Renting a van???

ICadvisor

Hi everyone,

I need some advice…next weekend I have to move the contents of about one large room (no heavy furniture) from Dublin to South West Co. Cork. A 10 or 12-foot van would suffice. We are thinking about renting a van and driving down there as we have so little to move and the cost of hiring professional movers seems over the moon (quotes I’ve gotten today start t 850€). I just want to be sure that we can do this (rent the van) on a class “B” license (I am not the one driving it will be a flat mate of mine).

Calling around to various car rental (hire) places I have gotten an assortment of answers. Some say NO if you are under 28 and have not held the (full) license for at least two years (this came from “Fort Motors”) citing insurance policies as their reasoning. Others say they think it would be okay, giving me the impression that we could rent the van.

The driver of the van is 24 (I think), but he’s been driving for ages. Cost is important here, but not the biggest factor, I just want to be sure that we can rent the van.

[font=&quot]Any help on this matter is greatly appreciated – thanks in advance. [/font]

ubu

On a B licence you can drive a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes, so for for what you want this is plenty, something like a transit would do you fine.

Generally you do have to be over 28 if your going on the Rental companies policy, it depends on the company tho, if your can transfer your own fully comp policy over to the van for the day some places might take you on at 24.

ballooba

Fort Motors don't rent vans do they?

Suspect you might get a better quote off Enterprise Rent A Van or one of the car hire companies.

ICadvisor

Thanks guys,

Does anyone know of a rental company which provides their own insurance? Just got off the phone with one company and I found out they won't rent to my flatmate as his license is French, not Irish and he does not have what she called "complete insurance". I'm not from Ireland myself, can anyone shed any light on what this (complete insurance) means?

Thanks for your replies

Eoin

ICadvisor wrote:

Thanks guys,

Does anyone know of a rental company which provides their own insurance? Just got off the phone with one company and I found out they won't rent to my flatmate as his license is French, not Irish and he does not have what she called "complete insurance". I'm not from Ireland myself, can anyone shed any light on what this (complete insurance) means?

Thanks for your replies

I would imagine that she is referring to "Comprehensive Insurance" i.e. in an accident, the car you are driving is covered as well (don't know about the contents though). The cheapest cover is 3rd party, which only covers anyone you are unfortunate to run into (and passengers in your car actually AFAIK).

The thing about the French license does not sound right - I thought that any full driving license issued in the European Union has to be considered as an Irish one would be - can anyone confirm this?

Eoin

Our man in Havana

eoin s wrote:

I thought that any full driving license issued in the European Union has to be considered as an Irish one would be - can anyone confirm this?

Nope, In the UK for example, Class B is upto 7.5 tonnes i.e. the same as a C1 in Ireland.

jayok

Does anyone know of a rental company which provides their own insurance?

Done this about six months ago. Rented a Ford Transit Van of Avis for the weekend to move stuff from Dublin to Kilkenny. I have a class B license only and it wasn't a problem. Avis suggested that I get my insurance company to cover the insurance but they (Hibernian) weren't having of it unless I was moving home (which I wasn't). So Avis insured me instead. All in I had it for three days and it cost me €326 for rental including fully-comp insurance for everything! (Since I'm not a regular VAN driver I didn't trust myself). I was 28 at the time BTW.

You can contact them on 1890 708 090.

Our man in Havana

You are better off getting their insurance as changing over your own insurance is an administrive nightmare and extremely messy.

Eoin

Bond-007 wrote:

Nope, In the UK for example, Class B is upto 7.5 tonnes i.e. the same as a C1 in Ireland.

Point taken 007, but if a normal full Irish license is sufficient in Ireland, then the same should apply for a full driving license from anywhere in the E.U.?

ICadvisor

Hi everyone,

I appreciate all your replies!

Just to clarify though, neither I nor the driver of the (needed) van have Irish insurance or an Irish drivers license...seems that perhaps Budget might do the trick, but I'm just basing that on what I have read on their site.

