Who can hire a vehicle?

Anyone aged between 23 and 75 years old can hire a vehicle from us as long as they meet our driver eligibility criteria. If you are hiring as a company, we may also be able to offer a bespoke corporate account. Contact us for more details.

How do I choose my vehicle(s)?

Simply choose from a number of categories from our core rental fleet. Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee a specific make or model for personal daily rental bookings. A short term lease agreement may be suitable for you if you want to guarantee a specific model and wish to hire for at least a month.

How many miles can I do?

Each vehicle category has a mileage allowance which is shown on your reservation quote. This goes up to 300 miles for a single hire day and 1000 miles for a week’s hire, up to a maximum of 2800 miles per 28 days depending on the vehicle. Some vehicles do have a lower mileage allowance; the mileage allowance for the vehicle and period selected will be shown on the quote and in your booking.

What’s the minimum hire period?

You can hire a vehicle for a minimum of one day. We can’t refund unused periods if you return the vehicle early, so we always suggest that you begin with the minimum time you think you’ll need because you can always extend.

Am I able to take the vehicle abroad?

If you wish to travel outside of the UK mainland, you’ll need to let us know when you book the hire so that we can arrange a travel abroad document called a VE103. We ask that you allow at least two working days prior to overseas travel so that we can make sure you receive the relevant documentation to avoid any delays at border posts. There will be additional charges to take the vehicle abroad. Some of our vehicles may not travel outside of the UK mainland so please tell us when you book your hire if you wish to travel overseas; we may not be able to authorise overseas travel if you request it after your hire has already begun. If we authorise overseas travel, you may only travel to the following countries: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain and the United Kingdom

What happens at the end of the hire?

If you selected one of our branches as a return location, you should return the vehicle to the branch by the return time stated on your booking. The vehicle will be inspected to check its condition, along with the fuel level and mileage. If you selected an airport return, the process is shown on your booking confirmation. If the vehicle is returned in the same condition and with at least the same fuel level as at the start of the hire, and you are within the mileage allowance, your deposit will be refunded to the credit card with which you paid for the hire. If there is new damage on the vehicle, you return the vehicle with low fuel or you have driven over the mileage allowance, your deposit will be held so that we can accurately calculate the charges. We will tell you the total deduction to be made from your deposit within 3 working days and refund the remaining deposit amount. We are members of the BVRLA and use the BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear Guide in assessing whether damage is acceptable. You can view this guide here.

How long does it take to organise and how does it work?

It’s normally pretty quick and if the vehicle is available, it can be the same day. Once you have submitted your reservation request, our Central Reservations team will contact you to confirm it within 1 working day. You will receive a confirmation email once this is complete. 2 working days before your hire is due to start, our branch will call you to conduct the pre-rental checks. As part of this call, we will need to conduct a DVLA check for each driver on the booking (if they are a UK licence holder) and take full payment for the hire. Please make sure you have got a DVLA check code from https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence so we can do this. Payment must be made via credit card and both the rental charges and deposit must be made using the same card. We will also confirm with you the booking details, ID requirements and the vehicle we have allocated for your hire. At the start of your hire, we will check the ID for each driver, get the paperwork signed and hand over the vehicle with you. You’re then ready to go.

What hours do your reservations team operate?

Our reservations team are here to answer any queries or make a booking for you between 8am-6pm Monday to Friday and 8am-12 noon on Saturdays. They are available by email at reservations@amtauto.co.uk, phone 0800 009 6938 and also via our online chat function at the bottom of the page. Unfortunately, we are closed on Sundays and bank holidays (excluding Good Friday) but you can leave a message and we’ll get back to you the next working day.

Do you offer delivery and collection?

We do not offer delivery & collection services for personal daily rental except for our airport meet & greet service, available at Leeds Bradford Airport, Edinburgh Airport, Birmingham Airport and Heathrow Airport.

Can I start or end my hire outside of your opening hours?

You can, but there is an additional charge for any part of the hire that ends out of hours and it is subject to availability. The charge will be shown when you make a booking.

What should I do if I need to change or cancel my hire?

We know plans can change sometimes, so if you need to change your hire within 24 hours of your start time (within opening hours), just call us on 0800 009 6938 to make any changes. For any other changes you’re able to make them over the phone, by email (reservations@amtauto.co.uk) or using the online chat function. If you need to cancel your hire, we don’t charge a cancellation fee on any hire cancelled with more than 24 hours’ notice (within operating hours). If your plans do change and fall within the 24-hour window, there’s just a £25 cancellation charge to cover any administration costs. Please note if you have booked a delivery and it’s already on its way when you change or cancel, then further charges will apply.

What identification will be required?

