Terms of service

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Herein Coach Options Limited will be known as the company. The customer will be known as the hirer. It will be deemed that The Hirer acts on behalf of ALL the passengers traveling on the vehicle/s and accepts full responsibility by himself / herself for every person in his / her party and fully agrees to the conditions of hire whether a contract has been made verbally or in writing. The booking/vehicle will be allocated to accommodate the number of passengers you have requested. The actual size of the vehicle will be at our discretion and may have more seats than ordered but will have a minimum of the number you have requested. If you need to change the passenger numbers you need to inform us as soon as possible to check that we a can change your booking. This may incur an additional charge or cancellation in accordance with these Terms & Conditions.
The company will only accept instructions from the hirer, if the hirer is not going to travel with the party, the company recommends a representative is chosen and the company is informed prior to the hire taking place. If this is not done, then the hirer must assume responsibility as follows:

1. Parking Fees & Fines. Our drivers are instructed to try to avoid parking in unsuitable locations, especially at festival sites. If a vehicle needs towing, drivers are only permitted to accept the offer of towing services from professional towing companies to avoid causing mechanical or physical damage to the coach. If the hirer instructs the driver to park in unsuitable locations the cost of towing will be charged back to the hirer. All parking fees are to be paid by the hirer. All hirers must ensure they have budgeted and planned for coach parking fees should they be required during the excursion. Hirers will also be responsible for parking fines. The hirer shall inform the driver of the correct location to park having planned this location when planning the tour. The company accepts no liability for parking fines. Due to the size of our vehicles, it may not be possible to gain access to the destination site by either physical or legal constraints. We recommend you check with the destination beforehand.

2. Route and Time Variation. Charges are from base to base from Middleton, Manchester to Middleton, Manchester unless mutually agreed. Quotations are given on the basis of the most direct route and on initial information provided by the hirer at the time of the enquiry. The route used will be at the discretion on the Company unless it has been particularly specified by the hirer (in which case it will be clearly shown on the confirmation). The Company reserves the right to levy additional charges for additional mileage or time than that agreed. All collection times and departure times are to be adhered to at all times unless agreed otherwise with the Management (not the driver). The vehicle will depart at times agreed by the hirer and the company, and it is the responsibility of the hirer to account for all passengers. The company will not accept liability for any losses incurred by passengers who fail to follow instructions given by the hirer. If there is a significant delay by the hirer and their party to leave at the agreed/designated time, the vehicle will depart to meet other transport deadlines and restrictions.

3. Use of Vehicle. The quote is for coach and driver only and is based on the details advised to us at the time of your initial enquiry and doesn't include parking, drivers’ accommodation, drivers’ meals, etc. unless otherwise agreed. The hirer cannot assume use of the vehicle between outward and return journeys, nor to remain at the destination for the hirers use unless this has been agreed with the Company in advance. All personal possessions must be taken off the vehicle and all passengers must alight the vehicle at the destination(s).
A deposit of 10%, or £150 whichever is the greater, is required to secure your booking and is non-refundable. Your booking is not secure until a deposit has been received.

4. Team Coaches. These vehicles are reserved for our sports clients yearly. If you have hired one of these vehicles and one of these clients require this vehicle on the same day, this client will always have priority. Every effort will be made into finding a suitable replacement.

5. Payment. A deposit of £150 is payable to secure the booking, your booking is not secured until the deposit is received and is due on receipt of our invoice. As we do not accept card payment via the telephone, we shall email you a WorldPay link so you can make payment. Payment in full must be received 14 days prior to travel, unless otherwise agreed with the Company, failure to do so may result in the cancellation of the hire and all deposits are non-refundable. All booking requests are made subject to these conditions and are deemed to be an offer by you to buy a service from us. A contract only comes into effect if we accept the offer by accepting your deposit or payment and issuing a receipt/invoice.

6. Breakdowns. Every effort is afforded to ensure the service ability of the vehicles. In the event of mechanical failure of a vehicle during a journey a replacement vehicle will be issued at the earliest opportunity. No refunds will be given whatsoever. No monies will be given for loss of ticket/venue costs and travel expenses of any sort. If the vehicle has to be changed prior to the booking for whatever reason a similar or alternative vehicle will be supplied at the discretion of the company. If this is unsatisfactory and the hire is cancelled a refund will be given.

