Private motorhome hire: how it works and what to check
On peer-to-peer platforms such as Yescapa and Goboony you rent a private owner's vehicle and the platform handles the booking, the payment and the insurance. It can be cheaper, but the deposit, the vehicle's condition and who answers for problems depend on each listing.
How it works
- Yescapa describes itself as an RV rental platform between private individuals.Yescapa help centre: what is Yescapa? Owners set the rates and conditions, and the price includes the comprehensive insurance and the platform's fees.Yescapa help centre: how the rental price is set
- In 2023 Yescapa and the Dutch platform Goboony merged and share a parent company.Le Monde du Droit (5 Sep 2023): Yescapa and Goboony merger (in French) We have not been able to consult Goboony's current terms.
What changes compared with a rental company
| Aspect | What Yescapa publishes |
|---|---|
| Deposit | Held by the owner (handed over in person) or by Yescapa (pre-authorisation); the amount and method are in each listing.Yescapa help centre: the security deposit |
| Excess | Depends on the country where the vehicle is registered and where the licence was issued, and applies per incident.Yescapa owner help centre: the insurance excess |
| Reporting damage | Owner and renter must report it through the form in their account within 72 hours of the end of the rental.Yescapa help centre: what to do in the event of an incident |
| Paying for damage | On an estimate or invoice, up to the applicable excess(es).Yescapa help centre: what to pay if you damage the vehicle |
What complaints say: platform or owner?
We analysed 43 public complaints about Yescapa: 37 filed by renters and 5 by owners. Of the renters' complaints, 95% are aimed at the platform, alone or together with the owner. They are complaint platforms, so they show problems, not satisfaction. Details: Yescapa review summary and Yescapa page.
Checklist before booking with a private owner
- Read the listing's deposit amount and who holds it, and the excess for that vehicle.
- Ask the owner for recent photos of the bodywork, the roof and the interior, and check the reviews of that vehicle.
- At pick-up, fill in the check-in report together and photograph every detail: how to document it.
- If there is damage, report it through the platform within its deadline (72 hours at Yescapa) and keep everything in writing.
More: what campervan hire really costs and the deposit.
Sources
- Yescapa help centre: what is Yescapa?
- Yescapa help centre: how the rental price is set
- Le Monde du Droit (5 Sep 2023): Yescapa and Goboony merger (in French)
- Yescapa help centre: the security deposit
- Yescapa owner help centre: the insurance excess
- Yescapa help centre: what to do in the event of an incident
- Yescapa help centre: what to pay if you damage the vehicle