As part of our validation process you must provide your driving licence and two additional forms of ID. If you do not have a UK driving licence, one form of ID must be a passport. One form of ID must bear your signature and the other your driving licence address. Acceptable forms of ID are: Credit or debit card National identity card Passport Bank statement Utility bill Council tax bill All ID must be current, statements/bills must be dated within the last 3 months. Electronic statements or bills are acceptable only if the other form of ID is a passport or national identity card.

Will I need to show my driving licence?

Yes, we’ll need to see your licence. It’s a legal requirement that we register a valid driving license on the supporting rental agreement when we deliver a vehicle. The details of the licence must also match those of the owner of the credit/debit card used for payment of the hire. Since the 8th June 2015, the Government no longer produce the paper counterpart of the driving licence and therefore this can’t be accepted as a record of your driving history. So that we can validate your licence you need to bring the following information with you for the vehicle handover and before the hire period starts: Driving licence (photocard) Driving licence check code (available here) Without this information we’ll not be able to validate your licence and therefore be unable to hire. Photocopies can’t be accepted either.

How do I pay for my vehicle?

If you are collecting your vehicle from a branch, payment is made upon collection. If you are using our meet & greet service, the branch will contact you to take payment 2 working days before the start of your hire. Please note that the full rental charge, including the deposit, must be paid using a credit card in the main driver’s name. The deposit and rental charge may be split across two cards. We accept Visa or Mastercard credit cards.

Do I need to leave a deposit and when is it refunded?

Yes, we ask for a deposit at the beginning of your hire. The deposit amount varies depending on your age and the vehicle you have booked, but is displayed on your booking confirmation. We use this deposit to cover any charges which may arise during or at the end of the hire including, but not limited to, speeding or parking fines, damage, excess mileage and fuel. Upon returning your vehicle to a branch, we will check that there are no additional items to charge for and then refund the deposit back to you straight away. If you owe an excess mileage or fuel charge, this will be deducted from your deposit and the remainder refunded while you are present. If you have used our airport meet & greet service to return the vehicle to an airport, the remaining deposit will be refunded within 1 working day. If there is any new damage on the vehicle the full deposit is held to allow us to provide an accurate cost, which we will do within 3 working days of the vehicle’s return. We will then tell you the total deduction to be made and refund the remaining deposit to you. We are members of the BVRLA and use the BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear Guide in assessing whether damage is acceptable. You can view this guide here.

Do I need to pay for fuel?

Yes, you pay for the fuel you use and you should return the vehicle with the same level of fuel as when you collected it. If the vehicle is returned under the level provided, then refuelling charges will apply at the FleetNews national average fuel price on the return date plus an administration charge of 50 percent of the cost of the additional fuel. We can’t refund any unused fuel.

Can I end my hire early?

Yes, but please note that if you return the vehicle early your costs may be recalculated if the number of days you had the vehicle falls in to a different daily price band. If you wish to end the hire before your booked return date please contact us and we will explain this.

Are there any additional costs?

As long as your chosen mileage allowance is not exceeded and the vehicle is returned with the same amount of fuel and with no additional damage there should be no extra charges. The only exceptions to this may be speeding or parking fines during your hire period (as any authority will contact the registered owner of the vehicle first) or if you require a delivery or collection outside of our normal office hours.

Do you have any cleaning charges?

Only if the vehicle is returned in an unacceptable condition. This would apply the vehicle has been smoked in, has carried pets or is excessively dirty or stained. As a member of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), we adhere fully to their Fair Wear and Tear guidelines regarding any damage. The BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear guide is available here.

What are the excess mileage charges?

Excess mileage charges vary depending on the vehicle supplied but they can be found on your booking confirmation. These are charged on a pence per mile basis, with excess mileage chargeable after every vehicle exchange and vehicle off-hire.

I am travelling to London, what is your policy on congestion charges?

It is your responsibility to pay for any vehicle movement, into, out of or within the CCZ up to and including the final day of hire. Where we receive a congestion charge notice, we will need to charge an administrative fee. Further details may be obtained from Transport for London’s website.

Who insures the vehicle(s)?

We insure any named driver during the period on the rental agreement. Only those who are both named on the rental agreement and have passed our driver validation may drive the vehicle, even if they are insured under another policy.

Is there an excess on the vehicle insurance?

Yes, an insurance excess applies and is equal to the deposit amount on your booking confirmation.

Is maintenance included?

Servicing and normal maintenance items are included in your daily rate – this does not include items which require replacement due to driver abuse or damage.

What do I do in the event of an accident?

If you’re in an accident in one of our vehicles you need to get the details of the other party and call us straight away on 0330 055 2875. This number is listed on your rental agreement and key tag and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

What do I do if I break down?

If your vehicle develops a fault or breaks down call us straight away on 0330 055 2875 and we’ll help to get you moving. This number is listed on your rental agreement and key tag and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.