Where should you hire a van in the UK?

Van hire in the UK splits into three groups: the big airport-style rental brands (Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt) that also do local branch hire, business-only fleet providers such as Northgate, smaller regional chains like Practical Car and Van Rental and Easirent, and peer-to-peer apps such as Hiyacar and Turo where you rent from another driver. Prices and deposits are rarely published online in full - most sites only show a quote once you enter dates and a location. This comparison focuses on how booking, ID checks and deposits work at each one.

Last reviewed 13 September 2026

Declare an interest: GetBrent is one of the options below. Every other platform is described from its own published pages or dated independent sources, and each one is linked so you can check it.

GetBrent

This is us

Marketplace of local UK van and vehicle hire companies

Who it is for: Anyone hiring a van, minibus, tipper or specialist vehicle
How to join: Search free, no account needed; enquire or request a booking direct from the listing
Pricing: Free for customers, no booking fee - each company sets its own prices
Verification: Businesses carry a Companies House Verified badge once confirmed
Reviews: Yes - reviews come from real enquirers and are checked before they appear

Why GetBrent

+Independent local van hire firms alongside each other in one search
+Deal direct with the company, no booking fee
+Covers tippers, lutons, minibuses and specialist vehicles, not just standard vans

Source

Enterprise Van Hire

National car and van rental brand with UK-wide branches

Who it is for: Individual and business customers
How to join: Book online at enterprise.co.uk, by phone, or at a branch; pick up and drop-off within about 10 miles of a branch is offered free
Pricing: Not published - you have to contact them (Enterprise's own cost guide states the standard damage waiver excess is 1,750 to 2,250 pounds, reducible to 100 to 250 pounds with extra protection bought at time of hire)
Verification: Valid driving licence and payment card required at pickup; additional drivers must be added in branch; young driver and cross-border surcharges may apply
Reviews: Trustpilot 1.9 out of 5 from 9,469 reviews, September 2026

Strengths

+Free pick-up and drop-off within 10 miles of a branch
+24-hour breakdown assistance included in the hire fee
+One-way van hire available for an extra charge

Limitations

-No van prices published online without running a live quote
-Damage excess of 1,750 to 2,250 pounds unless you pay for extra cover
-Trustpilot rating is Poor, with the majority of reviews at 1 star

Source

Europcar

International car and van rental brand operating in the UK

Who it is for: Individual and business customers
How to join: Book online or via the app; business customers can pre-register employees to speed up paperwork
Pricing: Not published - you have to contact them
Verification: Minimum age 21 with a valid licence held for at least 1 year; young driver fees apply under 25
Reviews: Trustpilot 1.5 out of 5 from 17,314 reviews, September 2026

Strengths

+Wide van range from small panel vans up to 19 cubic metre Sprinter-type vehicles
+One-way rentals available across locations
+Daily, overnight, weekly and monthly rental options

Limitations

-No published pricing examples on the van hire pages
-Trustpilot rating is Bad, driven by a high share of 1-star reviews
-Young driver surcharges apply under 25

Source

Hertz

International car and van rental brand operating in the UK, including Hertz 24/7

Who it is for: Individual and business customers
How to join: Book online through hertz.co.uk or the Hertz 24/7 hourly rental service; a valid credit card (not debit) must be held on file
Pricing: Not published - you have to contact them
Verification: Minimum age 21; full licence details and, for many countries, passport or ID card details required; a nominal authorisation transaction is taken on the card
Reviews: Trustpilot 1.3 out of 5 from 3,137 reviews, September 2026

Strengths

+Hertz 24/7 offers hourly self-service van rental as well as standard daily hire
+Business van hire with no long-term contract required
+Hertz Gold+ members can save up to 10 percent year-round

Limitations

-Debit cards are not accepted for online payment, only credit cards
-No published pricing examples on the van pages
-Trustpilot rating is Bad, with 84 percent of reviews at 1 star

Source

Sixt

International car and van rental brand operating in the UK, with a dedicated business division

Who it is for: Individual and business customers
How to join: Book online at sixt.co.uk or through SIXT business for company accounts; pay online in advance or at pickup
Pricing: Not published - you have to contact them
Verification: Minimum age 25 for van hire; a full valid driving licence plus a passport or ID card required at pickup; underage driver fees may apply for some categories
Reviews: Trustpilot 3.5 out of 5 from 5,404 reviews, September 2026

Strengths

+Highest Trustpilot score among the big international rental brands compared here
+Long-term van hire deals available alongside short-term rental
+Separate SIXT business portal for company fleet needs

Limitations

-Higher minimum age (25) than most rivals for van hire
-No published pricing examples; quotes only available via the booking tool
-Reviews are polarised - 62 percent are 1-star despite the Average overall score

