Any camper van owners on Goboony?

stayathomegardener · 2023-02-07T20:55:39+00:00

I've just bought a camper van and would love to talk to anyone renting theirs out on Goboony or similar as I can't use ours during peak season.

PritiPatelsMaker · 04/03/2023 08:57

Not me but hoping this bumps for you. It's something that my DSis is thinking if doing.

Original poster

stayathomegardener · 05/03/2023 23:04

Thanks, clearly not that popular!

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DeltaAlphaDelta79 · 05/03/2023 23:23

There are quite a few motorhome/campervan groups on FB. Most people on there advise against it. High insurance, wreckless customers, being unable to fulfil bookings if a hirer damages it......

PritiPatelsMaker · 06/03/2023 17:08

DeltaAlphaDelta79 · 05/03/2023 23:23

There are quite a few motorhome/campervan groups on FB. Most people on there advise against it. High insurance, wreckless customers, being unable to fulfil bookings if a hirer damages it......

That's interesting. I don't know where I saw it but I saw someone who hired one and let the kids spill a full bottle of milk in the carpet the first day

Original poster

stayathomegardener · 06/03/2023 17:17

That is quite off putting, that said I run an Airbnb so am familiar with bizarre guest antics.

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OnMyWayToSenility · 06/03/2023 17:19

I wouldn't! Also I don't want other people sleeping on my bed 🤣

Sure there was a thread on here last year about someone had hired their van
Took the tracker out and disappeared!

Campervangirl · 06/03/2023 17:28

I've got a vdub and I'm thinking about renting it out, I know someone who rents theirs out, it's not hassle free, breakages, spills etc.
They gave me the details of who they use for insurance.
Alan Boswell Group
Tel 01603 649744
Might be a good place to start, get a price, I think you also need liability insurance.

peeweechigs · 06/03/2023 17:39

I'm looking and have been asking people about renting one but can never seem to find one when I want it!

DeltaAlphaDelta79 · 06/03/2023 18:15

PritiPatelsMaker · 06/03/2023 17:08

That's interesting. I don't know where I saw it but I saw someone who hired one and let the kids spill a full bottle of milk in the carpet the first day

Show quote history

Yes unfortunately some people just dont care. I wont even lend mine to family. Its strictly ours!

PritiPatelsMaker · 06/03/2023 18:23

Just remembered where I saw it, it was 22 kids and counting!

Original poster

stayathomegardener · 06/03/2023 18:58

@peeweechigs we would rent Christmas/Easter and July/August whilst we are at home dealing with guests so it would work well in that sense.

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Original poster

stayathomegardener · 06/03/2023 19:00

Campervangirl · 06/03/2023 17:28

I've got a vdub and I'm thinking about renting it out, I know someone who rents theirs out, it's not hassle free, breakages, spills etc.
They gave me the details of who they use for insurance.
Alan Boswell Group
Tel 01603 649744
Might be a good place to start, get a price, I think you also need liability insurance.

Thanks, need to sort insurance so that's helpful.

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Original poster

stayathomegardener · 06/03/2023 19:01

OnMyWayToSenility · 06/03/2023 17:19

I wouldn't! Also I don't want other people sleeping on my bed 🤣

Sure there was a thread on here last year about someone had hired their van
Took the tracker out and disappeared!

😳

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morningstar15 · 12/03/2023 11:29

I wouldn't. It's nothing like a house. It needs to be driven about for a start - so the risks are particularly higher for damage. Especially if the driver isn't experienced with a larger vehicle, or just has the mentality of "sod it, it's not mine" when driving.

Then there's operating all the internal stuff - heating, water heating, fridge/ freezer, oven, pop-top, awning, toilet, topping the fresh water tank. Even stuff like washing the dishes - water NEVER gets tipped down the sink as it'd gunge the pipes up. Pipes that can't be cleaned in the way they can in a house as they are made of flexible plastic and will only tolerate certain chemicals. None of it is remotely straight forward!! Would I trust anyone else?! Nope. Being careless = damage, in ways you can't damage a house.

For us. We also store a lot of specific holiday stuff in our van - specific to us. I'm not talking cutlery/ crockery but outdoor and indoor games, toys, kayak, wetsuits, some outdoor shoes, toiletries, food (tinned stuff). It'd all need to come in the house. I guess if that's not an issue - then fine. Regarding soft furnishings - duvets, pillows etc. Would you use the same set as your hirers? Or would you have a separate set? Again, another consideration and extra effort. From March - November, we have ours ready to go at a moments notice. So it's stocked up with food (like tins). Beds made. Towels in there. We just need to take clothes in, valuables and do a shop. It means we will head off at a moments notice. No effort needed. This would all be more problematic if we hired it out at certain times.

Added to that, as daft as it sounds. I'm extreme emotionally attached to it. It's our holiday home on wheels. I'd be gutted if it was damaged. Not to mention the inconvenience, particularly if it is written of or requires extensive repair. Have you got somewhere locally to take it? Again, very different to a holiday let you don't use yourself!

Marma252 · 05/05/2023 12:51

Hi we just bought one this year and are renting it. It can be found at nicamperhire.com if you want to take a look. I'm build websites and do SEO so I'm hoping from next year I can cut out the middlemen like Goboony who take a fairly large cut.

