Terms & Conditions

This Agreement consists of:

1. (a)
   The following Terms & Conditions; and
2. (b)
   Details provided as part of your rental, including your personal information, address, driver's licence information, vehicle information, the Excess Amount, additional insurance exclusions, and Rental Period.

Unless the context otherwise applies, the following definitions apply:

1. (a)
   “Additional Charges” refer to the fees and costs set out in clause 3.7. and 12.
2. (b)
   “Agreement” refers to these Terms & Conditions, together with any other document incorporated by reference, including but not limited to your booking and security bond deposit invoices.
3. (c)
   “Bond” refers to the security bond deposit amount transferred to us in accordance with the terms set out in clause 4, which may equate to the excess amount specified in your booking and security bond deposit invoices.
4. (d)
   “Details” refers to the information described in clause 1.1(b).
5. (e)
   “Rental Period” refers to the period of your booking, also stated in your booking and security bond deposit invoices, as varied in accordance with this Agreement.
6. (f)
   “We”, “we”, “Us” and “us” refer to Queenstown Car Rental Limited, trading as Queenstown Car Rental, Auckland Car Rental, Christchurch Car Rental and Queenstown Motorbike Rental.
7. (g)
   “You”, “you”, “Hirer” and “hirer” refer to the person(s) named in the Agreement, who enters the contract with Us to hire a vehicle.
8. (h)
   “Vehicle” refers to the vehicle rented, also identified in your booking and security bond deposit invoices.
9. (i)
   “Pre-Rental Inspection” refers to an inspection of the Vehicle carried out by or on behalf of us prior to the Rental Period to record the Vehicle’s condition.
10. (j)
    “GST” refers to the New Zealand Goods and Services Tax, at the rate of 15% (or such other rate as may be prescribed by law from time to time).
11. (k)
    “Excess Amount” refers to the amount stated in your booking and security bond deposit invoices which you must contribute towards the cost of each incident of loss of or damage to the Vehicle, before any cover under the policy described in clause 10 may respond. A separate Excess Amount is payable for each incident.

We agree to rent our vehicle(s) to you for the specified Rental Period, and you agree to adhere to these Terms & Conditions. We operate a business located in New Zealand and all transactions will be billed in New Zealand Dollars. This Agreement is subject to the laws of New Zealand.

We will rent the Vehicle, specified in your booking and security bond deposit invoices, to you for the duration of the Rental Period, and ensure that the vehicle complies with the legal requirements in New Zealand.

We maintain insurance for the Vehicle as described in clause 10 unless stated otherwise.

We will also explain any Additional Charges in this Agreement.

We reserve the right, at our discretion, to allow other drivers authorised by us (Authorised Drivers) to operate the Vehicle. However, you are responsible for fulfilling your obligations and for the actions and omissions of any Authorised Driver under this Agreement.

If you breach this Agreement, we may take possession of the Vehicle, and you will be liable for all costs incurred in recovering the Vehicle.

We retain the right to cancel the Agreement at any time if we believe that you, you’re driving or the driving of other Authorised Driver(s) pose a genuine risk of harm to others or property. In such cases, you will be responsible for all costs incurred in recovering the Vehicle and any outstanding debts.

Carry a copy of this Agreement in the Vehicle throughout the Rental Period.

Ensure that only you or an Authorised Driver operate the vehicle.

A booking is confirmed only once payment has been received and verified by us. You must pay in full, at the time of booking, unless we agree in writing to a deposit arrangement, in which case 80% of the total is payable at the time of booking and the balance is payable no later than 24 hours before the start of the Rental Period.

1. (a)
   If the balance is not received by the due date, we may treat the booking as cancelled by you, and clause 12 will apply as at the date the balance fell due.

Upon return of the Vehicle, you will be responsible for paying any Additional Charges incurred by you during the Rental Period. Additional Charges include, but are not limited to:

1. (a)
   Fees incurred as part of changes made to the start of rental and / or end of rental dates, times and / or locations, which differ from the information listed in your booking and security bond deposit invoices;
2. (b)
   Late return fee: $89 + GST is charged for each 30-minute period, or part thereof, commencing immediately after the scheduled end of the rental period. For example, a vehicle returned 1 hour late will incur $178 + GST.
3. (c)
   Administration fees:

