Car rental agreement between private individuals

Published byDocMuse

The contract for letting out a passenger car between private individuals. The terms that are usually missing, and that later cause the argument, are separate clauses here: who is allowed to drive the car, how far it may be taken, whose account the fuel is on, and who pays the fines for offences committed during the term — including the ones that arrive months later.

Preview

This document is produced for you. Your answers are typed into it and the finished PDF is yours to keep.

Common questions

Who pays the fine if the ticket arrives months after the rental ends?

The renter. The contract says expressly that penalties for offences committed during the term are on their account, whenever they were served on the owner. Without such a clause the ticket arrives with the owner, who then has nothing to rely on to recover it.

Can someone else drive the car?

Only if they are named in the contract. The section on use has a field for additional drivers; a person not on it is covered neither by the agreement nor, usually, by the insurance — and in an accident that decides who pays.

What if the renter wants to take it out of the country?

The contract limits use to the stated territory and requires prior written consent to leave it. Check separately whether the insurance is valid for the countries being driven through.

Is a handover record needed alongside the contract?

Yes, and the contract provides for one both on handover and on return. It covers the odometer reading, the fuel level and the visible damage — the three things arguments later turn on.