Terms and Conditions
Hallmark Cars (Airport) Limited (company number 47661) who trade as and are hereafter referred to as Europcar Jersey / Channel Islands and whose registered office is Hallmark House, L'Avenue de la Commune, St Peter, Jersey is the official Europcar licensee in the island of Jersey.
Harlequin Hire Cars Limited (company number 22316) who trade as and are hereafter referred to as Europcar Guernsey / Channel Islands and whose registered office is P.O.Box 258, Les Caches, St.Martins, Guernsey is the official Europcar licensee in the island of Guernsey.
These terms and conditions, together with our web site terms and conditions of use, privacy policy and security policy constitute our agreement with you, the renter, for the services we provide in acting as a car hire company. Together, these are referred to as our terms. These terms shall apply to all contracts for the provision of our services to the exclusion of all other terms and conditions. No conduct by Europcar in the Channel Islands shall be deemed to constitute acceptance of any other terms. Acceptance of the services or signature on any agreement shall be deemed conclusive evidence of your acceptance of these terms. Europcar Channel Islands may change the terms from time to time and you, the renter, are advised to check the web site to consider any changes to the terms which apply to you. When we supply you, the renter, with vehicle hire, we are acting as the official car hire provider. Your hire of any vehicle from us is subject to the terms and conditions of vehicle hire imposed by us and to the corresponding laws of the island of the islands.
These terms apply to any booking that you, the renter, make with us on or through this web site, so you should make sure that you are aware of their contents. Some of our terms and conditions may contain exclusions and limitations of liability.
Your booking on this web site is conditional on you, the renter, accepting our terms. If you, the renter, do not agree with any part of them you must not proceed with your booking. By confirming that you wish to book a vehicle through this web site you, the renter, indicate that you have read, understood and accept the relevant terms. If there is any part that you, the renter, do not fully understand, or if you have a query about the vehicle hire or any other product, please contact us on 01534 747770 (Jersey) or 01481 239511 (Guernsey).
Minimum / Maximum Age Limitations
There are driver age limitations on certain groups - please refer to the following table.
Not all groups of vehicles listed below are available in both islands.
An additional £15.00 per day charge applies to drivers aged 81 years and over.
Vehicle group | Minimum driver age | Maximum driver age |
---|---|---|
A | 21 | 85 |
A5 | 21 | 85 |
AA | 21 | 85 |
B5 | 21 | 85 |
BA | 21 | 85 |
C | 25 | 75 |
CA | 25 | 75 |
E | 25 | 75 |
H | 25 | 75 |
M | 25 | 75 |
MC | 25 | 75 |
P | 30 | 70 |
PM | 30 | 70 |
R | 35 | 70 |
RR | 30 | 70 |
SM | 21 | 85 |
W | 30 | 70 |
X | 30 | 70 |
Y | 25 | 75 |
V | 25 | 85 |
Drivers Licence
- Renters and additional drivers must have held a full driving licence for a minimum of 12 months.
- UK residents must provide a UK licence – an international licence is not acceptable. It is a legal requirement for any non-UK citizen to obtain a UK licence if they are driving in the UK for period exceeding three months.
- An original or international driving is required if the renter or additional driver’s licence is of non-roman alphabet (e.g. Japanese).
- No refunds will be given for rentals rejected due to non-production of a driving licence or non-disclosed endorsements. If a renter is not in possession of his / her original licence due to it being renewed / updated by DVLA it is his / her responsibility to contact DVLA to obtain a suitable document verifying the renters full licence details.
Period of Hire/Daily Rate Calculation/Extensions
Hire periods are calculated on a 24-hour basis. Subject to vehicle availability at the time of your rental you may be offered a grace period of 1 hour before an extra day is charged. Should you need to extend the hire period at the end of the original rental period please notify us in advance by telephone or email. Extension payments can be made over the phone by credit card but the preferred option is to return to one of our locations to make payment and sign a rental agreement extension. Late returns where we have not been notified of a revised return time will be charged at the local daily tariff (which may be considerably higher).
What is INCLUDED in the price?
Rates include unlimited mileage, third party liability insurance, collision damage waiver, excess waiver, licences and fees, airport fees.
Licenses and Fees explained
This charge is for a combination of some or all of the following items:
- concession fees payable by the licensee to the licensor
- freight charges incurred in the shipping of vehicles to and from the islands
- vehicle licensing and registration fees
- arrival hall desk concession fees, vehicle parking and storage fees payable to an airport / harbour / hotel
- additional concession fees that may be linked to passenger arrival numbers
- airline and shipping company concessions
- rental transaction, referral and marketing contribution fees that may be payable to a referral agent or the licensor
- factoring charges payable to the licensor
- concession fees payable by the licensee to the licensor
What is NOT INCLUDED in the price?