We are happy with the bookings we have for this year, that said I think I have generated the most of them. Give me a shout if you want any help

Original poster

stayathomegardener · 08/05/2023 15:34

morningstar15 · 12/03/2023 11:29

I wouldn't. It's nothing like a house. It needs to be driven about for a start - so the risks are particularly higher for damage. Especially if the driver isn't experienced with a larger vehicle, or just has the mentality of "sod it, it's not mine" when driving.

Then there's operating all the internal stuff - heating, water heating, fridge/ freezer, oven, pop-top, awning, toilet, topping the fresh water tank. Even stuff like washing the dishes - water NEVER gets tipped down the sink as it'd gunge the pipes up. Pipes that can't be cleaned in the way they can in a house as they are made of flexible plastic and will only tolerate certain chemicals. None of it is remotely straight forward!! Would I trust anyone else?! Nope. Being careless = damage, in ways you can't damage a house.

For us. We also store a lot of specific holiday stuff in our van - specific to us. I'm not talking cutlery/ crockery but outdoor and indoor games, toys, kayak, wetsuits, some outdoor shoes, toiletries, food (tinned stuff). It'd all need to come in the house. I guess if that's not an issue - then fine. Regarding soft furnishings - duvets, pillows etc. Would you use the same set as your hirers? Or would you have a separate set? Again, another consideration and extra effort. From March - November, we have ours ready to go at a moments notice. So it's stocked up with food (like tins). Beds made. Towels in there. We just need to take clothes in, valuables and do a shop. It means we will head off at a moments notice. No effort needed. This would all be more problematic if we hired it out at certain times.

Added to that, as daft as it sounds. I'm extreme emotionally attached to it. It's our holiday home on wheels. I'd be gutted if it was damaged. Not to mention the inconvenience, particularly if it is written of or requires extensive repair. Have you got somewhere locally to take it? Again, very different to a holiday let you don't use yourself!

Now we have it I completely agree with all of this! Definitely will not be renting.

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Smll · 07/01/2025 22:07

Just to add to this thread about Gobbony, they are a terrible company for hirers and owners which are of no use when things go wrong.

have been renting my top of the range VW Camper out with GoBoony for over a year which despite their over inflated fees (they add them on top of the rates) I have been willing to keep going because bookings were coming in and it was an o.k earner.

Admittedly I’d only ever communicated with Go Boony in the beginning or a quick email the odd time which they are pretty good at dealing with (despite limited customer service hours!) however I hadn’t actually needed any proper help until my van was badly damaged internally and externally by a hirer last year.

First thing to say - is this happened in August 2024 and it’s mid January 2025 now and it’s still now resolved or the damage fixed. Meaning I haven’t had my van at all for 2 months as it’s been stuck in the garage waiting final agreement with Goboony insurance and it’s been damaged in total for over 5 months.

I reported this and sent images on the same day (they lost them and requested them again 6 weeks later - timed out i suspect) It then took another month of messing about to get any sort of agreement to start the work. Meanwhile i had to carry out temporary emergency repairs to be able to drive the van which I haven’t been fully reimbursed for. The final back and forth with their insurance company has taken place NOW five months later just today 7/1/25 when they have finally agreed to fix everything that was damaged.

However just when I think it’s all over as the garage finally has the work authorised and Gobbony have given me back 1/3 of my costs to keep my van on the road I get a call from the garage to say GoBoony have told the garage that I have an excess on the policy of £1000 and I am vat registered so I need to pay vat on that too.

WTF- I am totally dumbfounded I have no idea what they are talking about on any level. All I know is I rented the van out through Goboony to a hirer who took out their own insurance which I was also charged partially for. The hirer trashed it, I have been seriously financially penalised already without a van too including hiring another car and now they want me to PAY MORE!! One thing i do know is I am NOT vat registered!!!

Why why why would anyone let their van go out and have to pay £1000 excess on someone else’s policy for the damage a hirer has caused!!! A totally ridiculous risk no one would ever take!

So as of toady I still don’t have my van back and the garage are very very annoyed at me like I’m an idiot (I am to have hired it out!)
I have to contact Gooboony yet again to ask them what they hell is going on which they don’t reply at all to me unless I pester and pester.
I am still arguing with their insurance company over the worst service I have ever had in my entire life who said they uphold my complaint for poor service and I can take it to the financial ombudsman but nothing else!

To be really honest why anybody with any modicum of common sense would put themselves through such a massive hassle with this company is beyond even my wildest understanding. I am the kind of person who has no problem organising, arranging, sorting things out and used to working quite hard to achieve what’s needed but this has truly been out of this world! I can’t imagine why any sane person would do this!!! Don’t do it - perhaps there’s a better company or way but JUST DONT DONT DONT! I am not a review writer but this is one time when I wish I knew!

Funf · 18/01/2025 10:14

If you are very detached from it then go ahead. Ours cost that much and we put so much effort in to buying and keeping it I wouldn't rent it out as I feel its too big of a risk if its returned late or damaged how do you sort the next booking out as they are usually back to back?