Some answers to common questions

 

What are the benefits of a gocampervan? Big, comfortable double beds and spacious interior design. Easy and fun to drive. Competitive rates with a friendly, professional service.

You get a fully kitted, cosy campervan with comprehensive insurance. Powered by an economical diesel engine, it will comfortably get you where you want to go. All our campervans are covered by 24 hour roadside assistance for peace of mind.

Where are you based? We are based in Dinnington Village, just 5 mins from Newcastle Airport and 15 mins from Newcastle upon Tyne. We offer FREE Pick Up from Newcastle Airport, train and bus stations.

Newcastle is a great place to start your journey, as we are close to the Northeast coast, Lake district and Scottish borders. 

What happens when I pick up my gocampervan? We give you a full explanation of how everything works as we want you to be confident before you set off. You will also have all this information in your gocampervan manual. The campervan will be inspected and you will need to sign a hire agreement.

Please allow one hour for the handover and 15 minutes for the return of the vehicle. Tea and biscuits supplied of course!

What type of van is a gocampervan?  We use the reliable Toyota Hiace, Citroen Relay and Fiat Ducato, diesel campervans.  

Are they difficult to drive? No. It’s similar to driving a car. You just need to be aware, that you have to take extra care parking as they are higher and a wee bit longer.

How many people can travel and sleep in a gocampervan? Max 4. Two adults and 2 children.

Are there any hidden costs?  We don’t have any hidden costs. All our hire rates are clearly displayed on the ‘hire rates’ page.  

What kind of power supply does the gocampervan have?  It has a dual 12 volt battery system. This means that the engine battery is separate from the leisure battery system used for internal appliances, such as lights/fridge etc. The leisure battery system will last many hours when fully charged.

Please note that the batteries only recharge when you drive the vehicle, or when it is plugged into a campsite mains supply. Since the engine battery is separate, even if you run down the appliance battery, you will still be able to start the engine and drive.

You will have the facility to plug into an external 240 volt electricity system provided at most caravan parks, so you can use normal power sockets to run night heaters and other electrical appliances.

Is it safe to drive on small narrow country roads?  Yes, in most cases, although extra care must be taken with overhanging trees and branches. The campervan must never be driven off road.

What sort of bags should I bring? Folding soft bags are easier to store. There is no storage space for cases.

Can I charge my phone or laptop? While driving, you can use the 12 volt USB socket to charge items, so remember to bring your car adapters with you. Once on campsite mains, you can plug into the normal 240 volt mains socket in the van. Our campervans are not suitable for power inverters.

What if I have a foreign driving license? All drivers must have a valid, full driving license for at least 3 years, which they must present when they collect the van.

We get people from all over the world including Australia, New Zealand, America, Canada etc. There may be a higher insurance excess depending on the licence.

I have points on my licence. Is it still possible to hire from you? Yes it is possible, but you need to inform us upon booking. We then contact the insurance company and they may add a premium to their fee, which you will need to pay.

What is the minimum age and requirements to rent a gocampervan?  You need to be between 25 and 70 years of age, have a full license and at least 3 years clean driving history; not had insurance refused or recommended not to drive by a Doctor.

Is insurance included in the price? Yes the insurance cost is included for one named driver. 

Should I book campsites in advance?  Some campsites can get busy during the summer.  If you know where you want to stay, it can’t help but to book ahead. Otherwise there are hundreds of sites dotted throughout the UK.

How do I pay my booking deposit and final balance?  Payments via credit/debit card over the phone or bank transfer. The non-refundable deposit of £150 is to be paid at time of booking and the final balance must be paid six weeks prior to the hire commencing. 

Is it possible to view the gocampervan before I book? If you are local to us, then we would recommend it. Please call first to make sure the campervan you would like is available. If you are from out of town we can assure you that all pictures are up to date and we are here to answer any questions you may have.

Is there a security deposit? There is a security deposit of £1000 in the event of any damage to the vehicle. This amount is set by the insurer and is dependent on driver age, convictions, claims and country of licence issue. Licence holders outside the UK may have a higher excess.

This must be paid by credit or debit card on pick up day and is normally returned to you within 7 working days after the hire period as long as the campervan is returned undamaged, in the same clean condition as when you picked it up and refueled to the same level.

What do I need to bring when picking up the campervan?  Please make sure the driver/s are present and that they have their driver’s licence, passport or copy of passport (or other suitable photo ID) and 2 different utility bills (less than 3 months old) with proof of address on them. A credit or debit card for the security deposit.

Where can we take the campervan? gocampervan – UK campervan hire only offer hire to England, Scottish borders (not the highlands) and Yorkshire. The campervan is NOT to be taken on a ferry or through the Channel Tunnel. 

How can we contact you?  Please use the contact us page.

Do you allow pets? Not in all campervans but yes we now have a dog friendly campervan, please enquire.

Can we take the campervan to a festival?  Please contact us.

Seat belts. Our campervans are fitted with three point seat belts. These are to be worn at all times when the vehicle is in motion. Appropriate car seats must be used for children in accordance with the law.

It is the responsibility of the hirer to fit any child seats themselves and gocampervan take no responsibility for any ill fitted child restraints or seat belts not being worn.

Smoking.  We operate a very strict NO Smoking policy in all of our campervans. Failure to comply with this will result in part or full loss of the security deposit.

The driver’s licence paper counterpart is no longer valid. Two weeks prior to your hire we require you to obtain a ‘check code’ from the DVLA website and send it to us so we can view your licence details. Go to www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence and enter your driving licence number, National Insurance number and the postcode shown on your driving licence. Select the “Share your licence information” tab and then click the “Create a code” button. You will now be shown your check code.

Please note the check code is case sensitive, can only be used once and is only valid for 72 hours. You can download and print a PDF summary of your licence, including your check code, by selecting “View, print or save your licence information”. You need to give the check code to us two weeks prior to your hire so that we can log on and view your licence details. Please be aware that failure to supply a check code will mean we wouldn’t be able to release your vehicle for hire.