12/02/2023
FAQ's - if you're thinking of hiring The Duchess then we've compiled a list of frequently asked questions. Feel free to pop us a message for anything we've not covered! 🚎❤️🚎
Q. What kind of licence do I need to drive The Duchess?
A. A standard licence is perfectly fine! As long as you’re aged between 25-75 with less than 6 points on your licence (2x3 points), have 2+ years driving experience and no more than 1 fault accident/claim/incident in the last 3 years then you’re fine to drive The Duchess!
Q. Do I need to bring my own camping chairs?
A. Nope – we have that covered and will include the required number of chairs per passenger, we’ll also include the camping table too!
Q. How will I know how to work everything on-board?
A. We’ll give you a comprehensive handover when you collect the motorhome and go over everything as many times as you need. We’re also on the end of the phone day or night!
Q. Do I need to bring bedding?
A. Most people bring their own however, we can supply it for an additional cost (see price list). If you’re bringing your own remember to bring sheets, pillows, duvets, duvet cover.
Q. Do I need to stay on a campsite?
A. Absolutely not! The Duchess is fully self-sufficient to last several days off grid. The water tank holds 150 litres of water – plenty to shower, cook and clean with for several days. However, the toilet will need emptying every 2-3 days. So you can plan to stay on a site every few days or most sites will allow you to empty your grey waste (shower/sink water), toilet (chemical disposal) and fill up with water without staying on their site for a small fee.
We also recommend downloading the free app Park4Night, this will give you a map of all the free parking spots across the Country with reviews from other campers. Feel free to ask us for recommendations too!
Q. Is it too cold to ‘motorhome’ in the Autumn/Winter?
A. The Duchess is fitted with a Truma central heating system which provides the hot water and heating to keep you nice and warm in the colder weather. We also supply a couple of nice cosy throws just in case you need them!
Q. Is there a minimum hire period?
A. Yes – 3 days is our minimum hire.
Q. Do I need to pay a deposit?
A. A non refundable deposit of £150 secures your booking – any balance is due 6 weeks prior to the hire. It is also an insurance requirement that we take a £500 security deposit from the drivers account a few days before the hire – this is refunded within a few days after the hire subject to the motorhome being returned in a satisfactory condition.
Q. What’s included in the hire?
A. Unlike other companies we don’t charge extra for things like camping table & chairs, TV, BBQ, indoor and outdoor games, levelling ramps, picnic rucksack plus loads more!
Everything that you should need is included with the exception of bedding (either bring your own or we can provide some for a small surcharge), bike rack (£40 per hire). Please see our price list for full list of optional extras.
Q. Can baby/booster seats be used in the motorhome?
A. Yes they can be used in The Duchess, however, we don’t supply them. Please note that these seats must be suitable for being secured by a seat belt as ISOFIX and ISIZE car seats are not compatible with our vehicle.
Q. Do you allow dogs?
A. Small, well-behaved dogs are welcome (maximum of 2) for a small surcharge of £30 per hire to cover the additional cleaning required. Please note that dogs are not permitted on the upholstery at any time.
Q. Is fuel included?
A. The Duchess will be supplied with a full tank of diesel on collection and must be returned with a full tank.
Q. How many miles will a full tank of diesel do?
A. Roughly between 420-460 miles depending on driving factors.
Q. Can we collect the motorhome at anytime of day?
A. Collection time is usually after 2pm and drop off is by 11am to give us time to clean and get her ready for the next hire. We are very happy to be flexible on times however, this depends on same day handovers etc and cannot usually be confirmed until a few days before.
Q. The Duchess looks massive and I’m not used to driving anything that big?
A. Honestly she is a dream to drive and is just like driving a car!
Q. Do I need to supply any paperwork?
A. On booking we will provide a rental agreement which needs to be completed, signed and returned along with your booking deposit.
A couple of weeks before the hire it’s an insurance requirement that we undertake licence checks. The driver will need to supply 2 forms of ID, a copy of their licence and a code from DVLA (free) enabling us to conduct the checks. We also need to see the actual driving licence on the day of the hire.
Q. Can I leave my car with you?
A. We don’t have any secure/off road parking but there is plenty of street parking available where we live.
