Rental Terms

1. Rental Agreement
The hirer agrees to these Terms and Conditions when renting a vehicle from Island Car Hire Ltd T/A Stornoway Car Hire.

2. Booking, Acceptance & Driver Requirements
2.1 Booking Status & Collection
(a) A booking is only confirmed once accepted. Payment is taken at booking request; if declined, a full refund is issued. Payment must be made with a valid credit or debit card in the renter’s name. Prepaid cards and single-use or disposable payment cards cannot be used. Airport collections are for flight arrivals only and subject to staff availability. Out of hours charge applies to any flight landing before 9:30am. Required documents must be uploaded before arrival.
(b) We reserve the right to refuse or cancel a booking with no refund where required documentation is not provided or undisclosed endorsements are identified. Rude or abusive behaviour may also result in cancellation without refund.

2.2 Driver Requirements & Identification.
All drivers must be present at collection and provide valid documentation to verify identity and eligibility to drive, including:

A valid physical driving licence is required. Digital or electronic licences are not accepted. If your licence is not in English or is not easily readable locally (e.g. uses logographic or symbolic script), an International Driving Permit is required in addition to your original licence.
A passport is required if you do not hold a photocard licence or if your driving licence is not issued in the UK.
Proof of address dated within 3 months (bank statement, utility bill, or council tax). Certain documents (e.g. mobile bills, insurance, medical letters) are not accepted. If the address differs from the licence, or is not printed on the licence, two proofs are required.
Bookings must be made in the driver’s name and paid for using a payment card in the driver’s name. If the original payment card was not in the driver’s name, has since expired or been cancelled, or if the booking was made using a single-use card, a new booking will need to be processed manually. A £6.00 including non-refundable administration fee will apply.
A valid DVLA/NI licence check code. Undisclosed endorsements may result in refusal without refund.

2.3 Fees & Administration
(a) Phone or in-person bookings, or failure to upload required documents in advance, incur a £6 including VAT non-refundable administration fee.
(b) Airport collections without pre-uploaded documents will require the customer to travel to our office.

2.4 Availability & Operational Conditions
(a)Out-of-hours bookings and call-outs are subject to additional charges as set out in Section 15 and are not guaranteed, subject to staff availability. As an off airport car hire we are only permitted to meet customers at the time of a flight landing.
Please be aware that, due to operational constraints associated with ferry services and related logistics, we are no longer able to offer vehicle pick-ups following evening ferry arrivals.
(b)Delayed arrivals outside normal hours may incur additional out-of-hours charges.
(c)Peak periods (including cruise ship arrivals) have limited availability for pre-booking.
(d)Pickup location may be changed to our Stornoway office, in which case you must collect the vehicle from there.

3. Data Retention
We retain rental, payment, licence, and insurance records for up to 6 years (or as required by law) for legal and insurance purposes. Records are securely deleted thereafter. This policy may be updated where required by law.

4. Cancellations, Amendments & Refunds
(a) Cancellations or amendments made within 48 hours of the rental start time are non-refundable. This includes rental charges, insurance, administration fees and out-of-hours fees. This applies regardless of the reason for cancellation, including changes to travel arrangements, weather conditions, ferry disruption or other personal circumstances, subject always to any rights that cannot legally be excluded.
(b) Cancellations with more than 48 hours’ notice are eligible for a 75% refund on rental, insurance, and add-ons. Admin and out-of-hours fees are non-refundable.
(c) Booking amendments incur a £6 including VAT non-refundable administration fee
(d) No refunds are given for early returns or unused rental periods.
(e) Extensions are subject to availability and prior approval and will be charged at the applicable daily rate. A rental day is 24 hours; any excess period will be charged as an additional day.

5. Use of Vehicle & Responsibilities
5.1. You confirm that all information provided is true and accurate and agree to indemnify us for any reasonable losses arising directly from your breach of this Agreement. You must notify us immediately of any changes affecting your eligibility to drive. Vehicles may not be taken off Lewis and Harris without prior approval. Vehicle keys may include tracking devices, which you consent to during the hire period.
5.2. During the rental period, you agree to:

