Is there a call for self drive trailer hire? One for ROG maybe?

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Ginge Crosby

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Just musing really.... Back in the day, we had a local farm shop that hired out a trailer, we used it regularly (i'd say at least once a month), treated it as our own, looked after it well and always returned it spanking clean regardless of how we received it.
I'm looking at getting my own trailer soon, there's nowhere near here really that offers a self drive trailer but I know that it's something I would use if there was, as I sort of feel like I won't really get my moniesworth should I buy one as I don't reeeeallly have the time to compete much at the mo. It seems like there's a call for it in this area as I often see ads on fb asking for local trailers to hire, but nearest is an hour away from here.
So i'm pondering over buying one to hire out (with correct insurance etc, regular maintenance checks by professionals, and all above board) But i'm just wondering, with the whole trailer towing licensing issue, is it really viable these days? Is it worth the hassle of policing everyone who turns up to tow it away to make sure they've got the correct license? I know it might not get treated with the same respect that I used to treat the one we hired, and I know accidents do happen hence the need for correct insurance. It really is all a bit pie in the sky at the moment, and just something that came to me today...
Thoughts please :)
 
I know of several around us, however they do seem to have them standing in their yards most days since the recession started.

When busy though they were used and sadly abused! Horses eating the sides, scratches, scrapes, dents and all sorts and then with the abuse from the hirer saying about their deposit etc.

Do your homework and see in the area if there is a need, then look at 'who' you really want as clients, you can always be busy on certain days if certain hirers that have broken trailers time after time wish to rehire!

Look at your deposit and HOW you take it-cash or by card! I know the small print on the 2 box self drive things are about 1000 and not a lot of people read the small print and it IS taken by card!!!! This serves as the excess and obviously a small charge for loss of work when it is in having work done.

Remember that your opening hours will be long especially waiting for the return of a trailer long into the night when a hirer's horse did not load and they then drove behind it for the ten mile drive home! So hopefully storage on site rather than elsewhere

Some companies do 'long term' hire of months at a time, which seems to be popular

Good luck
 
Licencing ...

You will be ok to hire to those with B+E without any major issues but to hire to those with only a B licence is going to be near impossible unless you have a single horse lightweight trailer plated at about 1300 kgs MAM so those with a GVW vehicle not more than 2200 kgs can tow it legally

Trailer plated at 1300 weighing about 700 empty could then take a 600 horse


Some handy general licence/load rules if you are hiring out ....
Know the plated MAM of your hire trailer and its empty weight
Ask the hirer what licence they have
Ask hirer what the towing capacity is of their vehicle - if they do not know then find the weight plate under the bonnet or hidden in a door frame and take the top figure from the second figure to get it
Use the lower of either the towing capacity or the trailer MAM as the maximum the trailer can be when loaded
Take the empty weight of the trailer from the determined max loaded figure as that will give what load can be put in the trailer
 
What about signing up to that website that people can put their own transport on for hire?

Personally I'd never lend mine out to people. People on my previous livery yard used to help themselves to it, let their horses damage it then left it full of ****
 
I have rented a trailer before I thought it was a great idea for the number of times I have needed one. As my horse is so big he needed a 5'10 and at the time I couldn't find any second hand ones for sale. I would hire one again in the future if I needed to.
 
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