NESS Drive Car Hire

Cancellation & Refund Policy

Last updated: September 2026

We understand that travel plans can change. As a small independent car hire business, when we accept a booking we reserve a vehicle specifically for the agreed rental period and may incur insurance, administration and other booking-specific costs.

This policy explains what happens if you cancel or amend a confirmed booking, do not collect the vehicle, return it early, or if NESS Drive needs to cancel the rental.

This policy should be read together with our Rental Terms & Conditions, your individual Rental Agreement, and any insurance terms applicable to your rental.

1. Cancelling a Booking

All cancellations must be made in writing. Email is acceptable.

A cancellation will take effect from the date and time that NESS Drive receives the written cancellation request.

The amount of any refund will depend on when the booking is cancelled and on any costs already incurred specifically in connection with the booking.

2. Cancellation More Than 30 Days Before Collection

Where a booking is cancelled more than 30 days before the scheduled collection date, NESS Drive will refund the amount paid, less:

• a £25 administration fee; and
• any booking-specific third-party costs already incurred by NESS Drive that cannot reasonably be recovered.

Where a bank, payment provider or other financial institution charges NESS Drive a fee specifically for making or processing the refund, the actual amount of that charge may also be deducted from the refund.

This may include an international bank transfer charge where applicable.

3. Cancellation 30 Days or Less Before Collection

Where a booking is cancelled 30 days or less before the scheduled collection date, the refund, if any, will be calculated after deducting:

• a £25 administration fee;
• any insurance premium or insurance-related charge already incurred specifically for the booking that cannot be recovered;
• any other non-recoverable third-party cost reasonably incurred specifically for the booking; and
• any actual bank or payment-provider charge incurred in processing the refund.

Insurance costs can vary according to factors including the driver, vehicle, duration of hire and the insurance products required. For this reason, NESS Drive does not apply a fixed insurance cancellation charge.

Only costs actually incurred and not recoverable by NESS Drive will be deducted under this section.

4. Insurance and Other Booking-Specific Costs

Once a booking has been confirmed, NESS Drive may arrange insurance or purchase insurance-related products specifically for that rental.

Different insurance products have different cancellation provisions. Some may permit all or part of a premium to be recovered, while others may be non-refundable.

Where NESS Drive can recover an insurance premium or other third-party charge following your cancellation, we will not treat the recoverable amount as a non-recoverable cost.

Where the amount cannot be recovered, the actual non-recoverable amount may be deducted from any refund due to you.

5. Booking Payments

Any advance payment or booking deposit paid towards the rental forms part of the rental price unless otherwise expressly stated.

A booking payment is separate from any vehicle security deposit/card pre-authorisation and from any insurance excess applicable to the rental.

Cancellation of a booking does not necessarily mean that the entire amount already paid will be refundable. The provisions of this policy will apply.

6. Changes to a Confirmed Booking

Requests to change a confirmed booking must be made as soon as possible.

Changes may include:

• rental dates or times;
• rental duration;
• vehicle;
• named or additional drivers;
• collection or return arrangements; or
• other material booking details.

Changes are subject to vehicle availability, insurance eligibility and approval.

Where a requested change requires NESS Drive to undertake additional administration, arrange new insurance, amend existing insurance or incur another third-party cost, an administration charge and any actual additional costs may apply.

NESS Drive will advise you of any applicable charge before confirming the requested change wherever reasonably practicable.

A booking amendment is not confirmed until accepted by NESS Drive.

7. No-Shows

If you fail to collect the vehicle at the agreed time without having cancelled or made alternative arrangements with NESS Drive, the booking may be treated as a no-show.

No refund will normally be provided for a no-show.

If you are unexpectedly delayed, you should contact NESS Drive as soon as reasonably possible.

8. Late Collection

Late collection does not automatically extend the rental period.

Unless otherwise agreed by NESS Drive, the original rental return date and time will continue to apply.

No refund will normally be provided for rental time lost because of late collection by the hirer.

9. Early Return

If you voluntarily return the vehicle before the agreed end of the rental period:

no refund will normally be provided for unused rental days or time.

The vehicle has been reserved for the agreed period and NESS Drive may already have incurred insurance and other costs covering the complete rental.

This does not affect any statutory rights you may have where the early return results from a matter for which NESS Drive is legally responsible.

10. Cancellation On or After the Rental Start Date

Where the hirer cancels the rental on or after its scheduled start date, no refund will normally be provided for the unused rental period.

Any insurance, damage, vehicle or other liabilities already arising under the Rental Agreement remain unaffected by the cancellation.

11. NESS Drive’s Right to Refuse or Cancel a Booking

NESS Drive may refuse, cancel or terminate a booking or rental where there is a valid and reasonable reason to do so.

