A travel checklist to save you money

It’s easy to incur extra charges when you return your vehicle to a depot, but it’s even easier to avoid them with our 10-point departure checklist…

Most campervan and motorhome hire companies’ terms of hire expect you to clean the interior of the vehicle, fuel it and empty the waste tanks/toilet cassette before returning it by the agreed date and time. To avoid charges, just make sure you understand your obligations and then leave enough time to achieve them on the day you return the vehicle.

Another good way to avoid unexpected expense is to avoid damaging the motorhome. Sounds obvious, nobody has an accident deliberately, but if you take enough care and time you won’t have an accident at all.

The vast majority of damage that we see could have been avoided if a little more time and care had been taken.

Our most obvious piece of advice is to slow down – don’t be in a hurry to drive off from an overnight pitch. If you do hurry, you could easily forget something that could end up damaging the vehicle…like an open bottle of red wine left on a counter top or an open skylight.

We provide all our clients with the ‘FMH 10-point departure checklist’. It pays, really pays, to get to know it before setting off in a motorhome or campervan in France:

Outside the motorhome:

1. Check the condition and pressure of the tyres, engine oil level, brake fluid, power steering fluid and engine coolant levels.

2. Disconnect 220-volt cable (and adapter) from the mains electricity supply.

3. Collect all motorhome belongings (220-volt cable, hose, outdoor furniture etc.). Close and lock all access locker doors (gas locker, toilet reservoir locker, table/chairs compartment).

4. Close and lock all windows & doors in the accommodation area.

5. Close and lock skylights.

Inside the motorhome:

6. Store away all belongings, kitchen equipment etc.

7. Close and lock all cupboards and drawers.

8. Lock the fridge door and switch the power supply to battery.

9. Nominate someone to guide you back if you are backing out of your parking space.

10. Check you have all members of your hire party before you set off!