Choosing between hourly and daily van hire can make a significant difference to your budget and stress levels. While hourly hire seems cheaper on paper, it often ends up costing more when tasks overrun. Daily hire provides flexibility and removes time pressure, but isn’t always necessary for quick jobs.
At North London Van & Truck Hire, we’ve helped thousands of customers across Enfield, Hertford, and North London over 30 years. We’ve seen which hire options work best for different situations, and this guide will help you make the right choice for your specific needs.
Understanding the Real Cost Difference
The hourly rate looks attractive until you factor in minimum hire periods, time pressure, and the risk of overruns. Let’s break down what you’re actually paying.
Typical Hourly Hire Costs
Most van hire companies charge £12-£18 per hour with a minimum hire period of 2-4 hours. So even if you only need the van for 90 minutes, you’re paying for the minimum period.
Example hourly hire breakdown:
- Base rate: £15 per hour
- Minimum hire: 3 hours
- Minimum cost: £45
- Fuel: Your responsibility
- Mileage: Often limited to 30-50 miles
- Extra time: Charged per hour or part-hour
If your 3-hour job takes 4 hours (and they often do), you’re suddenly paying £60 instead of £45.
Daily Hire Costs at North London Van & Truck Hire
Our daily van hire removes time pressure entirely:
What you get:
- Small, medium, or large van from £30 per day
- 150 miles included (not 30-50 miles)
- 24-hour access with our Enfield drop-off facility
- No hourly charges if tasks overrun
- Full insurance and AA breakdown cover included
- £100 pre-authorised deposit (only taken if there’s damage)
Example daily hire breakdown:
- Full day van hire: £30
- 150 miles included
- Collect Friday evening, return Saturday evening
- Use it for multiple trips without watching the clock
- Total cost: £30 (plus fuel)
The Break-Even Point
If you need a van for more than 3-4 hours, daily hire almost always provides better value. But the real advantage isn’t just financial – it’s the flexibility to complete your task properly without constant time pressure.
When Hourly Hire Makes Sense
Hourly hire works best for genuinely quick, straightforward tasks where you can be certain of the time required.
Perfect Situations for Hourly Hire
Single Item Collection
You’re buying a sofa from someone 20 minutes away. You’ve measured it, you know it fits, and you have help loading and unloading. Total time: 90 minutes maximum.
Quick Delivery
You need to deliver equipment to a client in North London. The route is clear, parking is confirmed, and you’ll be back within 2 hours.
Emergency Short-Term Need
Your car has broken down and you need to collect essential items from storage. A 2-hour window is plenty.
The Hidden Risks of Hourly Hire
Traffic Delays
North London traffic is unpredictable. A journey that should take 20 minutes can take 45 if there’s an accident on the A10 or North Circular.
Collection Delays
The seller isn’t ready when you arrive. The furniture needs dismantling before it can be moved. These 15-minute delays add up fast when you’re paying by the hour.
Parking Challenges
You can’t find parking at your destination. Circling for a space or walking from a distant car park eats into your hire time.
Underestimating Load Time
Loading a van properly – securing items, protecting them, distributing weight – takes longer than most people expect, especially if you’re not experienced.
Hourly Hire Stress Factor
The biggest cost of hourly hire isn’t financial – it’s stress. You’re constantly checking the time, rushing through tasks, and worrying about additional charges. This pressure increases the risk of accidents, forgotten items, or poor loading that damages your belongings during transit.
When Daily Hire is the Better Choice
Daily hire provides breathing room and flexibility that makes almost any van-related task easier and less stressful.
Ideal Situations for Daily Hire
House Moves
Even a 1-bedroom flat move typically requires multiple trips, careful loading, and time for unexpected issues. Daily hire means you can start early, take breaks, and finish properly without watching the clock.
DIY Projects
Collecting materials from a builders’ merchant in Enfield, making multiple trips to the tip with garden waste, or fetching flat-pack furniture from IKEA Wembley – daily hire lets you plan your trips efficiently rather than rushing.
Business Deliveries
If you have multiple deliveries across North London, daily hire provides the flexibility to plan your route, deal with delays, and ensure all deliveries are completed professionally.
Furniture Collection
When you’re collecting furniture from multiple sources – perhaps items from different family members or several marketplace purchases – daily hire lets you plan an efficient route and complete everything in one go.
Event Setup
Setting up for a market stall, wedding, or exhibition often takes longer than planned. Daily hire means you can focus on the event rather than worrying about returning the van on time.
The Real Value of Daily Hire
No Time Pressure
Start early or late, take breaks, deal with unexpected issues – you’re in control of your schedule, not restricted by hourly charges.
Multiple Trips
Our 150-mile daily allowance means you can make several trips without worrying about mileage charges. Extra miles are just 10p each.
Better Planning
Without time pressure, you can load properly, drive safely, and ensure everything is secured correctly. This reduces damage risk and stress levels significantly.
Cost Certainty
You know exactly what you’re paying upfront. No surprise charges because a task took 30 minutes longer than expected.
Comparing Real-World Scenarios
Let’s look at typical situations and calculate the actual costs.