This may include, but is not limited to:

• failure to meet driver or insurance eligibility requirements;
• false, misleading, incomplete or materially inaccurate information;
• failure to provide required identification, driving licence information or other documentation;
• failure to make payment when required;
• failure to comply with the Rental Terms & Conditions or Rental Agreement;
• inability to obtain or maintain the required insurance;
• reasonable concerns regarding fraud, identity, driving entitlement, vehicle security, unlawful or unsafe use;
• failure to cooperate reasonably with NESS Drive;
• threatening, abusive, intimidating, discriminatory or harassing behaviour, inappropriate language or bullying towards NESS Drive, its staff, representatives, contractors or anyone acting on its behalf; or
• circumstances where continuing the booking or rental would reasonably create a safety, legal, insurance or serious operational risk.

Where reasonably appropriate, NESS Drive may allow the hirer an opportunity to remedy the issue. However, immediate refusal, cancellation or termination may be appropriate where safety, fraud, unlawful conduct, insurance validity or serious misconduct is involved.

12. Refund Where Cancellation Is Attributable to the Hirer

Where NESS Drive has to cancel or refuse a booking because of circumstances attributable to the hirer, a full refund is not automatically due.

Any refund will be assessed according to the circumstances and may be reduced by:

• the £25 administration fee;
• non-recoverable insurance premiums or insurance-related costs;
• other non-recoverable third-party costs reasonably incurred specifically for the booking;
• actual refund transaction or bank charges; and
• any other amount properly due under the Rental Terms & Conditions or Rental Agreement,

subject always to applicable law.

13. Cancellation by NESS Drive Where the Hirer Is Not at Fault

If NESS Drive cancels a confirmed booking for reasons not attributable to the hirer, and we cannot provide the agreed rental or a suitable alternative that you accept, NESS Drive will refund the amounts paid for the rental services that cannot be provided.

The £25 cancellation administration fee will not apply where NESS Drive cancels for reasons not attributable to you.

14. Vehicle Unavailability

Occasionally, a vehicle may become unavailable because of breakdown, accident, damage or another unforeseen circumstance.

Where reasonably possible, NESS Drive will try to provide a suitable alternative.

If we cannot provide the confirmed rental or a suitable alternative accepted by you, we will refund the amount paid for the rental service that cannot be provided.

15. Security Deposits and Card Pre-authorisations

A vehicle security deposit or card pre-authorisation is not the same as a rental payment.

Where a security deposit has been taken or an amount pre-authorised and no amount is properly due under the Rental Agreement, NESS Drive will release or arrange the release of the relevant amount.

A release of a card pre-authorisation is not technically a refund because the funds may not have been collected by NESS Drive.

After NESS Drive or its payment provider releases a pre-authorisation, the time taken for the funds to become available may depend on the customer’s bank or card issuer.

16. Insurance Excess

The applicable insurance excess is separate from the rental price, booking payment and security deposit.

The amount applicable to an individual rental will be confirmed as part of the rental and insurance arrangements.

Any insurance claim, excess payment, excess reduction or reimbursement is governed by the applicable Rental Agreement and insurance documentation and is not a cancellation refund.

17. How Refunds Are Calculated

Where a refund is due, NESS Drive will calculate:

Amount paid to NESS Drive
minus applicable administration fee
minus non-recoverable insurance and third-party costs
minus actual applicable refund/bank/payment charges
= amount to be refunded

We will not deduct an insurance or third-party cost that NESS Drive has been able to recover.

18. How Refunds Are Paid

Approved refunds will normally be made by an appropriate payment method determined according to how the original payment was received and the practical arrangements for returning the funds.

Any actual bank, international transfer or payment-provider fee specifically incurred in making the refund may be deducted where permitted by law and where the cancellation is attributable to the customer.

Once NESS Drive has issued the refund, additional processing time may be required by your bank or payment provider.

19. Exceptional Circumstances

NESS Drive recognises that serious and unforeseen circumstances can occur.

We may, at our discretion, consider exceptional circumstances individually and may offer an alternative arrangement, booking credit or additional refund where we consider this appropriate.

Any discretionary arrangement made in one case does not alter this policy or create an entitlement to the same arrangement in another case.

20. Statutory Rights

Nothing in this Cancellation & Refund Policy excludes, limits or restricts any statutory consumer right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.

Where applicable law provides greater rights than those described in this policy, those rights will apply.

21. Contact

Cancellation and amendment requests must be made in writing.

NESS Drive Car Hire
Unit 4, 57 Harbour Road
Inverness
IV1 1UF

Email: nessdriveinverness@gmail.com
Telephone: 07539 413 097