Hiring a van for moving house: what to check before loading

Check the van you are collecting

Compare the registration and vehicle details with the agreement. Confirm that your licence and the rental terms allow you to drive this particular van. Ask for its height, permitted load and the return arrangements; the dimensions of a model pictured online may differ from the vehicle beside you.

Check the mileage allowance, fuel requirements and whether equipment such as straps or a sack truck is included in the price. Enterprise's moving guide describes several van sizes and loading options. Check what is included in your own booking, and if the branch offers a larger van, make sure it will fit the access road, parking space and any height barriers on your route.

Photograph the empty load space

With the van safely parked and its doors secured open, take a wide view of the empty load space. Then photograph the floor, inner panels, wheel housings, the partition behind the cab and the door openings. Look for existing gouges, punctures, loose trim and damaged tie-down points. Include enough of the surrounding area to show where each mark is.

Check the lower door edges and loading sill, where boxes and furniture pass in and out. Photograph any loose equipment separately and ask staff to list missing or damaged items. If the van has a tail lift, ask for the operating instructions and a demonstration before using it.

Check the long sides and high corners

Small marks at the far end of a long van can be hard to see in a single photo. Take overlapping views along each side, then closer pictures of mirrors, wheels, bumper corners and doors. Photograph higher areas from a safe position on the ground. Ask staff to help check anything you cannot see safely.

Compare what you find with the branch's condition record and ask for missing marks to be added before departure. PickupLens retains your original photos and links the observations in your report back to them, so you can check a close-up against the wider view. Check van fittings and the load space yourself as well.

• Registration and recognisable exterior views.
• Empty floor, inner walls, bulkhead and wheel housings.
• Door edges, loading sill and visible high corners.
• Supplied equipment and any missing or damaged fittings.
• Readable mileage and fuel or battery level.

Keep the load within the van's limits

Available space and permitted weight are different things. GOV.UK explains that the vehicle's maximum loaded weight includes the van, people, fuel and load, and that individual axle limits also matter. Ask the supplier if you are unsure which limits apply. A partly empty van can still be overloaded by dense items.

Use suitable straps or other restraints, and pad furniture so it cannot scrape the van's interior as it moves. Keep access clear while loading and follow the supplier's instructions for the equipment provided. If you are unsure how to secure a heavy item, ask before setting off.

Make the return record after the final box is out

Remove belongings, check the cab and photograph the empty load space again. Repeat the views of existing marks and supplied equipment, then record the dashboard and exterior before handing back the keys. Keep any fuel receipt and the branch's return confirmation.

Use the optional return scan in PickupLens to record how you left the van. Check that uploads have completed when you have a connection, and keep the original photos. If the branch later asks about a scrape or dent, you will have the collection and return views ready to compare.