Fuel, Personal Accident Cover, Parking and Traffic Fines, Additional Driver charges, Young and Older driver surcharges (where applicable), Baby / Booster Seats, Parking Permits / Pay Cards.
‘Freesale’
The largest number of vehicles on our fleet generally comprises of the above vehicle groups. It is our policy therefore to offer an automatic return confirmation policy to renters who select and book one of these groups as their preferred choice of vehicle via our website. Occasionally there can be limited availability and we may have to ‘close out’ some of these groups at certain times of the year, particularly during the main holiday periods. To avoid disappointment we strongly recommend that renters do not leave car rental reservations too close to the travel date.
‘On Request’
There are only a limited number of vehicles in the above groups on our fleet. Prospective renters will receive an immediate message from our website saying that the vehicle choice is ‘on request’ and that one of our car rental representatives will endeavour to make contact by email or telephone within 24 hrs to advise of the current availability. If and when the vehicle choice is confirmed the renter will be required to make full payment by credit / debit card within 24 hours of the time that availability was confirmed. Should the renter not make full payment within that period the vehicle will no longer be held on the renter’s behalf and will become available for resale. Please note that you, the renter, will not have any contract for vehicle hire at the price offered until your booking has been confirmed and the necessary payment received.
Confirmation vouchers
A car rental confirmation email or voucher must be presented to a Europcar representative on vehicle collection. Europcar Channel Islands cannot be held responsible for rentals rejected if a confirmation or voucher is not presented.
INSURANCE COVER INCLUDED IN YOUR RENTAL CHARGES
Third Party Insurance (TPI)
This is a mandatory insurance which is included in the rental charges. This covers the renter for damage to third party property and / or vehicles.
ALL PRICES IN JERSEY ARE SUBJECT TO 5% GST
Personal Accident Cover (PAC)
This is an optional insurance that will pay out in the event of disability, dismemberment or death in the event of a road accident. Further details of the level of cover offered are available on request.
Fuel Charge Policy
The policy for charging for fuel when renting vehicles in the Channel Islands with most car rental companies is factored on three specific items - approximate mileage which is calculated from fleet records, group of car / engine size and the relevant fuel prices at the time.
Europcar in the Channel Islands supplies either a HALF a tank of fuel in every vehicle irrespective of the length of hire but have a different charge for each rental period for each type of vehicle. We therefore charge for UP TO and not necessarily the MAXIMUM of HALF A TANK of fuel. It is extremely unlikely considering the size of the islands that customers are likely to use a whole tank of fuel during their stay which is why we do not offer a ‘full to empty’ option. Because there are no re-fuelling facilities available directly on site at the airport or harbour in Jersey or Guernsey previous and existing hirers have indicated that they would rather not have the inconvenience of having to fuel or refuel their vehicle at the beginning or the end of the hire period. This is why we do not offer a ‘full to full’ option and penalise clients who fail to do refill with a fuelling charge as well as applying premium fuel rates - this can be standard practice in the UK and abroad. Our method of charging therefore, and preferred by our customers, is the fairest system and you are NOT REQUIRED TO RE-FUEL THE VEHICLE before returning it. We do not refund for fuel left in the vehicle at the end of the rental period.
Additional Drivers
Up to two additional drivers may be added to the rental agreement for a small additional daily charge.
Child Seats and Special Requests
Child seats and booster seats are available at an additional daily charge. As we only have a limited number of these items it is recommended that the renter reserves these items at the time of booking.
Lost / Stolen Keys
Lost / stolen keys are chargeable if they are not returned at the end of the hire after the hirer has locked the rental vehicle. If keys are misplaced during the duration of a hire and Europcar CI are required to provide a replacement set this is chargeable immediately. A refund will be made if any misplaced keys are found during the hire period or customers who have retained keys by mistake at the end of the hire return them within 48 hours after the end of the hire period. Please take care of your hire car keys as they can be expensive items to replace and can cost anything between £50 and £200 depending on the model of the rental vehicle.
Early Returns
Unfortunately, we are unable to make refunds for vehicles returned early.
Credit Card Payment
All renters are required to present a valid debit / credit card at the time of vehicle collection to pay for fuel and any additional charges. These items cannot be paid by cheque or cash.
Credit Card Charges
Bookings made in advance by credit card and any further charges payable on collection do not incur a credit card fee.
Goods and Services Tax (GST)
In the Island of Jersey a 5% Goods and Services Tax applies to all charges. There is currently no Goods and Services Tax in the Island of Guernsey.
Making Changes to Your Booking
If You, the Renter, Wish to Make Changes to Your Booking - Reservation amendments following issue of confirmation but prior to the commencement of the rental are free of charge.
