When people think of hiring a vehicle, they tend to think in terms of daily rental, or short term hire only.

The truth is that there are a wide range of hire options available for business and private users, offering the chance to rent vans for anything from a day to several years.

Vans are becoming more and more popular nowadays. The following types are in big demand:

• Minivan

• Ramped Minivan

• Conversion Van

• Lift-eqp'd Conversion Van

• Maxivan

Also people use different options when they hire van or use man with a van services in UK:

• Short Term Hire / Daily Rental - The most common type of hire. Vehicles are rented on a daily, weekend or weekly rate for a short period - typically not more than a few weeks.

• Long Term Hire - Long term hire is most commonly used by businesses that need an additional vehicle for their operations - perhaps for a couple of months, perhaps longer.

• Contract Hire - it means that you sign up to hire a van for a fixed period - typically 1- 3 years. Your contract will stipulate the maximum mileage you can do during this period, and you will probably have the option of including a maintenance contract.

• Contract Van Rental - it is a short-term alternative to contract hire. It is normally aimed at people who require a rental van for 3-12 months, or just want to use van man London service for 1 day and do not wish to be responsible for maintenance or repair costs during that time.

• Van Leasing - Leases are usually available for periods of up to 5 years and often have no mileage restrictions. During the lease you will have the option of a maintenance contract for the van and at the end of the lease you simply hand it back to the leasing company, with no hassle or obligations.

If you are driving a van for the first time or perhaps drive a van infrequently there are many differences to driving a car which you should be aware of and remember.

Van driving advice

• Be in complete control of your vehicle at all times, losing control means not being able to stop or move your van in a safe manner.

• Be aware of the size of the van you are driving, particularly the height. Take extra caution when approaching bridges and canopies and when driving under overhanging trees. Some petrol stations may not cater for the size of your vehicle.

• Large vehicles need extra room to turn, take this into consideration when approaching a tight corner. Also bear in mind the length of the van and the position of the rear of the vehicle when maneuvering.

• Make use of the increased visibility from a higher driving position and remember to use your exterior mirrors more often.

• Take tight bends slowly as tall vans can tip more easily due to their height and increased centre of gravity.

• Control your speed and never follow other vehicles too closely, vans require a much longer braking distance especially when traveling at speed, carrying a heavy load or in wet or icy weather conditions.

• Pay extra attention when reversing or parking and only attempt to do so if you are confident or when it's necessary. Ask for another person to guide you if your van has blind spots.

As conclusion I’d like to stress that you should be extra careful on the road, especially when changing lanes, the van you are driving may have blind spots. Pay particular attention for motor cyclists. Take a little extra time and care when driving an unfamiliar vehicle.