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Terms and Conditions of Private Hire

Our Commitment to You

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At Hearn’s Coaches, we are committed to providing safe, reliable, and professional coach hire services. When you book with us, you can expect:

  • Punctual pick-up at the agreed time and place.

  • A fully functional, well-maintained coach for your journey.

  • 24-hour emergency back-up, so you’re never left stranded.

  • Courtesy and a prompt reply to your enquiries.

  • Concise terms of hiring in writing before you travel.

  • Written or emailed booking confirmation for your peace of mind.

  • Booking security – once accepted, your booking will not be cancelled (except in cases of non-payment or breach of conditions).

  • Uniformed, professional drivers representing our company standards.

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Conditions of Private Hire

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1. Application

These conditions apply whether a contract has been made verbally or in writing.

The hirer acts on behalf of all the passengers travelling on the vehicles. If the hirer is a company, group, or partnership, an individual must be named as a responsible person. The hirer is responsible for the actions and decisions of all the passengers on board including any additional costs incurred in performing the contract, whether or not they actually travel with the party.

If the hirer is not going to travel with the party, a representative must be chosen, and the Company informed prior to the hire taking place. The Company will only accept instructions from the hirer or their nominated representative.

Where a copy of these conditions has been given to the hirer at any time, or the hirer has been advised verbally of all significant terms, making a booking will be deemed to signify acceptance of them. Where a hirer makes a booking before receiving these conditions and without being advised verbally of all significant terms, the hirer may cancel the contract without liability to the operator within 48 hours of receiving these conditions. Otherwise, the hirer will be deemed to accept these conditions.

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2. Quotations

Quotations are given on the basis of the direct route and on information provided by the hirer. The route used will be at the discretion of the Company unless it has been particularly specified by the hirer in which case it will be clearly shown on the confirmation.

All quotations are given subject to the Company having available a suitable vehicle at the time the hirer accepts the quotation. Quotations are valid for 7 days unless otherwise notified.

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3. Use of the Vehicle

The hirer cannot assume the use of the vehicle between outward and return journeys, nor that it will remain at the destination for the hirer’s use unless this has been agreed with the Company in advance. Even small variations in hire details can involve significant cost increases e.g. the need to despatch a relief driver in order to comply with legal work limitations or the securing of another vehicle and driver if a later than scheduled return affects other work to which your coach and/or driver was assigned.

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4. Route and Time Variation

The Company reserves the right to levy additional charges for additional mileage or time to that agreed. The charges will be pro-rata to the cost of the original hire or £60.00 per hour or part thereof, whichever is the higher. The vehicle will depart at times agreed by the hirer and it is the responsibility of the hirer to account for all passengers at those times. The Company will not accept liability for any losses incurred by passengers who fail to follow instructions given by the hirer.

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5. Drivers’ Hours

The hours of operation for the driver are regulated by law and the hirer accepts the responsibility of ensuring the hire keeps to the hours and times agreed by the Company. Neither the hirer nor any passenger shall delay or otherwise interrupt the journey in such a way that the driver is at risk of breaching regulations relating to driving hours and duty time. If any breach is likely to occur the hirer will be responsible for any additional costs incurred unless it is outside the control of the hirer. The calculation of any additional costs will be as in condition 4.

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6. Seating Capacity

The Company will, at the time of booking, agree and specify the legal seating capacity of the vehicle to be supplied. The hirer must not load the vehicle beyond this capacity.

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7. Conveyance of Animals

On a private hire, no animals (other than assistance dogs notified to the Company in advance) may be carried on any vehicle without prior written agreement from the Company.

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8. Confirmation

Normally, written confirmation by the Company is the only basis for the acceptance of a hiring or for a subsequent alteration to its terms.

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9. Payment

Any deposit requested must be paid by the date stated and cleared payment in full must be made before the start of the hire unless otherwise agreed by the Company. The Company reserves the right to add interest at the rate of 2% per annum above the base rate of HSBC Bank, calculated on a daily basis, from the date by which payment should have been made.