Cancellations
Cancellation Protection is available for a small additional charge. If you purchase Cancellation Protection at the time of booking and you are unable to honour your booking prior to the collection date, Europcar Channel Islands will refund all charges except the cancellation protection fee.
Without Cancellation Protection, the following refunds will apply:
28 days before start date of hire – 50% refund
8 – 27 days before start date of hire – 25% refund
0 – 7 days before start date of hire – NO REFUND
No refunds will be given for rentals ended early, late collections, no shows or cancellations made after the rental start date even if Cancellation Protection has been purchased.
Car Capacity and Vehicle Type
All vehicles are insured for a maximum number of passengers. We cannot accept liability for the vehicle reserved being unsuitable for all passengers and luggage. Please refer to the website for the maximum number of passenger allowed for each car group of vehicle. Rentals will be denied if the party size is too large for the vehicle reserved. No refund will be made if a suitable upgrade vehicle is not available. If a larger vehicle is available an upgrade surcharge will apply at the local tariff rate without discount. We are unable to guarantee a particular make or model of vehicle. The car shown on your confirmation may be substituted for an alternative similar model or upgraded vehicle.
Provision of Cars
Europcar Channel Islands reserve the right to refuse to make available a vehicle to any person considered unfit to drive or who does not meet eligibility requirements. We will not be liable for the completion of travel arrangements, nor for any refund, compensation or any other costs you, the renter, may have to pay. In the event that Europcar Channel Islands is unable to supply the vehicle requested we reserve the right to sub-contract the equivalent standard of vehicle (or higher) on your behalf or pass on your booking to another car rental operator at no extra cost to the renter.
Taking Vehicles Off-Island
Renters are not permitted to take cars off the islands to either the United Kingdom, Europe or Inter-Island.
Complaints Proceedure
If you, the renter, are dissatisfied in any way with the standard of vehicle upon collection, any rental charges or service issues it is important that you report this to us immediately whilst you are in the island. If this is a matter that the renter and Europcar Channel Islands could not resolve whilst the renter was on island the renter must then follow up the complaint by letter or email to our Customer Relations Department within 1 month of their return date. Complaints will be dealt with by Europcar Channel Islands within fourteen days of receipt of such correspondence providing Europcar in either island was first given the opportunity to rectify any customer dissatisfaction whilst the renter was in the island.
Mechanical Difficulties/Accidents
In the case of breakdown or mechanical difficulties, you, the renter, must call the local Europcar office immediately. If you, the renter, are involved in an accident, the local police and the local Europcar office must be contacted. Keep copies of all relevant documentation you are asked to complete. This may be needed if you, the renter, are likely to be involved as party to an insurance claim. Do not admit liability.
Europcar Channel Islands accepts no responsibility for and shall not be liable in respect of any loss, damage, alterations, delays or changes arising from civil strife, industrial dispute, including air traffic control disputes, terrorist activity, natural and nuclear disaster, fire or adverse weather conditions, unavoidable technical problems with transport, closure or congestion of airports or ports, cancellation of scheduled airlines and financial failure of airlines.
Terms of your Contract with Europcar in the Channel Islands
However you, the renter, choose to book, it is important to understand how and when a contract is formed. The technical steps required for a contract to be formed are as follows:
- When we quote prices over the telephone or place our services on our website we are inviting you, the renter, to make an offer for their purchase. You, the renter, do not make this offer until you do so verbally or by pressing "Book Now".
- You, the renter, have made Europcar in the Channel Islands an offer to purchase the services once you have either pressed "Book Now" or done so verbally. Europcar Channel Islands will then accept this offer when it has both received full payment and has sent you, the renter your confirmation voucher. Once done there is a binding contract between you, the renter, and Europcar Channel Islands for the delivery of its services subject to these terms.
- Europcar Channel Islands shall not be liable itself or vicariously for either a failure to perform or delay in performing any of its obligations under or pursuant to this booking, voucher, reservation, rental or terms and conditions, if and in so far as performance is delayed, hindered or prevented by force majeure, which expression shall mean any event beyond the reasonable control of the party in question. In the event that the force majeure persists for more than 14 consecutive days, Europcar Channel Islands may terminate and withdraw this booking, reservation or rental by giving 14 days notice to your, the renter's, original billing address.
Please check the web site terms of use for compliance with the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 (the "Regulations").Please note that only part of the Regulations apply to the provision of car hire services. - You, the renter, shall fully indemnify and keep fully indemnified Europcar Channel Islands from and against all losses, costs (including legal) and damages incurred by Europcar Channel Islands as a result of a breach by you of our terms.
Europcar Channel Islands provides no warranties or undertakings other than those that are expressed in our terms.
These terms are governed by the laws of either island in the Channel Islands whose courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction.