G&M Direct Hire

G&M Direct Hire: PCO car hire in London and Birmingham

G&M Direct Hire is a British company dedicated to PCO (Private Hire) vehicle hire that has been operating since 2008. Its activity focuses on providing Transport for London (TfL) licensed cars to drivers on platforms such as Uber, Bolt, FreeNow and Blacklane, with the particularity that the weekly rate includes insurance, maintenance and preparation of the vehicle to operate on those apps. The company states it has served more than 6,000 PCO drivers since it opened.

Available fleet: electric, hybrid and executive models

The company's catalogue brings together more than 30 models, all electric or hybrid and compliant with London's ultra low emission zone (ULEZ). The fleet is organised into several categories:

• Electric PCO cars, with five seats and room for three suitcases.
• Hybrid PCO cars, with the same seat and luggage configuration.
• Seven-seater vehicles, aimed at higher-capacity services.
• Executive and luxury cars, for high-end journeys.
• A selection of models with a weekly rate under £230.

The company states that hire starts at £190 per week for a Nissan Leaf and can reach £300 per week for models such as the electric Tesla Model 3, the seven-seater Kia Sorento or the BMW 5 Series Executive.

Weekly hire terms

The hire model is presented as a flat weekly rate covering comprehensive PCO insurance, servicing and maintenance at company-approved garages, processing of the TfL PHV licence and setting up the vehicle for Uber. The company stresses that it applies no additional insurance surcharges or unexpected maintenance invoices, and that it does not carry out credit checks. The contract is renewable every four weeks and can be cancelled at any time. Vehicle collection can be completed in about 45 minutes, according to the company, with the possibility of collecting it the same day. It also mentions a £5 admin fee for parking penalties (PCN), which it presents as one of the lowest in London.

Rent to Own: hire with the option to own

In addition to conventional hire, G&M Direct Hire offers rent-to-own plans for drivers who want to acquire the vehicle. The process consists of choosing a car from the electric or hybrid fleet, paying a single weekly instalment that covers insurance, maintenance and licensing, and accumulating payments towards ownership of the vehicle. At the end of the agreed term, the car becomes the driver's with no additional final payments. The company states that these plans require no large deposit and no credit checks, and that the terms are flexible.

Presence in London and Birmingham

The company operates from two bases. In London, collection takes place in Park Royal (NW10), from where it serves drivers in the capital's 32 boroughs, with dedicated information pages for each of them. In the West Midlands region, it has a base in Saltley (Birmingham) from which it supplies vehicles with Wolverhampton plates, not Birmingham plates. To collect a car at this site you must hold a valid Wolverhampton PHV licence; Birmingham PHV licences are not accepted. The company markets this fleet under the name of Wolverhampton-plated PCO cars for West Midlands drivers.

Reviews and track record

The company holds a rating of 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot based on 1,526 verified reviews, according to the data shown on its site. In its presentation it highlights customers staying for periods of two and three years, and describes itself as London's most trusted PCO hire company since 2008. Its activity is complemented by a blog on industry procedures and news, such as obtaining a PCO driver licence or choosing seven-seater vehicles.

Locations and premises

Park Royal site: Unit 13, Sovereign Park, Coronation Road, London, NW10 7QP

Birmingham site: Unit 8 Mainstream 47, Mainstream way, Saltley, Birmingham B7 4SN