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10. Cancellation by Hirer

If the hirer wishes to cancel any agreement the following scale of charges will apply in relation to the total hire charge:

  • 10 days or more: Deposit only (if applicable)

  • 7 days or more: 50% of hire

  • 24 hours or more: 75% of hire

  • Under 24 hours: 100% of hire

All non-recoverable costs incurred by the company including, but not limited to, event tickets, accommodation, meals and third-party services (e.g. ferry bookings, Eurotunnel etc.) which have already been purchased by the Company at the request of the hirer, will be charged to the hirer, plus any administration charges incurred by the Company.

The company reserves the right to invoke cancellation charges due to inclement weather conditions as in the above.

Theatre tickets (or other such ancillary service) once purchased are not returnable and must be paid in full.

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11. 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 any action to vary agreed conditions unilaterally, the Company may, by returning all money paid and without further or other liability, cancel the contract.

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12. Vehicle to be Provided

The Company reserves the right to provide a larger vehicle than that specified at no additional charge unless any extra seats are used in which case an additional pro-rata charge will be made to the hire charge.

The Company reserves the right to substitute another vehicle (including those of other operators) or ancillary facilities for all or part of the hiring subject to such substitutes being of at least equivalent quality.

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13. Breakdown and Delays

The Company gives its advice on journey time in good faith. However, as a result of breakdown or traffic congestion, 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.

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14. Agency Arrangements

Where the Company hires in vehicles from other operators at the request of the hirer and where the Company arranges ancillary facilities such as meals, accommodation, ferries, admission tickets or any other services provided by another supplier, it does so as agent for and on behalf of the hirer. Any terms and conditions imposed by such other suppliers through the Company shall, insofar as they are supplied to the hirer, be binding on the hirer as if he had directly contracted such services and the hirer shall indemnify the Company against any loss, claim, damage or award in respect of a breach of such supplier’s terms and conditions brought about by the hirer’s action.

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15. Package Travel Regulations

If the hirer organises other elements of a package in addition to the provision of transport, the hirer may be defined as an ‘organiser’ or a ‘retailer’ for the purposes of the Package Travel, Package Holidays, and Package Tours Regulations 1992 and as such may be required to comply with the provisions of those Regulations.

In this instance, the Company cannot accept any liability that may be incurred for injury, losses or damage that it would otherwise accept under the terms of those Regulations.

The hirer accepts responsibility for establishing whether they are so defined and the Company cannot accept liability for loss or damage incurred that should have been the responsibility of the hirer if the hirer was the legally defined organiser or retailer.

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16. Passengers’ Property

All vehicles hired 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 to whether and to what extent passengers’ property is carried. Large bulky items may not be able to be carried, and the hirer should take all steps to notify the Company in advance of such requirements.

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17. Conduct of Passengers

The driver is responsible for the safety of the vehicle at all times and as such may remove any passenger whose behaviour prejudices safety or is in breach of the Public Service Vehicle (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations 1990.

The hirer is responsible for any damage caused to the vehicle by any passenger for the duration of the hire including but not limited to the removal of chewing gum or similar deposits from seats and soft furnishings. The company reserves the right to charge for any additional cleaning due to illness caused by excessive behaviour by passengers at a rate commensurate with the level of cleaning to be conducted.

Where the hire is to a sporting event, the hirer should be aware of the legal requirements relating to alcohol contained in the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol) Act 1985 (as amended) and the conditions of entry to racecourses as laid down by the Race Course Association Ltd. The Company will provide details of these restrictions on request.

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18. Complaints

In the event of 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 the hire. The Company will acknowledge all complaints within 14 days and will normally reply fully within 28 days.

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19. Notices

No bill, poster or notice is to be displayed on any vehicle without the written consent of the Company.