Scenario 1: Collecting Furniture from IKEA Wembley
The Task:
- Drive from Enfield to IKEA Wembley (30 minutes)
- Park and collect flat-pack furniture (45 minutes)
- Drive to your home in North London (25 minutes)
- Unload and return van (30 minutes)
- Total realistic time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Hourly Hire:
- 3-hour minimum at £15/hour: £45
- Restricted to 40 miles (you’ll use approximately 25 miles)
- Time pressure if IKEA car park is busy or collection takes longer
Daily Hire with NLVTH:
- Full day from £30
- 150 miles included (plenty for this journey)
- Can collect other items if needed
- 24-hour access if you want to return the van next morning
Winner: Daily hire saves £15 and removes all time pressure.
Scenario 2: House Move – 1 Bedroom Flat
The Task:
- Pack van at current flat (90 minutes)
- Drive to new flat (20 minutes)
- Unload (60 minutes)
- Second trip for remaining items (2 hours total)
- Total realistic time: 5 hours 30 minutes
Hourly Hire:
- 6 hours at £15/hour: £90
- Mileage charges if over 60 miles
- Significant time pressure
- Risk of additional charges if anything delays you
Daily Hire with NLVTH:
- Full day from £30
- 150 miles included
- No rush between trips
- Can start early and finish whenever you’re done
Winner: Daily hire saves £60 and makes the move far less stressful.
Scenario 3: Quick Single Item Collection
The Task:
- Collect a washing machine from a house 15 minutes away
- Seller is ready, item is accessible
- Total realistic time: 90 minutes
Hourly Hire:
- 2-hour minimum at £15/hour: £30
- Sufficient time for this straightforward task
Daily Hire with NLVTH:
- Full day from £30
- Same price but with flexibility
Winner: Tie – Both options cost the same, but daily hire gives you flexibility to collect other items if needed.
Scenario 4: Multiple Deliveries Across North London
The Task:
- Deliver items to 4 different locations
- Mix of residential and business addresses
- Some have parking restrictions or require appointments
- Total time: 6-8 hours depending on traffic and access
Hourly Hire:
- 8 hours at £15/hour: £120
- Mileage restrictions may apply
- Stress of time pressure with multiple deliveries
- Risk of charges if any delivery takes longer than planned
Daily Hire with NLVTH:
- Full day from £30
- 150 miles included
- Flexibility to adjust delivery order based on traffic
- Can take breaks without watching the clock
Winner: Daily hire saves £90 and makes professional delivery service possible.
The Hidden Costs Most People Miss
When comparing hourly and daily rates, people often forget these additional factors:
Mileage Allowances
Hourly hire: Typically includes 30-50 miles maximum
Our daily hire: 150 miles per day included, then just 10p per mile
If you’re making multiple trips or travelling beyond your immediate area, daily hire provides far more generous mileage allowances.
Time Buffer for Problems
Flat tyre: Adds 45-60 minutes to your hire
Parking difficulties: Can add 20-30 minutes
Seller not ready: Often 15-30 minute delays
Traffic incident: Can double journey times
With hourly hire, you’re paying for these problems. With daily hire, they’re just minor inconveniences.
Loading and Unloading Time
Most people underestimate how long proper loading takes:
- Protecting furniture: 10-15 minutes
- Strategic loading to prevent damage: 15-20 minutes
- Securing items with straps: 10 minutes
- Checking everything is safe: 5 minutes
That’s 40-50 minutes of loading time people often forget to factor into hourly hire calculations.
The Value of 24-Hour Drop-Off
Our Enfield branch offers 24-hour drop-off. This means:
- Collect Friday evening after work
- Use the van all Saturday
- Return Sunday morning before lunch
- You’re not rushing to return before office closing times
This flexibility is impossible with hourly hire.
How to Decide Which Option Suits You
Ask yourself these questions to make the right choice:
Question 1: Can I Complete This Task in Under 2 Hours?
If yes, and you’re absolutely certain (no traffic risks, no collection delays, straightforward loading), then hourly hire might work.
If there’s any doubt, daily hire removes the risk and stress.
Question 2: Am I Making Multiple Trips?
Multiple trips almost always favour daily hire. The time between trips, the flexibility to adjust your schedule, and the generous mileage allowance make daily hire the obvious choice.
Question 3: Is This Time-Sensitive?
If you need to complete a task by a specific deadline (property completion, event setup, business delivery), daily hire removes the risk of time overruns causing problems.
Question 4: Do I Have Experience Loading Vans?
First-time van users always take longer than they expect. Daily hire gives you time to load properly, drive safely, and learn without pressure.
Question 5: What’s My Budget?
Counterintuitively, daily hire is often cheaper overall when you factor in realistic time requirements and hidden costs.
What North London Van & Truck Hire Recommends
After 30 years of helping customers across Enfield, Hertford, and North London, here’s our honest advice:
Choose Daily Hire If:
- Your task might take longer than 3-4 hours
- You’re moving house (any size)
- You need to make multiple trips
- You’re new to driving vans
- You want flexibility and no time pressure
- You value stress-free completion over minimum cost
Choose Hourly Hire If:
- You need a van for a genuinely quick, simple task (under 2 hours realistically)
- The task is completely straightforward with no risk of delays
- You have experience with van hire and know exactly how long things take
- You’re not making multiple trips
Our Most Popular Choice
Over 80% of our customers choose daily or weekend hire because the flexibility and lack of time pressure makes their task significantly easier. Even when hourly hire would technically be cheaper, the peace of mind from daily hire proves worth the small extra cost.
