 Recuperate costs of any damages incurred out of the security deposit paid.
15.3 We do not Accept no responsibility for any third party claims. This includes accidents or breakdown, or loss or damage to your own personal items items left within the vehicle
15.4 Alternative Vehicle - We will make our best efforts to ensure you are provided with the vehicle you requested - however if this is not possible we reserve the right to provide a substitute vehicle.
16. Traffic Offences
16.1 We reserve the right to provide your details in response to any enquiries we receive concerning any traffic offences fines tolls etc incurred whilst the vehicle is hired out to you, and for which you will be liable.
17. Known Damage
17.1 As some of the Campers are 50 years old there are some known signs of damage or - these will be pointed out and agreed with you at the time of hire. We recommend you take photographs when collecting the vehicle to ensure all parties are agreed as to the condition of the Campers.
I/we the undersigned hereby agree to the above terms and conditions, and confirm we have received the briefing of how to drive and camp with the Campers & safely.
18. Liability
In signing this agreement you accept liability for the operation of the vehicle and in accordance with above terms and conditions. Under the stars Campervans Ltd can not accept any liability whilst you are hiring the vehicle (other than the liabilities which can not be excluded by law)
However the full benefit of the insurance secured under the hire agreement is hereby made available to the hirer.
19. Data Privacy
Your personal data will only be retained for the purpose of hiring the vehicle and marketing purposes by Under The Stars Campervans LTD. Also for the purpose of maintaining our statutory records in accordance with the GDPR regulations.