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20. Refreshment and Alcoholic Drinks

Other than on a vehicle fitted expressly for that purpose, food (except confectionery) and drink (including alcoholic beverages) may not be consumed on the vehicle without prior written consent from the Company.

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21. Surcharges

Once a confirmation has been issued to the hirer, providing there are 30 days prior to the departure date, the Company reserves the right to pass on increases in the cost of fuel, taxes imposed by the Governments of the UK and of other countries to be visited during the journey, road tolls, and foreign currency. No surcharges will be levied within 30 days of departure.

On notification of such surcharges the hirer may cancel the booking subject to the scale of cancellation charges shown in paragraph 10. The liability of the Company will be limited to the cost of the hire and any ancillary services supplied.

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22. Lost Property

Luggage and personal belongings are carried at the owner’s risk and the Company shall not be responsible for any property or equipment left on the coach. Any item of lost property (except consumables which will be destroyed immediately) will be held for a period of no more than 3 months following the date of travel in accordance with regulations laid down by the Road Traffic Act 1960 and the Public Service Vehicles (Lost Property) Regulations 1995.

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23. Cancellation due to COVID-19

All bookings cancelled 10 days prior to the date of travel will receive a 90% refund.

We will re-arrange your booking free of charge if you need to change your date of travel due to COVID-19 (no administration or extra booking fees).

Any hirer who makes a cancellation due to COVID-19 will still be contractually obliged to pay the cancellation fee in accordance with the Conditions of Booking at the time of the booking being made (see rates in Point 10).

However, we will allow the following adjustment to assist client requirements during this time: The 10% deposit will be held as a credit note which can be utilised against a future booking taken within 12 months of cancellation.

For all hires that incur additional costs, the hirer will still be required to pay any or all of the following that are not recoverable by the Company when rescheduling the hire including, but not limited to:

  • Driver’s costs

  • Driver accommodation costs

  • Ferry, crossing, Eurotunnel tickets

  • Theatre tickets

  • Catering costs or any other ancillary products purchased by the Company for the purpose of the hire

If the group need to self-isolate due to contracting coronavirus prior to their return journey, we will arrange your return journey at no extra cost. Same-day arrangements will, however, incur a charge and the cost of the re-arranged hire may also incur a charge.

If part of the group needs to isolate due to contracting coronavirus, the remainder of the party will travel on the scheduled return journey and we will arrange a second return journey for the isolating passengers at the appropriate time. The client will be required to pay the coach hire. All isolating passengers must provide evidence of negative coronavirus tests and all passengers must be temperature checked prior to boarding the coach.

Should a government-imposed lockdown be enforced that results in cancellation of a hire, a full refund will be given.

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24. Data Protection (GDPR)

Hearn’s Coaches Ltd will collect and process personal data (such as names, contact details, and payment information) solely for the purpose of managing bookings and delivering our services. Data will be processed in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Personal data will not be shared with third parties except where necessary to fulfil the booking (e.g., ticket providers, accommodation services) or where required by law.

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25. Health & Safety / Accessibility

All passengers must wear seat belts where fitted and comply with any safety instructions given by the driver. The hirer should notify the Company in advance of any passengers requiring mobility assistance to ensure suitable arrangements can be made. The Company reserves the right to refuse carriage if passenger safety cannot be reasonably ensured.

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26. Force Majeure

The Company shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations where such failure or delay results from events beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, severe weather, natural disasters, war, terrorism, strikes, pandemics, or government restrictions.

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27. Insurance & Liability

The Company maintains statutory insurance coverage for passenger liability. The Company’s liability for loss, damage, or injury is limited to the extent permitted by law and will not exceed the level of insurance cover in place. The Company shall not be liable for indirect or consequential losses.

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28. Digital Confirmations

Electronic confirmations, including email correspondence and e-signatures, shall be deemed legally binding and sufficient for the formation of a contract.

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29. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

 

 

REVISED AUGUST 2025

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