Source

Northgate Vehicle Hire

Business-only commercial van and fleet hire company, part of ZIGUP plc

Who it is for: Businesses only - not aimed at individual consumers
How to join: Contact Northgate by phone (0344 947 1710) or request a callback; choose a vehicle, add options such as livery or racking, and agree flexible or 12-48 month terms
Pricing: Not published - you have to contact them (Northgate describes 'simple, regular payments' with a minimum 1-month commitment for flexible hire)
Verification: Business account setup rather than a personal ID/deposit process; no minimum fleet size is required to start
Reviews: Trustpilot 4.9 out of 5 from 5,481 reviews, September 2026, across its UK locations

Strengths

+Very high Trustpilot score for a large fleet hire operator
+Servicing, maintenance and 24/7 breakdown cover included in the price
+Flexibility to switch vehicle type once during an agreement if business needs change

Limitations

-Not available to individual consumers - business registration is required
-No public pricing; every deal is quoted directly
-Minimum 1-month commitment, so it does not suit single-day hire needs

Source

Practical Car and Van Rental

UK regional car and van rental chain operating through local branches

Who it is for: Individual and business customers
How to join: Choose a van and dates online at practical.co.uk, then collect and complete paperwork in branch, where staff carry out a vehicle check
Pricing: Not published - you have to contact them
Verification: Not detailed on the public site; expect a driving licence check and deposit at branch handover, confirmed at the time of booking
Reviews: Trustpilot 4.0 out of 5 from 1,714 reviews, September 2026 (rated Great)

Strengths

+Higher Trustpilot score than the large international brands compared here
+In-branch vehicle handover with staff walkthrough before you drive away
+Simple 3-step online booking process

Limitations

-Smaller, more regional branch network than Enterprise, Europcar or Hertz
-No pricing, deposit or licence details published online in advance
-Availability and exact terms vary by local branch

Source

Hiyacar

Peer-to-peer car and van sharing marketplace

Who it is for: Individuals renting from other individual car and van owners
How to join: Create and verify an account on hiyacar.co.uk or the app; a UK-based team checks your licence, often the same day, then you book a vehicle in a couple of clicks
Pricing: Reported by Hiyacar's own site, September 2026: hourly rates from about 3 to 4 pounds per hour and daily rates from about 28 pounds a day for cars; simple pricing with no deposit is advertised
Verification: Licence checked by Hiyacar's UK-based team before you can book; comprehensive insurance and breakdown cover included on every trip
Reviews: Trustpilot 3.0 out of 5 from 2,956 reviews, September 2026

Strengths

+No separate cash deposit required - insurance and breakdown cover are built into the price
+Same-day licence approval in many cases
+Vehicles are sourced from owners near you rather than a fixed depot

Limitations

-Vans are not consistently listed as a distinct category - availability depends on what owners list locally
-Smaller UK footprint than the major rental brands, concentrated in cities
-Average Trustpilot score with a wide range of owner experiences

Source

Turo

International peer-to-peer car and van rental marketplace, active in the UK

Who it is for: Individuals renting from other individual hosts
How to join: Create an account on turo.com or the app, get approved to drive, then search, book and arrange pickup (including delivery in some cases) with the host
Pricing: Not published - you have to contact them (hosts set their own prices; many offer discounts for weekly or monthly trips)
Verification: Renters must be at least 21 with a UK or EU licence held for at least 1 year (or another licence held for at least 2 years); approval is usually immediate after entering licence details
Reviews: Trustpilot 4.6 out of 5 from 108,545 reviews, September 2026

Strengths

+Highest Trustpilot score of any option in this comparison, with a very large review base
+Up to 20,000,000 pounds third-party liability cover included on every trip via a Lloyd's of London policy
+Dedicated van and cargo van category with a wide range of listings

Limitations

-As a marketplace, actual van availability and price depend entirely on what hosts list in your area
-Physical damage protection has multiple tiers (Premier, Standard, Minimum) that affect your financial responsibility if something goes wrong
-Primarily a US-headquartered platform, so UK-specific support and inventory are smaller than in North America

Source

What the table actually says

•Northgate Vehicle Hire is a business-only fleet provider - it does not offer one-off van hire to individual members of the public.
•The large national brands (Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz) hold your excess protection deposit, typically in the 1,750 to 2,250 pound range unless you buy it down, according to Enterprise's own published cost guide.
•Peer-to-peer platforms Hiyacar and Turo both run their own driver approval and insurance rather than taking a cash deposit from the renter for every booking.

Every figure here was taken from the named company's own published pages on the review date shown, and is linked. Pricing and features change - check the source before making a decision. Company names are the trademarks of their owners, used here to identify the services they refer to. If you run one of these and something is wrong or out of date, tell us and we will correct it.