The content of this contract is outlined below:

1. To hire one of our Chilli Campers you need to be at least 18 years old and hold a full driver licence issued in New Zealand or your country of residence – but it must be in English. If your licence is not in English, you will require an International Driver Licence to accompany your national driver licence. Please be aware that ANY person wanting to drive our rental vehicles must hold a valid driver licence throughout the rental period. Every driver further needs to sign the contract, presenting their valid driver licence, and needs to be present when the vehicle is being picked up for insurance reasons.

Please note: Upon making a booking you are required to notify us of any motor infringements or other endorsements that might affect your driver licence. For insurance reasons you are further required to disclose any disabilities of all potential drivers. Failure to do so might result in legal actions!

2. If you are planning on renting a campervan with Chilli Rentals we do require you to have spent at least one night i.e. in a hotel, hostel prior to picking up your vehicle to ensure that you are well rested and safe to drive.

3. You may use our Chilli Rentals vehicles in the North Island and South Island. However, the required pick-up and drop-off location is Auckland in the North Island.

4. You may start your hire in Auckland and drop off your campervan elsewhere in the North Island, but there may be relocation costs payable by you.

5. The cost for hiring one of your vehicles is calculated in rental days irrespective of the pick-up and drop-off time of the vehicle. Our rental days are calendar days!

6. A deposit of 20% of the total agreed hire cost or a minimum of NZ$450 is required at the time of booking. Your booking is not secured until the deposit is paid. A non-refundable booking fee of NZ$150 is further applied to each booking. The remaining balance is due upon vehicle pick-up and needs to be paid in cash or via credit card.

7. Chilli Rentals reserves the right to retain a NZ$600 deposit for 6 weeks after the end of your hire period to settle any fines or tickets issued by local authorities and police. We will return this deposit to you if there is no claim within the stated period of time.

8. The exchange rate for returning your bond will be determined on the day we receive your payment in our German Chilli Rentals bank account (only applicable if you are using the Euro account).

9. If you are returning the vehicle earlier than the agreed rental period for personal reasons we cannot refund your money. The rental price will need to be paid in full.

10. Should you decide to extend your rental period after already having hired a vehicle please use our online booking tool to do so. We can’t guarantee an extension is possible as it depends on vehicle availability. Please contact us immediately if you have any questions as any extension of your rental period needs to be approved by us. We will disclose any costs related to any such extension prior to your booking. You will need to pay these additional costs during your rental period or upon returning the vehicle at the very latest.

11. When you hire a Chilli Rentals vehicle you agree to:

• NOT use it for irresponsible or unsafe driving
• NOT drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• NOT leave it unattended with the key still in the ignition
• NOT cause damage to the vehicle due to(a) submerging it in water(b) submerging it in saltwater(c) crossing rivers or streams(d) driving through flooded terrain(e) driving along the beach
• NOT use our vehicles in any illegal manner, nor for racing, in rallies or other competitions
• NOT use our vehicles for towing other vehicles or trailers
• NOT transport people or goods in exchange for money
• NOT transport more people than legally allowed or mentioned in the vehicle’s owner manual* or agreed to in this contract
• NOT transport volatile liquids, gases, explosives or any other corrosive or easily flammable materials
• NOT transport goods that exceed the legal total weight for the vehicle provided
• NOT smoke in our vehicles – our entire fleet is non-smoking
• NOT using the awning* as a storm or rain protection. The awning usage is just for sun protection and has to be retracted every night!

Please note: Using any sharp objects that are part of the Chilli Rentals equipment such as knives is at your own risk!

12. Bookings with Chilli Rentals are made by vehicle category rather than make or model. We always aim to provide you with a vehicle in the category of your choice. However, Chilli Rentals reserves the right to provide a different vehicle without notice should the one you have booked be unavailable due to unforeseen circumstances. The replacement vehicle will be as similar as possible to the one you originally booked. We will decide case by case whether a compensation is appropriate. Should you voluntarily opt for a smaller vehicle category, you forfeit the right to be compensated.

13. In case of suspected violation of this contract or damage caused to any of our vehicles Chilli Rentals reserves the right to immediately withdraw any vehicle from its customers. Any such withdrawal will be without inhibition on the part of the rental agent as well as the customer.

