• info [at] mitchambellecoaches.co.uk
  • 0208 648 1590

Terms & Conditions

Terms and conditions apply whether a contract has been made verbally or in writing.

The hirer acts on behalf of all the passengers travelling on the vehicles. If the hirer is a company, group, or partnership, an individual must be named as a responsible person.

The hirer is responsible for the actions and decisions of all the passengers on board including any additional costs incurred in performing the contract, whether or not they actually travel with the party.

If the hirer is not going to travel with the party, a representative must be chosen, and the company informed prior the hire taking place. The company will only accept instruction form the hirer or their representative.

Where a copy of these conditions has been given to the hirer at any time, or the hirer has been advised verbally or in writing on their quotation documents of the terms, making a booking will be deemed to signify acceptance of them. Where a hirer makes a booking before receiving these conditions and without being advised verbally of all significant terms, the hirer may cancel the contract without liability to the operator within 48 hours of receiving these conditions. Otherwise, the hirer will be deemed to accept these conditions.

Our Quotations

Quotations are given on the basis of the direct route and on information provided by the hirer. The route used will be at the discretion of the company unless it has been particularly specified by the hirer in which case it will be clearly shown on the confirmation.  If any changes are made to this quotation, the price may be adjusted as necessary.
 
Quotations are given subject to the company having available a suitable vehicle at the time the hirer accepts the quotation.

Quotations are valid for 7 days from the date of issue, unless otherwise notified.

Quotations are given for the coach and driver only. Any additional charges will be separately identified and will be the hirer’s responsibility unless otherwise specified, including parking, road tolls and accommodation.  If any additional services are agreed, these will need to be paid at the time the deposit is paid.

Quotations made for periods greater than 4 weeks in the future may be subject to a fuel surcharge, if there is a significant rise in the net cost of fuel. The company will inform the hirer of any additional charge at its earliest convenience.

If the net cost of fuel increases significantly after making a booking, the company will inform the hirer of any additional charges at its earliest convenience.

*Brexit - Please Note
If your quotation is for outside the UK and has been costed prior to March 2019, we do not know the cost implications, if any, of Brexit on this quote, we therefore reserve the right to change, amend or cancel any part of our proposed quotation.

Vehicle Use

The hirer cannot assume the use of the vehicle between outward and return journeys, nor that it will remain at the destination for the hirer’s use unless this has been agreed with the company in advance.

Passenger Conduct

It is the drivers responsibility for the safety of the vehicle at all times, and as such may remove any passenger whose behaviour prejudices safety or is in breach of the Public Service Vehicle (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations 1990. These regulations set out certain rights and responsibilities on all parties. 

The hirer is responsible for any damage caused by any passenger for the duration of the hire. Please be advised where instances of breach in Health and Safety by children or minors occur, the parent or guardian will be responsible for their actions. In certain circumstances, this can result in a student being refused travel on school routes. Formal written warning to this affect will be issued prior to any action being taken, to allow suitable arrangements to be made.

Health and Safety is very important within our organisation, all passengers are asked to wear their seat belts whilst on the vehicle and abide by all information given and displayed. If minors are travelling on the vehicle, they must under the supervision of a responsible adult.   All children must occupy their own seat.   Infants must be transported in an appropriate car seat or booster seat. (provided by parent or guardian).

Smoking is not permitted at any time on any of our vehicles, this includes the use of substitute smoking materials such as electronic cigarettes or 'E cigarettes'. Anyone found smoking on our vehicles will be asked to disembark.

All school groups must ensure that they understand their obligations for planning, supervision, approval and preparation of pupils etc as set out in the DfES publication 'Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits ' (HASPEV). Please ensure that you have an adequate level of supervision to ensure that emergency exits on our vehicles have at least one adult staff member seated by them in case of emergency.

Alcohol must not be consumed on our vehicles without prior consent from the company. Any consumption must be in moderation and the company reserves the right to refuse passage to any passenger if he / she is viewed to present a danger to themselves, other passengers or the driver.  

Food and drink (including alcoholic beverages) may not be consumed on the vehicle without prior verbal or written consent from the company.    

We ask all passengers to collect any litter,  the driver will have black bin bags on board for this purpose.  

Cleaning of the vehicle as a result of excess mess or excess consumption (vomit or other bodily fluids) may incur a cleaning fee, up to a limit of £50.    We will request a £50.00 deposit is taken prior to your journey and refunded the next working day after your journey. 

If the vehicle hired is returned in an unsatisfactory condition and must be taken off the road to be cleaned or rectified, the charge for this will be passed back to the hirer. Please note that if a vehicle is removed from service for intensive cleaning or damage repair by customers this will incur a daily ‘out of service charge’ of £500. Further charges will be incurred for labour, chemicals and any parts required

All vehicles are fitted with spill kits, in the event of a kit being used due to sickness or injury, whether due to excess or accidental causes, the company reserves the right to charge for the use of these kits replacements.

Sporting Events

Where the journey is to a sporting event, the hirer should be aware of the legal requirements relating to alcohol, contained in the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol) Act 1985, (as amended) and the conditions of entry to race courses as laid down by the Race Course Association Ltd. Specifically 

Alcohol must not be carried or consumed on coaches to or from any Sporting Event. Police have the right to search and seize any alcohol carried by passengers.