Drive the vehicle safely, lawfully, and with due care.
No smoking or vaping in the vehicle
Comply with these Terms and keep a copy of the rental agreement.
Ensure only named drivers operate the vehicle and remain responsible for all authorised drivers, keys, and extras.
Report any damage, fault, or incident immediately and not use the vehicle if unsafe without our approval. The hirer must provide an accurate description of any incident when requesting assistance. Where inaccurate, misleading or incomplete information results in additional attendance, specialist equipment, recovery resources or costs, the hirer shall be responsible for all resulting charges.
Not carry out or authorise any repairs, recovery, or work on the vehicle without consent.
The vehicle must remain on the formed carriageway suitable for ordinary road use. Entering a verge, ditch, embankment, field, beach, track, soft ground or any area not intended for normal road traffic shall constitute a breach of this Agreement unless reasonably necessary to avoid immediate danger.
Use the vehicle only within Scotland, England, and Wales unless agreed in writing, and obtain any required licences or permits.
Not sell, sub-hire, misuse, overload, or allow unauthorised use of the vehicle.
Not use the vehicle for racing, competition, tuition, hire or reward, illegal purposes, or unsuitable terrain.
Not tow any item and acknowledge that towed items are not insured.
Secure the vehicle and keys at all times when not in use.
Take reasonable care of the vehicle, including correct fuel use and basic checks (oil, coolant, tyres).
Not represent yourself as the owner of the vehicle or our agent.

5.3. Failure to comply with these obligations may result in the loss of the benefit of insurance protection, Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), excess reduction or other protection products (see Sections 8, 9 and 12). Where this occurs, you remain liable for the reasonable costs and losses arising directly from the breach, including damage to the vehicle, third-party property, recovery costs, loss of use, administration charges and any other amounts properly recoverable under this Agreement.

6. Vehicle Return Responsibilities
6.1. You must return the vehicle in the same condition as supplied (fair wear and tear excepted), with all keys, extras, and a full fuel tank where applicable.
6.2. Liability for damage continues until the vehicle has been inspected. Out-of-hours returns will be inspected the next working day. (see Section 6.2A for Sunday returns)
6.2A. Sunday Returns
We are closed on Sundays. We are closed on Sundays. Any vehicle due for return on a Sunday must be booked until the following Monday. Vehicles returned on a Sunday will not be inspected until we reopen on Monday. Until that inspection has been completed, the hirer remains responsible for the vehicle, keys and any loss or damage occurring during that period.
6.3. Stornoway Airport: park in the designated Stornoway Car Hire area and return keys to the white key box by the airport customer service desk within the terminal. Incorrect parking may incur charges.
6.4. Stornoway Ferry Terminal: park in the short-stay car park and place keys in the white box by the terminal entrance.
6.5. If the rental is terminated, the vehicle must be returned immediately. Failure to do so may result in repossession at your cost and reporting to the police.

7. Charges, Costs and Payments
7.1. Payment: The total booking cost—including rental, insurance, and extras—will be charged to your card. Payment must be made with a valid credit or debit card in the renter’s name. Prepaid cards and single-use or disposable payment cards cannot be used.
7.2. Charges are based on our current price list. Amendments to bookings will be charged at prevailing rates. No retrospective refunds or adjustments apply.
7.3.You expressly authorise us to charge your payment card for any sums properly due under this Agreement. Charges will be limited to reasonable costs, losses and expenses incurred by us arising from the rental, damage, breach of contract, or other amounts due under these Terms.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

Damage to the vehicle, including internal, mechanical, bodywork, tyres, wheels, windscreens and glass.
Late fees (£15 + VAT) and administration fees (£30 + VAT) for unpaid invoices or instalments.
Refuelling charges (£2.50 per litre).
Additional valeting charges (£80 + VAT) and additional cleaning products if required.
Damage charges under Sections 11 and 12.
Administration charges for amendments made within the existing booking period. This includes but not limited to having to amend or make a new individual or business booking due to changing card payments, changing drivers on booking, transferring from an individual to a business booking. All charges from original booking apply. Bookings cannot be changed to earlier or later dates or times.
Reasonable recovery costs where the vehicle has left the carriageway, entered a verge, ditch, embankment, soft ground, or similar location, regardless of any insurance, CDW or protection product purchased.
Additional insurance, breakdown cover, or paperwork required for cross-border travel.