*Not available in every camper.

Once we have arranged a date and time for you to pick up your vehicle from our depot, we kindly ask you to stick to those times as we may have other customers waiting. Any unexpected delays can cause unwanted issues for you and others.

To finalize your sale or rental agreement you need to bring the following documents when picking up your vehicle:

• valid passport
• valid international AND national driver licence
• proof of your travel and health insurance
• a printout of the vehicle you requested when booking
• printed Pre-Sale receipt which you received via email upon successfully making your down payment
• sufficient cash to pay for your vehicle or a valid credit card which has sufficient funds and NO limit due to security deposits

Please be aware that the process of handing over your vehicle can take up to 2 hours and can only be done at our depot in Auckland-Manukau between 10am and 3pm on the day arranged.

If you decide to collect your vehicle later than the arranged pick-up time you are not entitled to a refund of any lost rental time!

NOTE: Before removing your vehicle from our yard it is your responsibility to ensure everything is according to your wishes. Should you notice anything different than what we had previously agreed on, or find any faults or damage on the vehicle you need to let us know straight away so we can either give you a refund or arrange for  different vehicle. We are unable to give refunds later on for any faults or damages that were not communicated with us as soon as they are discovered.

When we hand over your vehicle it will have a full tank. Please be advised that you need to pay for any petrol/diesel during your trip yourself!

Vehicle drop off has to be made between 10am and 2pm. If the vehicle is returned late by up to an hour we charge another half day of the rental fee. If vehicle drop off occurs after more than 1 hour up to 4 hours delay another full day is charged. If the hirer fails to notify us of any late returns beforehand and makes no contact with Chilli Rentals we reserve the right to report the vehicle as stolen. Any subsequent charges and costs will be taken off the bond.

When you return your camper to us at the end of your hire period it must meet the following requirements in order for your bond to be refunded:

• be returned on time at the arranged location – usually at our depot in Manukau unless previously arranged otherwise ($1000 fine applies if contract is breached)
• be in a fully clean condition – inside and outside ($100 to $300 fine applies if the vehicle needs to be commercially cleaned, this includes cleaning off dust and getting rid of smoke odour!)
• have all of the original equipment intact (if anything is missing or broken we will apply a charge depending on the type of equipment – please let us know if anything is broken so we can fix it rather than passing a faulty vehicle on to the next customer!)
• not be damaged or have been involved in an accident
• be without liability to any third party
• have a full tank of fuel (petrol or diesel depending on vehicle type, if vehicle is returned with an empty tank we will charge you for refilling plus a $20 service fee)
• have all traffic offences paid for (in New Zealand tickets are issued per car, not per driver) – any offences that subsequently arrive at our office will be deducted from your bond. You will be notified of this and a copy of the infringement notice will be forwarded to you upon request. In addition to the traffic offence we will charge a $35 service fee. Note: Should the total of all fines, parking tickets and similar that you have accumulated during your trip amount to more than the bond you have paid, then we will invoice you the entire amount with our final invoice 6 weeks after you have returned the vehicle.
• have all toll road charges paid for – otherwise any outstanding amount will be deducted from your bond and an additional $20 service fee charged

If you decide to return your vehicle prior to the arranged date/time you will not be entitled to a refund of any lost or unused rental time!

1. up to 30 days prior to your pick up of the camper – 50% of your deposit forfeited
2. within 30 days of your camper pick up – 100% of your deposit forfeited. All hire costs are to be paid in full prior to you taking the Chilli Camper.

Note: In case of a no-show or you not turning up at the arranged pick-up time without prior notice you will loose your deposit! The same applies if you chose to make use of our Pre-Sale Option. No-shows result in the loss of your deposit.

Note: We reserve the right to cancel any pre-sale contract in the event of any abusive behaviour towards Chilli Rentals and their staff.

This excess is covered by your bond. The excess is secured by an imprint of your bond and will be debited if you fail to observe the conditions of hire or are involved in an accident. When you hire a campervan you may reduce this excess by paying a set fee for each day of the duration of hire. This total charge must be paid at the commencement of the hire. For more details please refer to our Insurance Terms and Conditions.

