Terms and conditions

Online Booking Terms and Conditions

We ask you to read our On-line Booking Terms and Conditions as well as our conditions of hire as you will be asked to confirm that you have read and understood these before your booking can be confirmed.

We accept responsibility for online payments and transactions.

A. Online Booking Process

The following are the main steps to making an online booking:

(1) First Step: Selection of the service
Enter your rental criteria in the online booking form including rental dates, rental locations and date of birth.

(2) Second Step: Midlands Car Hire offer
Based on the criteria you provide, Midlands Car Hire will provide you with an offer matching your needs in the form of a detailed recapitulation. The ‘offer' is legally defined as:
- a service which includes a selected vehicle category available for a chosen duration with selected options (if any)
- a rate which can be either a prepaid rate or a pay on arrival rate
- some terms and conditions.

(3) Third Step: Acceptance of the offer
You will be asked to accept the Midlands Car Hire offer.

(4) Fourth Step: Confirmation
You will then be asked to confirm this acceptance.

(5) Fifth Step: Midlands Car Hire notification
Midlands Car Hire will send you confirmation including the reservation number. The confirmation notice will include the details of your reservation.

B. Reservation constraints

Booking Date:
- we can accept bookings for same-day rental with at least 18 hours advance notice;
- we can accept bookings for rental made up to 6 months in advance.

General Minimum Rental Duration:
- The minimum rental period is 2 day. 2 day is interpreted as a period of 48 hours. Included in this 48 hour period is the time wherein you collect and return the rental vehicle.
- All rentals of less than 24 hours will be charged a full day's rate. Certain vouchers and promotional rates require a specific minimum to qualify. Please consult the terms and conditions for the promotion or voucher in question.

Maximum Rental Duration:
- we can accept bookings for maximum rental duration of 12 months.

C. Rates

Your Midlands Car Hire rental quote takes into account all mandatory charges corresponding to your reservation criteria. This quote generally includes the following items:
- Value Added Tax or any other local tax
- Unlimited Mileage, or if this is not the case, the clear number of kilometres/miles included, with the cost of each extra kilometre/mile
- Premium station surcharge
- Road tax and licence fee surcharge
- Third party liability insurance
- Collision Damage Waiver ("CDW")
- Theft Waiver ("TW")

An excess amount displayed at time of reservation indicates the maximum amount of money you are liable for in the event of damage to or theft of the vehicle. This excess amount may be waived in some countries by purchasing optional additional protection at time of rental.

The list of these charges are printed on the reservation confirmation

The rates are guaranteed for the rental associated to the confirmed booking.

Additional charges to your basic rental rate may include:
- Additional Driver charge: when there is more than one driver associated with a rental, the second, or subsequent, driver is referred to as the additional driver. There may be a charge applied for each, or all, additional drivers.
- Young driver surcharge applies.
- Premium Location / Airport / Railway Service Charge: an additional charge which applies at certain central-city, airport, or railway locations
- Any additional equipment: please review our section Special Car Equipment
- After hour service: If you pick up or return the car outside the normal opening hours, some countries may bill "after hours service". Please check at reservation and/or check out time.
- Full tank option: you have the choice of pre-paying your refuelling service.
- Damages & Theft: up to the limit of the waiver excess if this protection has been subscribed to, otherwise up to the limit of the vehicle's value.

D. Payment / Credit card

1. Payment

"Book and Pay now" - On line booking - Prepayment (payment at the time of booking):

When opting for "prepaid rate(s)" online, payment of the full estimated amount will be required at time of booking unless otherwise stated.

2. Means of payment

Payment can be made using the following means of payment:

- Credit card(s):

Credit cards usually accepted within Season Cars are "American Express", "Master card" and "Visa"

Warning: Payment using credit(s) card(s) is (are) accepted in accordance with the limits authorised by your credit card issuer;

The credit card holder (in case of a prepaid booking) must be identified as the renter (the "Main driver" to be mentioned on the rental agreement). Such person must present his/her credit card (identified with the same name) at time of "Check Out".

- Debit card(s):

Warning: Debit card(s) are NOT accepted at time of reservation or rental accept:

- "Maestro" cards issued by UK banks and for customers renting in the UK, and

- "Visa Electron" card(s) that are accepted for online payment

Warning: Customers who do not possess any other credit car in addition to the "Visa Electron" must ensure their account holds sufficient funds for the deposit to be charged at "Check-out".