7. Smoking/Alcohol/Drinks/Drugs. From the 1st July 2007 it has been against the law to smoke on board a coach. Anybody caught smoking may be subject to a fixed penalty notice and a fine up to £200 this includes Vapour-cigarettes. The sensible consumption of alcoholic drinks is permitted during a private hire of an Options coach with the exception of designated sporting events (see note below) or any hire crossing the border into Scotland, where alcohol on board a private hire vehicle is prohibited by law. However, if the driver or other employees of the Company feels that the behaviour of an individual(s) is becoming unacceptable in terms of becoming a nuisance to other passengers, the driver or other employees of the Company, or a threat to the safe operation of the private hire, we reserve the right to request no further consumption of alcohol for the remainder of the private hire. In the worst case we/the driver reserves the right to halt until the individual(s) concerned are removed from the vehicle. It is the responsibility of the hirer to monitor the sensible consumption of alcohol during the private hire however the driver will have the final say in the matter.

8. Designated Sporting Events. Section 1 (1) of the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol) Act 1985, as amended by the Public Order Act 1986 prohibits the carriage of alcohol on a PSV that is being used for the principal purpose of carrying passengers for the whole or part of a journey to or from a designated sporting event. A "designated sporting event" generally means any association football match, whether national or international. The full legal definition of "designated sporting events" may be found in the Sports Grounds and Sporting Events (Designation Order) 1985, as amended by SI 1520/1987.

9. Food & Drink. Chewing Gum, Illegal Substances are not permitted on the vehicle. Failure to comply with any of the above will result in the driver asking passengers or the party to leave the vehicle.

10. Abuse. Any passengers causing abuse either verbal or physical to any other person including passengers, members of the public or the driver, they will be asked to leave the vehicle for the benefit of the remaining party. Furthermore, in the unlikely event of any passenger being persistently abusive or causing damage to the vehicle, the Police will be informed immediately. Any outstanding part of the journey will be required to be paid for.

11. Damages to Vehicle. The Hirer shall be fully responsible and liable for any damage caused inside or outside the vehicle by the Hirer or any member of his / her party however caused. This includes incitement to ANY third party, which results in damage to the vehicle or its contents and for damage and consequential loss caused by vinyls or items attached to the coach. The Hirer will agree to be liable for the total retail cost of the repair, and the location of the repairer will be determined by the Company. In addition, The Hirer will be liable to pay the Company a fixed daily rate (determined by the Company) while the vehicle is out of commission for such repairs, plus any further incurred losses i.e. by lost bookings. Subject to the volume of damages incurred legal charges may be issued and the Police will be informed immediately.

12. Notices. No Bill, poster or notices to be displayed on any vehicle without obtaining permission from the Company.

13. The Drivers Rights. The driver reserves the right to refuse admission to any person/s who he/she considers unfit to travel in the vehicle for whatever reason. They can also refuse to continue the journey if any person behaves in a manner which may be detrimental to other people, or the vehicle and its contents. In this event no refund will be given.

14. Luggage. All vehicles hired in by the Company are subject to restrictions on carrying luggage for statutory safety reasons. The hirer accepts that the driver shall be the sole judge as whether and to what extent, passengers’ property is carried, and the hirer should take all steps to notify the Company in advance of such requirements. All luggage must be kept in the boot or side lockers on coaches and loaded by the driver. Passengers must not load any luggage under the coach and will be responsible for any damage caused if they do so. Hand luggage only is allowed in the vehicle. Walkways must be kept clear at all times in case of an emergency. Please refer to our section on acceptable size and weight of luggage. Coach Options Limited will not be responsible for any damage to luggage when loading, unloading or when in transit.

15. Items travelling in our trailer or in the vehicle storage area are not considered hand luggage and are not insured by ourselves and unless they are damaged by us we cannot accept responsibility for their loss or damage. You will need to obtain suitable insurance for these items.

