Search Q&A
One way van hire, BE to UK
Hi,
I'd like to hire a small or medium sized van in Brussels, drive back to Kent (Rochester, to be precise) to unload, then drop it off somewhere in that vicinity (Kent or London, at a push). Anyone have any recommendations, or even know if this is a possibility? Googling so far hasn't turned up much...
Many thanks for any help or advice you can give!
Even if this were a possibility, the costs involved would be greater than the cost to you of returning the van to its hirers in Brussels and then returning to the UK by, say, Eurostar.
A van (or other vehicle) hired in Belgium and dropped off in another country has to be returned to Belgium before it can start earning its keep again - and the initial hirer has to pay all the costs involved in this - including loss of opportunity - and doubtless a substantial mark-up too.
Just occasionally someone strikes lucky and asks for one-way hire when a hire company knows that a return will be required anyway, that person gets a "bargain" mark-up for the one way hire - and the hire company laughs all the way to the bank!
Simple answer.
How long before someone in Kent wants to hire a left-hand drive van?
Unlikely that you'll get a one way rental, or if you do, it will cost you a small fortune, as they'll charge you for a driver, his/her trip and time to the UK to get it back as well as petrol and the channel crossing.
An alternative that I've done before is to take the Eurostar to Ashford in Kent, pick up a van from www.ashfordselfhire.co.uk, bring it back to Brussels. Fill it up and return to the UK, drop the van back in Ashford when you're finished. It will still be significantly cheaper than trying a one way hire.
Even in one country you pay more to return car or van to different outlet. Why not simply hire someone to drive your stuff over and let them come back empty some smaller forms will do it I think alternative is hire van here or uk and do round trip as suggested.