Our insurance does NOT cover:

• driving on Ninety Mile Beach Road (Northland), Skippers Road (Queenstown), Ball Hut Road (Mt. Cook), Bluff Road (zwischen Kuaotunu und Matarangi) and north of Colville Township (Coromandel Peninsula) or any beach or rough terrain and any other road that is deemed unsuitable from time to time by local or territorial authorities and posted as such by them – for instance after heavy rain
• damage caused by submersion whether salt or fresh water and however caused
• tire and windscreen damage however caused
• damage caused while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• rescue costs associated with being bogged down or stranded
• mechanical damage caused by failure to check engine oil, water levels and other vital levels indicated by visible or audible warnings
• willful damage by you or other parties
• damage caused by improper use of the vehicle (for instance driving while the brake is still engaged) or grossly negligent behaviour while driving (for instance speeding)
• loss of valuables
• loss of documents (passport)
• loss of car keys
• damage caused by unregistered drivers without a valid driver licence
• damage caused by using the wrong fuel type (petrol/diesel) or by contaminating the fuel with biofuel or water
• damage or loss to the vehicle interior and equipment provided such as linen, cooking utensils, camping gear and similar

PLEASE NOTE: Although you are legally allowed to drive on most beaches and waterways in New Zealand, no vehicle rented or sold by Chilli Rentals should be taken near or into the water. Doing so can cause major damage to the vehicle or even cause breakdowns which are NOT covered by our comprehensive insurance package. Any damage or loss of the vehicle caused by you driving it on a beach or waterway will have to be dealt with at your own expense.

IMPORTANT: A vehicle turnover caused by the vehicle rolling, tipping or toppling over is being handled as careless driving by us and our insurance company! Any damage caused to the side or roof of the vehicle will be charged with a $7500 excess as well as all related costs. Tipping over due to strong wind is excluded from this clause.

Please ensure that you have a comprehensive travel and health insurance before entering New Zealand. This will help avoiding unnecessary costs and stress in case of injuries/accidents/illness, theft and other unforeseen circumstances.

Remember to NOT leave any valuables in the car when you’re out and about! Remember to remove items such as the tourism radio and GPS out of sight when parking your vehicle. If your car gets broken into because you have left any valuable items in plain sight it is your responsibility to replace them and pay for any related damage as this is not covered by our insurance. 

PLEASE NOTE: With any vehicle that has the tent installed on top of the car roof there is a risk of falling. Never leave toddlers and children unattended while inside the tent. Accidents at this height might also occur while under the influence of alcohol. Chilli Rentals is not liable for such injuries.

Any repairs deemed necessary by AA or their agents in excess of NZ$50 AND deemed by them to be our responsibility will require our authorization – this MUST be obtained prior to repairs being made.

We will arrange payment directly with the repair agent should we authorize the repair – or you will arrange with us how the repairs will be paid for PRIOR to repairs being made.

AA roadside rescue does NOT include:

• flat batteries caused by the customer
• bogged down and stranded vehicles
• car keys locked in
• flat tires (has to change by customer)

These problems are YOUR responsibility and must be paid by you at the time of need.

We hand our vehicles over without any defects. However, it is your responsibility to thoroughly check the vehicle for any damage prior to leaving our yard. If you notice later on there is something wrong with your campervan or the equipment supplied you need to contact Chilli Rentals straight away. We DO NOT give our customers the right to try and fix the vehicle or any of our equipment themselves!

Windscreen Damage

Should your windscreen get damaged, e.g. when being hit by stones, you need to notify us IMMEDIATELY! We might save you unnecessary costs by having the windshield glued straight away. But in order to do so we need to know about the damage. We will then determine when and where it will be fixed.

Distinctive features for New Zealand

Please be aware that the majority of vehicles in New Zealand are fitted with an automatic transmission. If you’ve never driven an automatic we strongly recommend you get some practice before thinking about hiring or buying a vehicle in New Zealand. This will help you familiarize yourself with this kind of transmission and reduce your risk of causing an accident.

In order to prevent you from unnecessary costs we also recommend that you increase your mechanical vehicle knowledge prior to your trip and get someone to explain to you the basics regarding motor vehicles and how they work.