Please keep any thoughts coming, thanks so much

Saruman

Im going to have to do this too when i move house. Dont have TOO much have stuff as im only renting now but i do have enough for a few runs.. Van is the way i was thinking of going. Im 25 and have been driving since 1998 no accidents.

Alun

I think the licence thing is just ignorance on their part. I mean, if it's an EU licence you could exchange it tomorrow for an Irish one and they'd be none the wiser, would they?

FWIW I (still) have a Dutch licence and rented a van from Avis with no problem at all. I think the insurance was included ... I paid a CDW anyway, just like you would on a normal rental car.

I should add that I'm a way bit older than 24 ... twice as much, in fact

ICadvisor

Hi all,

Perhaps I should look into getting a mini-bus type of thing as opposed to a van...provided the seats fold down or can easily be removed and re-installed. It seems that it is easier to rent one of these when you don't have an Irish license & insurance.

All this is new to me though Thanks for all the replies!

p.s.
Can anyone tell me, what a "minivan" is called in Ireland? (Like a Dodge Caravan or Ford Windstar in North America)

Kimbot

How much stuff have you got and what weekend are you planning on moving?????

ICadvisor

My husband and I are moving next weekend, we've got boxes (haven't packed up completely yet, but I'll ball-park it and say about 15-20 average size boxes) and a small motor bike to move. The bike can be, in a "worst case" situation driven down south (Co. Cork), but we wanted to just move it in the vehicle.

jayok

Did you try Avis mentioned earlier? I'm imagine hiring an MPV (I think that's what you mean "what do you call it?") would be just as expensive. Also bear in mind that at least the insurance on the commercial van would insure the load you are transporting. Don't know about a hired car. Another advantage is Avis have a depot in Cork. Maybe you wouldn't need to return it to Dublin?

Alun

FWIW, it cost me approx EUR 250 (about 2.5 years ago) for a weekend from Avis out in Walkinstown somewhere IIRC. It was a Ford Transit, not sure exactly what kind, but it had a slightly larger capacity from the standard "white van" Transits you generally see. Again, no problems with an EU licence.

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

ICadvisor

Thanks for all your thoughts everyone,

Still no clear cut solution one which way to go. I wish I did knew someone with a big van or had Irish friends over 28 with all the needed insurance, et al...amazing how many folks of all ages are just driving around on provisional licenses, I never knew! (Wrong time to find out ).

I'm giving Budget a ring this morning to see what they have to say, I'll also try the link you gave me Mercury_Tilt (thanks).

Time is running short and I've to find a solution soon, the quick move is due to a new job my hubby received as of late, otherwise I doubt things would be so sudden and chaotic.

a_ominous

Curious as to why you want to hire a van and drive it yourself. Have you looked into getting a removal company. Looked up the Golden Pages online and the search got back 20 pages. Suggest you try those too; no need to drive the van yourself or unpack the boxes.
One other thing about moving: if you've got valuables, make sure your insurance covers them being damaged during a move. Removal compnay should advise on that.
Another thought: if it's only 20 boxes, could you send them by courier? (A guesstimate) 20 euro per box = 400 euro in total, similar to other prices mentioned.

Kimbot

http://www.rickotrans.com/

ICadvisor

Hi all,

Yes we certainly thought of the moving van idea, but after calling several places the lowest rate we could find was 850€, way out of our price range, for moving such a small amount of (sans the bike) light weight stuff. (The trouble isn't in the moving of boxes, but in finding a way to get them to our new place...;))

I'm going to give http://www.rickotrans.com/ a ring though, I haven't tried them yet. Thanks for the link Jonny24ie!

JohnBoy

I recently hired a van for work (but hired personally and claimed back)

Got a LWB regular roof transit for €250 for two days from enterprise in cork.

I had no hassles but I'm 25 not 24

samo

I was just checking this as need to get a van to collect patio doors as too big for my trailer www.enterprise.com worked out at 93 euro for a 24 hour rental for a medium cargo van like an Opel Vivaro or similar