Journeys 

The company reserves the right to levy additional charges for additional mileage or time to that agreed, if the client exceeds those stated on their confirmation or quotation documents, the charges will be pro-rata on an hourly and / or mileage basis.

The driver will arrive punctually before your specified hire time and the vehicle will depart at times agreed by the hirer, and it is the responsibility of the hirer to account for all the passengers at those times. The company will not accept liability for any losses incurred by passengers who fail to follow instructions given by the hirer.

Tolls and coach parking fees are not included in the hire charge of your coach.   Please discuss at the time of booking if you would like these added to your invoice.

Toilets on vehicles are available if pre-booked and incur an extra charge.   Please advise is at time of booking if a toilet is required for your journey.

Drivers Hours

The hours of operation for the driver are regulated by law; and the hirer accepts the responsibility of ensuring that the hire keeps to the hours and times agreed by the company. Neither the hirer nor any passenger shall delay or otherwise interrupt the journey in such a way that the driver is at risk of breaching regulations relating to driving hours and duty times. If any breach is likely to occur, the hirer will be responsible for any additional costs incurred unless it is outside the control of the hirer. The calculation of any costs will be as in condition 4.

Seating Capacity 

At the time of booking, agree and specify the legal seating capacity of the vehicle to be supplied. The hirer must not load the vehicle beyond this capacity.

Animals

No animal (other than guide dogs and hearing dogs notified to the company in advance) may be carried on any vehicle without prior written agreement from the company.

Confirmations

When you wish to accept your quotation, we ask that you send an email or contact us via phone to do so.    As soon as we receive your wish to confirm your journey with us, we will check availability and advise if we can proceed with the booking or not.      

If we have availability and can proceed, at this point we will ask for 25% deposit and payment of any ‘additional extras’ to secure your booking within 7 days.

Payments

Any deposit requested must be paid by the date stated, and payment in full must be made 14 days prior to your journey or 30 days in our peak periods (June – July). The company reserves the right to add interest at the rate of 8% per annum above base rate of the Bank of England, calculated on a daily basis, from the date by which the payment should have been made. Please note that all invoices not settled within our payment terms will be referred to our Debt Recovery Agents, Final Demand Ltd and will be subject to a surcharge of 15% plus VAT in lieu of our recovery charges.

Cancellation by the Company

In the event of any emergency, riot, civil commotion, strike, lock out, stoppage or restraint of labour or on the happening of any event over which the company has no control (including adverse weather conditions or substantial increase in the net cost of fuel) or in the event of the hirer taking any action to vary agreed conditions unilaterally, the company may, by returning all money paid and without further or other liability, cancel the contract.

Cancellation by the Hirer

The following cancellation scheme will be used in the event of cancellation by the hirer. Any cancellation MUST be confirmed in writing no later than 24hrs following notifying the company.

  • Cancellation 2 week prior to date of booking: Fee of 25% of the price of the booking, (in June and July a  50% cancellation).
  • Cancellation 7 days prior to booking: Fee of 50% of the price of the booking, , (in June and July notice period increases 75% cancellation).
  • Cancellation Less than 24 hours prior to booking: Fee of 100% of the price of the booking.

There is a minimum cancellation fee of £100 for administration, deductible from deposits paid, irrespective of cancellation notice period or to the value of any tunnel or ferry if booked on customers behalf, which we cannot refund.

Our Vehicles

We reserve the right to provide a larger vehicle than that specified at no additional charge unless any extra seats are used in which case an additional pro rata charge will be made to the hire charge.  The company reserves the right to substitute another vehicle (including those of other operators) or ancillary facilities for all or part of the hire subject to such substitutes being of at least equivalent quality and confirmed with the hirer.  

Breakdown or Delays

The company provides its advice on journey time in good faith. However, as a result of break down, extreme weather conditions or traffic congestion, or other events beyond the reasonable control of the company, journeys may take longer than predicted and in those circumstances the company will not be liable for any loss or inconvenience suffered by the hirer as a result.

Passenger Property

All vehicles hired by the company are subject to restrictions on carrying luggage for statuary safety reasons. The hire accepts the that the driver shall be the sole judge as to whether and to what extent passengers’ property is carried. Large ‘bulky’ items may not be able to be carried, and the hirer should take all steps to notify the company in advance of such requirements.

The company accepts any personal property of the hirer and their passengers on the understanding that it will take all reasonable steps to avoid loss or damage. The hirer should notify the company or the driver if items of exceptional value are to be carried on the vehicle. It is the hirer’s responsibility to minimise risk of loss when the property is left unattended.

All articles of lost property recovered from the vehicle will be held at the company’s premises where the vehicle is based, and will be subject to the current Public Service Vehicle (Lost Property) Regulations.

Complaints

In the event of complaint about the company’s services, the hirer should endeavour to seek a solution at the time by seeking assistance from the driver or from the company. If this has not provided a remedy, complaints should be submitted in writing and within 7 days of the termination date of the hire. The company will acknowledge all complaints within 14 days and will normally reply in full within 28 days.