- Cash/cheque:

Payments in cash:

- For domestic rental;
- For rentals of vehicles classified as "Lowest categories" (such as: "Mini" or "Economy").

Payments in cash:

- Additional references;

3. Deposit - Transaction authorisation

During the rental

At time of "Check-out":

At time of "Check-out" - after confirmation or amendment of the booking details with the customer - Midlands Car Hire estimates the amount required for authorisation and requests an electronic authorisation from the card holder's issuing bank (the "Security Deposit").

The authorisation procedure allows Midlands Car Hire to assess the final transaction amount and receive the protection of an authorisation before the start of the rental period. It confirms that the card holder's bank account is valid and within the available spending limit.

Warning: Amount of deposit depends on the local policy of the "Check out" station(s) and may vary from one branch to another. From a general perspective it may be underlined that:

- The amount of deposit usually covers:

- The vehicle rental agreement period;

- The vehicle rental rate per day including tax;

- Possible mileage charges;

- Additional equipment(s) and services customer has selected.

- The amount of deposit stays valid for the length of the rental agreement period. For rental agreements longer than thirty (30) days, a new estimated authorisation for each periodic amount is requested by Midlands Car Hire from the card holder's bank account

The amount of deposit subject to authorisation is expressly mentioned on the rental agreement.

At time of "Check-in":

If the final charged amount for the car rental services rendered is below the authorisation amount at time of "check-out" then an additional authorisation shall be requested to cover the amount due.

E. Qualification at time of rental: Documentation & age limit

For important information concerning age limits, driving licences and other requested documents, please read our General Rental Terms.

F. Changes to reservation: Modification / Cancellation Policy

Changes to reservations can only be made via Telephone and must be 24 hours prior to hire,

A cancelation fee of
a. 15% of rental applies on all cancellation prior to seven days of hire,
b. 35% of rental applies on all cancellations made within seven days of hire.
c. 100% of rental amount applies for cancellations on day of hire.

Refunds

Midlands Car Hire will provide refunds to those who are not in breach of any of our terms and Conditions.

G. Guaranteed reservation Policy

The Midlands Car Hire rental location (check out location) is required to provide, within a given period, the requested vehicle category as confirmed at time of booking and subject to the renter meeting rental requirements.

A confirmed reservation is guaranteed for one of the following periods until the closing time of the rental location on the given date:

  • For one (1) hour after the due check out time for the standard level of service,
  • For two (2) hours for the Ready service at a Ready rental location,
  • For six hours for any prepaid booking.

At airport rental locations the reservation is guaranteed - for all service levels - for one (1) hour after the actual flight arrival time if the reservation has been quoted with a flight number, subject to the following exception:

When a reservation has been quoted with a flight number and the flight has been delayed after the due closing time of the station, some Airport rental locations may remain open until the flight's arrival up to a maximum of 2 hours according to the same rules as defined above.
An after-hours charge may apply.
After the guaranteed period and prior to no-show listing
One, two or three hours (according to the service level) after the due check out time and until the reservation is listed as a no-show (closing time of the rental location ), Midlands Car Hire will make its best endeavours to provide the requested car category.

If this is not possible, an alternative will be presented to you and, if you agree, another car category will be delivered and charged (new rate may apply), subject to your meeting the rental requirements

H. Liability - Applicable Law – Competent court

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or the limitation or exclusion of liability for incidental or consequential damages. Accordingly, some of the above limitations set out in this article may not apply. In particular, nothing in these terms and conditions will affect the statutory rights of any consumer or exclude or restrict any liability for death or personal injury arising from the negligence or fraud of Midlands Car Hire. You expressly acknowledge and agree that Midlands Car Hire, its officers, directors, employees will not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or exemplary damages, including but not limited to: damages for loss of profits, goodwill, use, data or other intangible losses (even if Midlands Car Hire has been advised of the possibility of such damages), resulting from the online booking.

I. Delivery -Service

Midlands Car Hire offer a comprehensive delivery service in and around London including all major airports around London. Midlands Car Hire is not responsible for any loses (profit or losses of opportunity) that is due to circumstances out of its own control. This includes lateness due to unforeseen circumstances.

J. Privacy Policy

Please see our privacy policy.

Midlands Car Hire is the trading name of Euro Contracts Ltd., © Midlands Car Hire 2010