7.4. You must inspect the vehicle, fuel, mileage, and equipment before departure and report any discrepancies immediately. Photographs and digital condition reports taken by us at collection and return form part of the Vehicle Condition Report and may be relied upon when assessing the condition of the vehicle and determining liability for any damage.
7.5. Cancellations: Refunds are available only in accordance with our cancellation policy. If you cancel a booking and then make a new booking, the new booking will be treated as a separate booking and will be charged at the rates applicable at the time of rebooking. We do not provide refunds, credits, or price adjustments for bookings that are cancelled and rebooked.
7.6. Late returns, lost keys, or failure to return keys (including keys taken off-island) will result in reasonable additional rental charges, loss of use costs, loss of rental income where applicable, and associated costs.
7.7 If a vehicle shows signs of smoking or requires more than our standard turnaround time to clean after a hire, an additional valeting charge will be applied.
7.8. Claims: You are responsible for any insurance or card claims. We only provide the rental agreement, condition reports, and invoices; additional documentation may incur admin fees. Police reports may delay excess refunds.

8. Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)
8.1. CDW reduces your insurance excess: Cars £1,250 + VAT; Vans, Minibus, 4×4 & Tipper £1,750 + VAT; Luton £2,500 + VAT.

The hirer’s liability is limited to the applicable excess only where:

(a) the hirer has complied fully with these Terms and Conditions;

(b) the incident is covered by our insurers; and

You are fully liable for any damage above the windscreen height on the Luton Vans.

CDW for the Luton is only valid for use on Lewis and Harris. Any off-island use of a Luton vehicle means CDW does not apply, with no refund, and the hirer remains liable for reasonable costs and losses arising from any loss, damage, recovery, transport, loss of use and related costs.

You remain fully liable for tyres, wheels, windscreens, and glass.

CDW reduces the applicable excess stated in Section 9.3. The availability of any excess limitation is subject to compliance with these Terms and Conditions and the exclusions set out in Sections 8, 9 and 12.

8.2. CDW does not apply to excluded circumstances or breaches of this Agreement. In these circumstances, the hirer remains liable for reasonable costs and losses arising, including damage, recovery costs, loss of use and administration charges under Sections 11 and 12.
8.3. CDW does not cover recovery costs arising from leaving the formed carriageway, entering unsuitable terrain, or requiring specialist recovery equipment.
8.4. CDW is limited to one claim per rental; any subsequent incidents remain the hirer’s responsibility and are not covered by CDW.

8.5 Additional Protection Products
Protection product plans are available to reduce your excess. These products do not apply where the hirer breaches these Terms or where damage arises from impact with a static object (for example, a rock on the road or roadside, gate, wall or pedestrian crossing)

Cover for Tyres, Wheels, Windscreens & Glass is only available for cars by selecting this separately or within the Full Protection option.

9. Insurance
9.1. Third-party liability and vehicle loss/damage insurance are compulsory and included.
9.2. No cover is provided for personal injury, death, or personal property.
9.3.The hirer’s liability is limited to the applicable excess only where:

(a) the hirer has complied fully with these Terms and Conditions;

(b) the incident is covered by our insurers; and

Where any exclusion, breach of contract, prohibited use, careless driving, impact with a static object, off-road use, failure to exercise due care, or other voiding event applies, the hirer shall be liable for reasonable costs and losses arising directly from the incident, including damage, recovery expenses, loss of use and administration charges.

Damage arising from contact with verges, ditches, embankments, roadside stones, rock faces, dry-stone walls or other roadside features is not subject to any excess limitation and shall be fully chargeable to the hirer.

9.4. In the event of an incident or theft, you must not admit liability, must report to the police immediately (obtaining a crime reference number), notify us as soon as possible, and provide all relevant details and cooperation.
9.5. Any breach of these Terms or where any exclusion in Section 12 applies. may invalidate the benefit of the insurance protection or CDW provided under this Agreement. Where protection does not apply, the hirer remains liable for reasonable costs and losses arising from the incident.
Excluded occupations:
Insurance restrictions apply to certain occupations, including: entertainers/musicians; professional sportspeople; gambling-related roles (including bookmakers); racing-related occupations; market/street/general traders; scrap metal merchants; and models.
9.6. Protection Plan products do not apply where damage arises from a breach of these Terms or impact with a static object.

10. Driver Age, Experience & Convictions

Ages 21–22:
Full licence held 2+ years, clean record required. £20 + VAT/day young driver surcharge applies. Subject to a mandatory additional excess of £400 + VAT in all cases

Ages 23–24:
Full licence held 2+ years. Up to 3 points and one minor offence permitted (total claims under £2,000) with no at-fault accidents. £20 + VAT/day surcharge applies. Subject to a mandatory additional excess of £400 + VAT in all cases

Ages 25–75:
Full licence held 1+ year. Standard excess applies. Up to one at-fault accident and 8 points permitted (no disqualification or restricted endorsements). Multiple at-fault accidents or any disqualification within 5 years must be referred for insurance approval.

The additional excess of £400 + VAT for drivers under the age of 25 applies in all circumstances and is not waived, reduced, or removed by any CDW, insurance policy, or any excess reduction or protection product purchased. This additional excess applies to any and all damage to the vehicle, including but not limited to mechanical damage, bodywork, internal and external damage, tyres, wheels, windscreens, and glass.

Age Limits & Vehicles:
Cars: standard maximum age 75 (ages 76-79 on request, subject to approval and additional terms).
Minibuses: 25–69 (ages 69-75 on request, subject to approval).

Endorsements:
Not accepted: UT codes; two or more disqualifications.

Accepted only after stated periods:
– AC10/20, BA, DD, DR, CD40–90, MS90: 5 years.
– Disqualification of 6 months or above: 3 years.
– CD10, IN10, LC20: 3 years.
– Up to 8 points in last 3 years acceptable (no disqualification).
– 9+ points in last 3 years must be referred to insurers.

11.Vehicle Damage & Liability
11.1. The hirer is responsible for loss of or damage to the vehicle and any additional hired equipment throughout the rental period. Where a Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or protection plan has been purchased, cover is limited to a single incident of damage occurring during the rental period. Any subsequent incidents of damage will remain the hirer’s responsibility.
11.2. Standard liability applies for mechanical and bodywork damage. Tyres, wheels, windscreens, glass, and recovery costs are fully chargeable. CDW or additional cover may reduce liability but does not apply where damage arises from a breach of these Terms or impact with a static object as described in Section 12.
11.3. You are liable for any loss of rental income or additional costs arising from damage, including affected bookings. Where a vehicle is unavailable for hire due to damage, we may recover our reasonable loss of use and loss of rental income for the period the vehicle is unavailable for hire, together with any associated costs incurred in returning the vehicle to service.
11.4. Lost keys, tracking devices, tyres, wheels, windscreens, and glass are chargeable at the reasonable replacement or repair cost, including any associated losses such as rental downtime and recovery costs where applicable.
11.5. A £55 + VAT administration fee applies to damage claims to cover inspection, assessment, documentation, processing and administration costs. This incurs with all damages including to tyres, wheels, windscreens & glass.
11.6.Taking a Luton vehicle off-island means that any CDW purchased does not apply. The hirer remains liable for reasonable costs and losses arising from any loss, damage, recovery, transport, loss of use, and administration costs associated with the vehicle.
11.7.All repairs and damage assessments will be reviewed following notification of damage. We may recover reasonable repair costs based on estimates, quotations, engineer reports, invoices, repair assessments or other supporting evidence obtained by us. We are not required to complete repairs before seeking recovery of our losses.

When determining liability and assessing costs, we may rely upon photographs, inspection reports, engineer assessments, recovery reports, repair estimates, telematics data, witness evidence and statements provided by the hirer.

12.Excess Reduction, CDW, Protection Plan Exclusions
12.1. The benefit of any excess reduction, CDW or protection product may not apply where there has been a breach of these Terms including circumstances listed in Section 12.3. The hirer will be liable for any and all damage costs (including tyres, wheels, windscreens, and glass) and any recovery or call-out charges.
12.2. Where the benefit of the excess reduction, CDW or any protection product does not apply, the hirer remains liable for all resulting losses, including repair costs, recovery costs, loss of use, loss of rental income, administration fees and any associated expenses.

12.3. The benefit of the excess reduction, CDW or protection product does not apply where damage arises from:

careless or inconsiderate driving;
failure to judge vehicle position, width, height or clearance;
leaving the carriageway;
striking a static object;
driving into a verge, ditch, embankment or other roadside feature.

12.4. An administration fee of £55 + VAT applies to all damages, includingto tyres, wheels, windscreens and glass.

13. Road traffic and parking regulations – statement of liability
13.1. You are responsible for all traffic offences, fines, and penalties incurred during the rental period until the vehicle is returned. A £55 + VAT administration fee applies per offence where we are required to transfer your details.
13.2. You are liable for all parking charge notices (PCNs) issued during the rental. An administration fee of £55 + VAT applies to all PCNs.

14. Business Hire – Own Insurance
14.1. Business hires are charged at the applicable 1 day rate.
14.2. Your insurance must be approved and validated prior to hire, with proof of cover confirming the vehicle. Where insurance is not approved or validated, you remain fully liable and the vehicle will continue on hire at the daily rate until any claim is resolved.
14.3. Where you operate under your own insurance, you are fully responsible for all loss, damage, repairs, and recovery costs.
14.4. Any additional trailer number plates issued must be returned on completion of hire, otherwise a charge of £20 + VAT per plate will apply.

15. Out of Hours & Call Out Charges
15.1. Out-of-hours bookings/call-outs incur a £30 + VAT between 5:00pm–7:15pm (Mon–Fri) and for early flights (landing before 9:30am), delays, or arrivals on closed days. A £60 + VAT non-refundable fee applies between 7:30pm–7:30am and during all public holidays, including Christmas and New Year.
All out-of-hours call-outs are subject to staff availability and not guaranteed.
Our Christmas and New Year opening arrangements may vary annually.
15.2. If damage occurs outside Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm and a partner or recovery truck is required, you are responsible for all call-out and travel fees, regardless of insurance purchased.

16. Termination
16.1 We may immediately terminate the rental, recover the vehicle at your cost, or cancel the booking without refund if you breach or are suspected of breaching this Agreement; fail to provide required identification; have undisclosed convictions or endorsements; or where you or any member of your party behaves in an abusive, threatening, discriminatory or inappropriate manner towards our staff.

17. Island Car Hire Ltd T/A Stornoway Car Hire obligations
17.1. Subject to cleared payment, the vehicle will be available at the agreed time and in roadworthy condition.
17.2. If the vehicle breaks down through no fault of the driver, we may, at our discretion and subject to availability, provide a replacement vehicle where possible. We do not guarantee that a replacement vehicle will be available.
17.3. Vehicle make, model, colour, and specification are not guaranteed and may be substituted.

18. Limitation of Liability
18.1. We are not liable for any loss or damage to third parties arising from your use of the vehicle.
18.2. We are not responsible for property left in or damaged by the vehicle.
18.3. Our only liability is to replace a defective vehicle if at fault; we are not required to replace or refund for damage during hire.
18.4. We are not liable for indirect losses, including loss of profits or opportunity.
18.5. You agree that your information may be shared with third parties (e.g. police, insurers, credit reference agencies, debt recovery) to prevent fraud or recover losses.
18.6.Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes any rights or remedies available to consumers under applicable law which cannot lawfully be excluded.

19. Severability & Governing Law
19.1. If any provision is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
19.2. This Agreement is governed by Scottish law, and any legal proceedings must be brought in Scotland.

20. Variation of Terms
We reserve the right to update or amend these Terms and Conditions at any time. The version in effect at the time of your booking will apply to your rental.

21. Definitions
In this Agreement:
“We”, “us”, “our” – Island Car Hire Ltd trading as Stornoway Car Hire.
“You”, “your”, “hirer” – The person hiring the vehicle.
“Vehicle” – The hired vehicle; all supplied accessories, equipment and documents.
“Rental Period” – The period from collection to return of the vehicle.
“Agreed Start/End Time” – The confirmed collection and return times.
“Driver(s)” / “Additional Driver(s)” – Any authorised driver named on the agreement.
“Extras” – Optional add-ons requested in addition to the rental.
“Fair Wear and Tear” means deterioration arising from normal and reasonable use of the vehicle during the rental period, excluding damage caused by misuse, negligence, accident, impact, improper operation, or failure to take reasonable care.
“Price List” – Our current schedule of charges.
“Rental Cost” – The total charge for rental, insurance, and extras.
“Charges” – Additional costs including damage, fuel, late return, fines, fees, and excess mileage.
“Loss of Use” – means our reasonable loss resulting from the vehicle being unavailable for hire while repairs, inspections or assessments are carried out following damage during the rental period.
“Insurance” – Cover provided under this Agreement.
“Excess” – The amount payable by you in the event of an incident.
“Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)” – Optional cover reducing the excess.
“Vehicle Condition Report” – Record of the vehicle’s condition at collection.
“Incident” – Any accident, loss, theft, damage, or other event involving the vehicle during the rental period.
“Static Object” means any fixed, stationary or immovable object or terrain feature including, but not limited to, walls, fences, gates, kerbs, verges, ditches, embankments, rocks, trees, signs, bollards, posts, bridges, road furniture, buildings, overhead structures and any other fixed obstacle.
“Incident Report Form” – The form to be completed following an incident.
“Refund” – Any repayment due, less applicable fees.