16. Delays. The Company gives its advice on journey time in good faith. However, Coach Options Limited cannot be held responsible for any of the following losses, however caused and related costs and expenses arising out of any contract between us: pure economic loss, loss of profit, loss of business, loss of reputation, or loss due to force majeure evening including, without limitation, missing travel connections and missing or arriving late for events. No refunds will be given whatsoever. No monies swill be given for loss of ticket costs and travel expenses of any sort. If the vehicle has to be changed prior to the booking for whatever reason a similar or alternative vehicle will be supplied at the discretion of the company. If this is unsatisfactory and the hire is cancelled a refund will be given. As a result of any delays caused by traffic 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. At the discretion of the management part refunds may be issued in the case of severe delays caused by Coach Options Ltd. In case of airport delays customers may have to wait due to other commitments of the company.

17. We will not be responsible for any failure to perform the contract in whole or in part by reason of accident, fire, traffic congestion, extreme weather, strikes or any other cause outside our reasonable control (a ‘force majeure’ event) though every effort will be made to maintain the service contracted for.

18. Cancellation.
Cancellation of bookings will result in the customer losing their deposit.
If cancellation is within 7 days of the booking being carried out, the customer will be charged 100% of the booking total. If cancellation is within 14 days of the booking being carried out the customer will be charged 50% of the booking total.

All bookings accepted for June and July are for the original number of passengers only and cannot be changed.

Bookings made in June & July are not refundable. There are no exceptions to this condition.

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 and road conditions) or in the event of the hirer taking action to vary agreed conditions unilaterally, the Company may, by returning all money paid and without further or other liability, cancel the contract. The Company reserves the right to cancel any booking with reasonable notice.

19. A minimum valeting charge of £100 will be levied, through misuse by The Hirer from food, drink, or illness, or whatever the retail cost may be if in excess of this amount to rectify said damage caused.

20. Personal Possessions. Coach Options Ltd will not be held responsible for personal possessions left on the vehicle. We cannot be held responsible for the theft of such items, which occurs due to the negligence of any of the passengers. We strongly recommend you take out suitable insurance to cover all travel contingencies including failure to complete any part of the journey for any reason.

21. The Company reserves the right to alter prices prior to accepting your reservation. We reserve the right to increase the fuel element of our charges at any time should the price of fuel to us increase by 8% or more from that prevailing at the time the booking is confirmed, any such increase in our charges to be commensurate with any such fuel price increase to ourselves and to cover any period during which we have to pay increased prices to our fuel supplier.

22. Any attractions/hotels etc. mentioned are suggestions only and organisers should make their own enquiries as to the suitability of such destinations. The Company accepts no responsibility for costs incurred or for the quality of service received at such venues.

23. Seat Restrictions. All our vehicles are fitted with seatbelts for the safety of our passengers. It is therefore our strong recommendation that each passenger must wear a seatbelt until they have reached their final destination point and the vehicle is parked.

24. Nothing in these conditions excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence.

25. Save as otherwise provided our entire liability to you under or in connection with any contract formed under these Conditions will not in any event exceed the total contract price. Any losses claimed will be assessed separately in relation to each day during which the losses are claimed to have occurred and according to the rates payable for each such day so that our liability in respect of each day shall not exceed the total charge payable for that day. In the case of a contract for several vehicles, losses claimed will be assessed separately in relation to each vehicle and our liability in respect of each such vehicle will not exceed the total contract price payable in relation to such vehicle.

26. We reserve the right to substitute any given vehicle at any time without advance notice for operational or safety reasons.

27. Where it is not possible to use the originally quoted mode of transport, for instance no ferry spaces left, a surcharge may be necessary to complete the journey. We will discuss the options with you first.

28. We reserve the right to sub-contract the performance of any of our obligations to suitable third-party contractors but confirm we will be responsible for any acts or omissions of such persons.

29. We provide various amenities like, televisions, DVD players and sometimes satellite dishes and receivers. These are considered as free extras and not a condition of hiring our coaches and the failure of any such device cannot be the cause for termination of the contract or discount of the price. We do not provide any entertainment media games, CDs, DVDs, tapes, or smart cards. Customers are expected to bring their own and the devices are provided for their convenience. Please note that coaches are licensed by the Motion Picture Licensing Association Limited and by the Performing Rights Society.

