Palmer & Martin Hire

Vehicle hire from Bishop's Stortford, near Stansted Airport

Palmer & Martin Hire is a family-run vehicle rental business operating from Unit 14 at the Twyford Business Centre on London Road in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire. The company presents itself as a one-stop shop for hire requirements and states that its fleet exceeds 120 new vehicles. Its location close to Stansted Airport is accompanied by free local collection and delivery, according to the company.

The firm describes itself as big enough to serve but small enough to care, and places customer service at the centre of its presentation. It reports more than twenty years of experience in the rental industry.

Car hire: from small hatchbacks to executive models

The car fleet covers small hatchbacks, medium and large saloon cars, estate cars and seven- and nine-seat vehicles. Executive cars are also listed as available. Among the models named on the site are the Fiat 500, the BMW 1 Series and the Volvo V60 Estate R-Design.

Van and truck rental

For van hire, the range includes car-derived vans, short, medium and long wheelbase vans, and Luton vans. Named examples are the VW Crafter panel van, the VW Transporter panel van and the Renault Kangoo van. The truck side of the business covers flatbed and dropside vehicles as well as 7.5-tonne trucks, with the Mercedes-Benz 816 Atego (box or curtain side) and the Ford Transit dropside/tipper cited.

For heavy goods vehicles, the company states that its trucks are maintained to a high standard and safety inspected every eight weeks. Some units carry additional safety equipment required for FORS, such as left-hand audible warnings and extra safety cameras.

Workshop and company history

Kelvin Palmer and Julian Martin founded the business in 1978, initially servicing and repairing cars and commercial vehicles. Van hire began in 1996, when the founders used their mechanical skills to repair and rebuild the engines of older vehicles before renting them out. The company now states that all of its vehicles are new, while servicing and preventative maintenance continue to be carried out in house in its own workshop.

Julian Martin retired in 2016 and Kelvin Palmer stepped back from day-to-day management, which passed to his sons James and Ryan, both involved in the business for more than fifteen years.

Hire conditions and insurance

• Minimum age: 21 with two years' driving experience for cars and vans; 25 for 7.5-tonne trucks, MPVs and minibuses, with special categories required for certain vehicles.
• Maximum age: 75 as standard, with the possibility of an insurance referral beyond that age if criteria are met.
• Licence checks: UK driving licences are verified through the online check code obtained from the government's view driving record service.
• Damage liability: £750 per occurrence without the Collision Damage Waiver, reduced to £250 on HGVs, £150 on vans and £100 on cars with the waiver.
• Fuel: vehicles are logged on collection and must be returned with the same amount; under-fuelled returns incur a replacement charge.
• Breakdown cover is included in the price, with the assistance number generally in the vehicle's service pack.
• Punctures are the driver's responsibility and repair or replacement charges apply, including for sidewall damage or run-flat tyres.
• Mileage is unlimited on hires under 28 days; longer hires allow 2,800 miles per 28 days (100 miles a day), with excess charged at £0.09 per mile.
• Travel abroad is permitted by prior arrangement and with additional charges.
• Parking tickets and penalty charge notices are paid by the company and recharged to the hirer with a small handling fee.

Booking and enquiries

The site provides an online booking facility alongside telephone contact for hire enquiries and questions not covered in its FAQ section.