Terms of Hire for The Loamy Cape

1. Agreement to Hire

By booking a car with The Loamy Cape, you are agreeing to these rules. We aren't a massive international rental chain with thousands of pages of fine print. We are a small team of 12 people based at 15 Park Lane in Cardiff. We run a fleet of 14 executive vehicles and SUVs. When you request a quote or confirm a booking, you are entering into a contract with us. These terms are here to make sure both sides know exactly what to expect. Honestly, we prefer to keep things simple, but we need these details in writing so there is no confusion about who is responsible for what during your trip.

Our services include chauffeur-driven transfers, airport runs, and self-drive luxury SUV hire. These terms apply to all of them. If you are booking on behalf of one of our 83 active corporate accounts, it is your job to make sure the actual passenger knows our cabin rules. We started Loamy in 2017 to provide a quiet ride without the noise of a standard taxi. To keep that standard, we have to be strict about how our cars are used. If you don't agree with these terms, we won't be able to provide you with a vehicle. It is as straightforward as that.

2. Bookings and Quotes

Every booking starts with a request. Sian Roberts, our fleet manager, handles the schedule. When you send us your route, we aim to get a written estimate to your inbox within 3.2 hours during the working day. These quotes are based on the specific details you give us, like the number of passengers and the amount of luggage. If you tell us you have two bags but show up with five large suitcases, the car might not fit them. In that case, we might have to cancel the trip or send a second car at an extra cost.

A quote is not a guaranteed booking until you confirm it and we send back a confirmation email. We keep at least two cars prepped for short-notice runs, but we work on a first-come, first-served basis. If you need a car for a 9:00 AM meeting in Bristol or an early flight at Heathrow, we suggest booking at least 48 hours in advance. For urgent requests, we try to be ready in 4 hours, but this depends entirely on which of our 14 vehicles are currently valeted and fueled. We don't charge hidden booking fees. The price we send in the quote is the price you pay, provided the route doesn't change.

3. Chauffeur-Driven Service

Our drivers, including Gareth Evans, our head driver, are professionals. They will arrive 12 minutes early for every pickup. This is our standard. They will wait with the car and assist with your bags. Our drivers are there to provide a quiet environment. They won't start unnecessary conversations or play loud music. We have a clean cabin promise, which means the car will be spotless when it arrives at your door. In return, we ask that you treat the vehicle with respect. There is no smoking or vaping allowed in any of our cars. If a passenger is under the influence of alcohol and becomes a risk to the driver or the car, the driver has the right to end the trip immediately without a refund.

We know the M4 and the local lanes around Newport well. We monitor road sensors and traffic updates in real-time. If the Brynglas Tunnels are backed up, our drivers will use alternative routes like the A48 to keep you moving. However, we cannot be held responsible for delays caused by major accidents, weather, or road closures that are outside of our control. We always recommend leaving a bit of extra time for airport transfers just to be safe. If we are late for a pickup due to our own mistake, we will work with you to make it right, but our liability is limited to the cost of the hire trip itself.

4. Self-Drive SUV Hire

If you are hiring one of our SUVs for self-drive, you are responsible for the vehicle from the moment the keys are handed over. We take a lot of pride in the fact that our cars have no stickers or rental branding. This helps you maintain a professional image during site visits. Because these cars are unbranded, we expect you to look after them as if they were your own. You must have a valid UK driving licence and meet our insurance requirements. Sian will check these details before we release the car. You can pick up the vehicle from Park Lane or we can drop it at your office for a small fee.

You are responsible for any parking tickets, speeding fines, or congestion charges incurred during the hire period. If we receive a fine in the post after your hire ends, we will pass your details to the relevant authority and charge a small admin fee for the paperwork. The car will be provided with a full tank of fuel, and we expect it to be returned full. If we have to refuel it for you, we will charge the cost of the fuel plus a service fee. We don't expect you to valet the car before you bring it back, but if the interior is excessively dirty, a cleaning fee will apply.

5. Damage and Cleaning

We have a very high standard for our interiors. Most of our cars have tan or chocolate leather seats. We don't charge for normal wear and tear, like a bit of mud on the floor mats from a construction site visit. However, if the leather is torn, stained, or damaged by liquid spills, we will have to charge for the repair. Honestly, we've only had to charge for deep cleaning twice in our last 156 bookings. We want to keep it that way. If you spill coffee or a drink, please let the driver or the office know immediately so we can treat it before it sets.

For self-drive hire, we do a full walk-around inspection with you before you leave our yard. We note any existing marks or chips. When you bring the car back, we do the same inspection. Any new damage to the bodywork, wheels, or glass will be your responsibility. We suggest taking your own photos of the car at the start of the hire for your own records. If the car is involved in an accident, you must notify us immediately and get a police report if necessary. Our insurance excess is fixed, and you will be informed of this amount before the hire begins.

6. Cancellations and Refunds

We are a small business, and a last-minute cancellation means a car and a driver sit idle. If you cancel more than 24 hours before your trip, we usually don't charge a fee. If you cancel within 12 to 24 hours, we charge 50% of the quote. If you cancel with less than 12 hours' notice, the full amount is due. We think this is fair because we have likely already turned down other bookings to hold that slot for you. For long-term site visit contracts, like the one we managed for Redstone Build Ltd for 14 months, different notice periods apply as stated in your specific contract.

If we have to cancel a booking due to a mechanical failure or staff illness, we will do our best to find a replacement vehicle from a trusted local partner. If we can't find a replacement, we will give you a full refund. We don't like letting people down, and it happens very rarely. In the last year, we've maintained a 99.1% attendance rate for our weekly corporate runs. We value the trust our 83 active clients put in us and we work hard to keep it.

7. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes will be handled in the courts of Cardiff. We hope it never comes to that. Most issues can be solved with a quick phone call to David Thorne or Sian at our office. We are reasonable people and we expect our clients to be the same. We focus on getting you to your meeting or your flight without the stress, and these rules help us keep that promise every day.