30. Passengers are carried under the appropriate tachograph law or convention of the United Kingdom. Our drivers’ hours are regulated by law. It is illegal for our drivers to work outside these hours. If delays are caused, we will make all reasonable efforts to make time, within the law, and as common-sense dictates. We will always plan trip schedules so as to minimize the risk of delays due to drivers’ hours rest rules. However, on occasion this may be unavoidable and, in that case, we cannot be held responsible for any losses arising due to such delays unless they are due solely to Coach Options Ltd Terms & Conditions our negligence. Where possible we will plan and budget for additional drivers to cover drivers rest periods if that should be required.

31. In the UK it is not legal to exceed 6 days of driving work without a 45-hour legal break. In certain countries this rule does not apply. For safety reasons we quote on the basis of the UK rules. Our quotations may appear higher given that we operate on a safer basis and certain countries rules are not as stringent as this. (Our quotes might appear to be higher if fresh drivers need to be flown in and the old driver put up in a hotel then flown out.) the supply of a coach and driver is made on the understanding that no liability can be accepted by Coach Options Limited when a coach is required to park up by the authorities for this or other hour’s related reasons. If you wish to avoid this risk, please call in advance so the cost implications can be discussed.

32. In Germany you are required to declare and pay VAT for the distance and passengers traveling in Germany. If our drivers are stopped, they will show a combination of documents declaring you are the hirer of the coach because due to the nature of German VAT rules, the coach company is exempt from collecting VAT (16%) where the coach is hired as a whole, but the hirer is required to declare and pay it independently. This applies to all coach companies, not just Coach Options Limited.

33. If you have booked a trailer, you must insure the contents yourself. You are also responsible for any documentation relating to the contents (carnet etc.)

34. It is the hirer’s responsibility to ensure that no documentation or people illegally. Examples might be people with no work permit, merchandise with no carnet where one is required, drugs, etc. Coach Options Limited reserve the right to be compensated in full where a route diversion is required or where a vehicle is temporarily or permanently confiscated or where we are fined as a result of such an infringement.

35. It is against maritime law for any passenger to remain in any vehicle on all ferry crossings within the European Community. It is the responsibility of the hirer or their representative to inform each person traveling on a Coach Options Limited coach that they must exit the vehicle upon or before boarding the ship.

36. It is technically against the law for passengers to be lying on bunks while the vehicle is in motion on vehicles younger than 1998 in Germany, also in France, Italy, Spain, and most of Scandinavia. The customer warrants Coach Options Limited against any losses as a result of action by any such authority in the unlikely event the coach is delayed, or the company is fined.

37. In many countries it is forbidden to smoke on coaches. The hirer will ensure that no passenger smokes on the Coach Options Limited coach and will indemnify Coach Options Limited in the event that any infringer, other than a Coach Options Limited employee, is caught and the company is fined.

38. We are only licensed and insured to carry a limited number of passengers (babies count as passengers for this purpose) should be listed in the booking request and you must notify us of any changes you may wish to make to that number at any time. In certain jurisdictions it is a legal requirement that children must wear seatbelts at all times when travelling.

39. If you are a consumer, none of the conditions will adversely affect your rights as a consumer.

40. These conditions (taken together with the details in the confirmation of booking) constitute the entire agreement between you and us and supersede any previous agreement or representation between us.

41. We strive to surpass your expectations and to make your journey as pleasant as possible. If you have any special requirements, we shall be more than pleased to attempt to accommodate them for you. We hope you enjoy your experience with Coach Options Limited.

42. Customer Feedback/Complaints. In the event of a 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 14 days of the termination date of hire. We guarantee to acknowledge any such correspondence within 3 days and provide a full reply normally within 10 days. We welcome customer feedback on all our services so we can make constant improvements to our services. Should you ever find reason to complain please contact our office on 03300 531 744.

Coach Options Limited. Unit 1 Finlan Road, Stakehill Industrial Estate, Middleton, Manchester. M24 2RW