Unfortunately we repeatedly come across backpackers that forget to regularly check oil and water levels and tire pressure and top up if necessary. Also keep in mind to check temperature and other gauges for early warning signs! By doing so you lower the risk of mechanical problems or failure immensely!

Your vehicle will last a lot longer on New Zealand roads and you will be able to invest your money into the joys of travelling rather than car repairs.

Small repairs and broken equipment

Due to New Zealand road conditions their is a likely risk of vehicles getting small scratches or other minor damages. In that case please inform us as soon as possible! Give us a call and send us a picture of the damage/scratch. Before you start your travels with one of our vehicles we will take a short video of the car showing its current condition. Once you return your vehicle we will compare that video to its latest condition and discuss any changes that might have occurred.

We DO NOT give our customers the right to try and fix the vehicle or any of our equipment themselves.

If the customer finds a broken equipment,Chilli Rentals got informed about it and Chilli Rentals agrees to it. Could the customer exchange the broken equipment.

You CAN NOT charge Chilli Rentals Ltd. for the effort what it takes to change the equipment.

Major issues – What to do?

If you notice any problems with the vehicle, we need you to inform us straight away so we can decide as soon as possible how to deal with it – before it’s too late. Unfortunately we’ve had cases where backpackers failed to notify us about minor defects that over time turned into major issues including total loss of the vehicle. If the vehicle suffers major damage due to your own carelessness you will be responsible for any costs that occur. In order to prevent that from happening please remember to call us as soon as you think something is wrong with the vehicle.

Miscellaneous

You commit yourself to use the portable battery pack* for interior lighting and charging of phone batteries when parked up. You are further responsible for charging the battery pack while the engine is running – as indicated in the instruction manual*. If you run the camper main battery down overnight you may have to start the engine with the battery pack/jump starter cables or call AA Roadside Assistance. In this case they will charge you for coming out and you are responsible for this charge!

AA Call Out Fee

NZ$90 City Call Out
NZ$135 Rural Call Out

*Not available in every campervan model, only if needed.

1. At the scene of the accident:

• Write down names and addresses of all people involved in the accident as well as potential witnesses.
• No matter how minor the damage – report the accident to the police (111 is New Zealands emergency number for police, ambulance and fire services).
• Refrain from assignments and confessions of guilt!
• If possible, take pictures of all damage caused as well as the licence plates of all vehicles involved.
• Report the incident to Chilli Rentals as soon as possible, but definitely within 24 hours!

2. At the Chilli Rentals depot

• Upon arrival at our depot you need to provide your driver licence, the police report (if applicable) as well as any pictures you have taken at the scene.
• You are required to pay any third party insurance (if applicable) as well as any cost caused by you. This payment must be made at the time of reporting the incident to Chilli Rentals, not at the end of your hire period.
• In case of breaching this contract Chilli Rentals reserves the right to charge you for any rental days the vehicle will not be available due to being repaired.
• One of our Chilli Rentals staff members will ensure the accident report is completed and signed by you.

3. Replacement vehicles

• If possible, Chilli Rentals will provide you with a replacement vehicle. However, this is subject to availability, location of the accident, liability and remaining rental period.
• If you need a replacement vehicle due to having been involved in an accident, you will need to pay for returning to our depot in Manukau for pick-up.
• You will need to pay a bond for the replacement vehicle.

4. Time frame for handling claims for damages
Chilli Rentals tries to ensure that any monies payable to you as our customer are being transferred into your account as soon as possible. However, claims for accidents that involve third parties can take months or even years to be processed. Chilli Rentals can neither influence nor speed up these claims. By signing our rental contract you acknowledge that the insurance companies of Chilli Rentals and potential third parties are responsible for processing these claims.

Once the claims have been processed Chilli Rentals is obliged to refund any bonds within 60 days.

If you have any questions or need further information regarding outstanding claims for accidents please contact us directly.

As our customer you agree to support Chilli Rentals in the handling of such claims to your best knowledge.

Please note: NEVER attempt to drive a Chilli Rentals vehicle that has been involved in an accident without permission given by us!

Because we receive many tickets after the hire period is finished, Chilli Rentals reserves the right to invoice you the amount or deduct any tickets from your bond. You will receive a copy of these tickets upon request.