Booking Tips for Either Option
Whichever option you choose, these tips will help ensure a smooth hire experience:
Book in Advance
Weekends and peak periods (end of month for house moves, summer months) get busy. Book at least 5-7 days ahead to secure the van size you need.
Be Honest About Time Requirements
When booking hourly hire, add a buffer to your estimate. If you think something will take 2 hours, book 3 hours. You’re not charged if you return early, but you are charged extra if you overrun.
Check Insurance Options
All our hires include comprehensive insurance and AA breakdown cover. Our standard excess is £1,200, but you can reduce this to £200 for £15 per day. For longer hires or valuable loads, this provides extra peace of mind.
Inspect Before You Drive
Walk around the van with our team and note any existing marks or damage. We’ll photograph these with you so there’s no confusion when you return. This protects you from charges for pre-existing damage.
Plan Your Route
Check for low bridges (anything under 2.5m), narrow residential streets, and parking restrictions at your destination. Our ULEZ-compliant fleet means no extra charges anywhere in London, but planning your route saves time and stress.
Ask About Load Capacity
Don’t exceed the van’s maximum payload (typically 1,000-1,200kg). If you’re unsure, ask our team. We can recommend the right size van for your specific load requirements.
Special Offers and Packages
At North London Van & Truck Hire, we offer several packages that provide even better value:
Monday-Thursday Discount
Book for weekdays and receive 20% off your hire. Perfect for business users or anyone with flexible timing.
Weekend Package
Collect Friday evening, return Monday morning. Three days for the price of two weekend days. Ideal for house moves or major projects.
Long-Term Hire Discounts
Need a van for a week or more? Our long-term rates provide significant savings for extended projects or business requirements. Call 02088050011 for a custom quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is daily hire charged per 24-hour period or by calendar day?
Daily hire is per calendar day, not 24-hour periods. If you collect a van at 10am on Saturday and return it at 2pm on Sunday, that’s two days of hire. However, our 24-hour drop-off facility at Enfield means you can return outside office hours for convenience.
Can I upgrade from hourly to daily hire if my task takes longer?
If you’ve booked hourly hire and realise you need more time, call us as soon as possible. We’ll check availability and can often switch you to daily hire, crediting your hourly charges against the daily rate.
What happens if I return an hourly hire van late?
We charge additional time in 30-minute increments at the same hourly rate. Repeated lateness may result in being unable to book hourly hire in future, as it affects availability for other customers.
Do you offer half-day rates?
We don’t offer specific half-day rates, but our full day rate from £30 provides excellent value even for 4-5 hour tasks. The flexibility of not watching the clock often justifies the cost.
Can I book same-day van hire?
Subject to availability, yes. Call us on 02088050011 and we’ll check our fleet. Same-day bookings are more likely on weekdays than weekends.
Is insurance included in both hourly and daily rates?
Yes, all our hire options include comprehensive insurance and AA breakdown cover. The £100 pre-authorised deposit and excess reduction option (£1,200 standard excess, £200 with optional cover) apply to both hourly and daily hire.
What’s included in your 150-mile daily allowance?
The 150 miles per day is calculated from our Enfield branch. It covers outbound and return journeys plus your usage. For example, if you’re based 10 miles from us, you have approximately 130 miles for your actual task after collection and return journeys.
Can I hire for just a Sunday?
Yes, though weekend demand is higher. Sunday-only hire is charged at the standard daily rate. Booking in advance ensures availability.
Making Your Decision
The choice between hourly and daily van hire comes down to realistic time assessment and what you value. If saving £10-£15 matters more than flexibility and peace of mind, hourly hire can work for genuinely quick tasks.
For most situations – house moves, multiple collections, DIY projects, or anything where timing is uncertain – daily hire provides better value, removes stress, and ensures you can complete your task properly rather than rushing to beat the clock.
At North London Van & Truck Hire, we’re happy to discuss your specific requirements and recommend the option that genuinely works best for you, not just the one that maximises our revenue. We’re a family-run business built on 30 years of repeat customers who trust us to give honest advice.
Book Your Van Hire Today
Whether you need hourly flexibility or daily freedom, our vehicle fleet has the right option for your requirements.
Call us: 02088050011
Email: info@nlvth.com
Visit: 1320 Mollison Avenue, Brimsdown, Enfield EN3 7NJ (behind McDonald’s)
We’re open Monday-Friday 07:30-17:00 and Saturday 07:30-12:00, with 24-hour drop-off available at our Enfield branch for your convenience.
Looking for other vehicle options? Check our minibus hire for group travel or read more practical advice on our blog.
Need help choosing the right van size? Our team has 30+ years of experience and can recommend the perfect vehicle for your specific task. Call 02088050011 to discuss your requirements.