Chilli Rentals charges an administration fee of $40 for any parking ticket, toll road fine or any other infringement notice.

In order to avoid unnecessary fines please check the list of toll roads in New Zealand:
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/roads-and-rail/toll-roads/toll-road-information/where-the-toll-roads-are/

There a roads in New Zealand where you have to pay a fee in order to use them, called a toll.

Every customer is responsible to pay these fees on time should they wish to use those roads. You can easily pay your tolls online under:

https://tollingonline.nzta.govt.nz/purchasetrips/prerequisites

In order to avoid unnecessary fines, please check the list of toll roads in New Zealand before driving:

https://www.nzta.govt.nz/roads-and-rail/toll-roads/toll-road-information/where-the-toll-roads-are/

You CAN NOT charge Chilli Rentals Ltd. to pay for toll roads!

Chilli Rentals Ltd. offers you the option of purchasing a second-hand campervan and campercar prior to your arrival in New Zealand. Our Pre-Sale option is called Chilli Camper Sales (SJF Ltd.) and is based on the same Terms and Conditions as our rental offers. In addition, the following Ts & Cs apply to our Pre-Sale:

1. If you decide to purchase a vehicle from Chilli Camper Sales (SJF Ltd.) using our Pre-Sale option we require an initial down payment of $450. This will be credited to your bill once the sale is being finalized.

2. Once we receive the initial down payment, this is being counted as a legally binding contract.

3. If you wish to cancel your Pre-Sale contract, you have to give us at least 14 days notice prior to the intended pick up. This has to be done in writing via email. Failure to do so results in forfeiting the right to get your down payment refunded.

4. If you have to cancel your trip to New Zealand due to unforeseen circumstances you can withdraw from your pre-sale booking. Depending on your circumstances we will refund your down payment partially or in full. You must proof your cancellation!

5. In case of a no-show at the arranged pick-up time you forfeit the right to get your down payment refunded.

6. If you purchase your vehicle elsewhere despite having made arrangements with us, we handle this as breach of contract and your down payment will not be refunded.

7. Prior to finalizing the pre-sale of your vehicle you have the option to inspect it. Should you decide to withdraw from the sale because the vehicle differs from what we agreed on in the booking process – e.g. different style or category – we will refund your down payment partially depending on how much effort it took to prepare the vehicle according to your requirements.

8. Pre-Sale Cancellation: We reserve the right to cancel any contract in the event of abusive or insulting behaviour.

Please click here for more information about our Campervan Pre-Sale.

We reserve the right to cancel any contract, including pre-sale, in the event of any abusive behaviour towards Chilli Rentals and their staff.

Please be aware also that any comments such as on social media that might damage our business reputation will be prosecuted.

1. We reserve the right to substitute your camper either prior or during your hire period. Any substitution will, as far as possible, be comparable with your original choice of camper but circumstances may prevent this. We will do our best to fulfill your wishes but we cannot guarantee a particular substitute camper.

2. If due to unforeseen circumstances we are unable to fulfill our obligations to you and your rental period is reduced then you will be entitled to a refund of any monies paid for the period of the rental that was not provided.

3. Chilli Rentals Ltd. shall not be liable for any other costs, charges or damages whether consequential or not, as a result of delay in providing or failure to provide a camper van.

4. Chilli Rentals Ltd. shall not be liable for any costs, charges or damages, whether consequential or not, caused by third party offers on our websites. Please read the Terms and Conditions of each third party provider carefully before making a booking!

5. You are welcome to temporarily store your luggage at our depot. However, Chilli Rentals is neither responsible nor liable for lost or damaged baggage.

Fridge (if fitted)
The fridge works on the main battery whilst the camper engine is running. DO NOT leave the keys in the ignition when not driving. When you park up for the night etc there is no power to the fridge and you can use the supplied power lead to connect to 240v mains facility at camp sites if you park up where this is available. This will keep your fridge running and prevent a battery from draining.

DO NOT LEAVE THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION WHEN PARKED UP AS THE FRIDGE WILL DRAIN THE MAIN BATTERY !!!

Please note: Our day is a calendar day – NOT a 24 hour day!