   1. (i)
      Refuelling administration fee: $89 + GST.
   2. (ii)
      Change in start of rental and / or end of rental dates, times and / or locations, made within 48 hours of start / end of Rental Period: $89 + GST.
   3. (iii)
      Processing of infringement notices / fines: $95 + GST.
   4. (iv)
      Processing of damage incurred during the Rental Period, including obtaining repair quote: $395 + GST.
4. (d)
   Fuel costs (unless you purchased pre-paid fuel);
5. (e)
   Vehicle cleaning expenses (if necessary);
6. (f)
   Restoration costs to return the vehicle to its original condition at the time of start of rental (if necessary), up to the Excess amount;
7. (g)
   Costs of any infringement offences detailed in clause 7 (e.g. road tolls, parking tickets, driving offences, or fines) incurred during the Rental Period;
8. (h)
   Replacement costs (at current retail value) for damaged, lost, or missing add-ons, parts and / or accessories (including GPS) or keys;
9. (i)
   The insurance Excess payable in the event of damage to the vehicle; and / or
10. (j)
    Any other outstanding charge owed by you pursuant to the Terms & Conditions of this Agreement.

Take care of the Vehicle, always ensuring its safety and security.

Contact us as soon as safely possible if a warning light or "check engine" light illuminates.

Inform us if you wish to change your vehicle pick-up and / or drop-off date, time and / or location. We will try our best to accommodate your requests, but please be aware that this may result in Additional Charges for you.

Return the Vehicle with the same fuel level as at the start of the Rental Period. If the Vehicle is returned with less fuel, you will be charged the cost of refuelling at current pump prices, plus the refuelling administration fee in clause 3.7(c)(i).

Before the Rental Period commences, or upon vehicle pick-up, you are required to pay us the Bond as security for Additional Charges which may become payable by you under this Agreement.

The Bond will be charged prior to or at the time of vehicle pick-up. This will be a transfer of funds to our account, not a pre-authorisation.

We will hold the Bond and only deal with it in accordance with the Terms & Conditions of this Agreement.

We will hold the Bond for 7 working days, or until we complete the post-rental inspection and conclude that the vehicle is returned same as its original condition at the time of start of rental (post-rental inspections are typically completed within 7 days of the vehicle being returned).

If you incur any Additional Charges during the Rental Period, we will inform you in writing of these charges following the post-rental inspection being undertaken.

If no Additional Charges apply, we will initiate a transfer of the Bond to you within 2 working days after the later of:

1. (a)
   The end of the 7 working days hold period; or
2. (b)
   Completion of the post-rental inspection.

The transfer may take several further days to be processed by our bank or your bank.

If any Additional Charges apply, these will be calculated and deducted from the Bond before we transfer any remaining amount to you. We will transfer the remaining amount of the Bond to you as soon as reasonably practicable.

We will only make deductions from the Bond for legitimate, reasonable, and evidenced amounts.

Subject to the Terms & Conditions of this Agreement, you authorise us to deduct any Additional Charges incurred by you from the Bond.

The Bond is held as security only and may not cover all amounts payable by you under this Agreement. If the total Additional Charges incurred by you exceed the Bond, you remain liable to pay the balance.

If Additional Charges exceed the Bond, we will provide you with:

1. (a)
   An itemised statement setting out each amount owed; and
2. (b)
   Reasonable evidence supporting each charge.

You must pay the outstanding balance within 7 days of us providing the itemised statement.

If you do not pay the outstanding balance by the due date, you may incur Additional Charges. If payment is still not made, we may take reasonable steps to recover the outstanding amount, including referring the debt to a collection agency. You are responsible for our reasonable and properly incurred costs of recovery, provided that such costs are permitted under New Zealand law and are not unfair, disproportionate, or penal in nature.

You authorise us to charge any amount you owe under this Agreement that is not covered by the Bond, including Additional Charges, the Excess Amount, and damage or recovery costs, to the payment card used for your booking or provided at pick-up. We will only do so after providing you with the itemised statement under clause 4.11 and, if you have not paid within the time set out in clause 4.12.

If you reside outside New Zealand:

1. (a)
   you must provide us with your residential address, email address and phone number in your home country before the Rental Period begins;
2. (b)
   you agree that notices and documents, including notice of any claim, may be served on you by email to the address you have provided; and
3. (c)
   you acknowledge that any amount owed under this Agreement may be pursued against you in New Zealand, and that any resulting judgment or order may be enforced in your country of residence.

Use the Vehicle or permit its use in the following circumstances:

1. (a)
   Beyond the scope of the authority given to you under this Agreement.
2. (b)
   By any person who is under the influence of alcohol or any drug, or who is affected by any medication to an extent that impairs their ability to drive safely, or who is otherwise in breach of the Land Transport Act 1998.
3. (c)
   In any race, speed test, rally or other competitive event.
4. (d)
   Contrary to any laws or bylaws in New Zealand.
5. (e)
   Allow any person(s) without a valid driver's licence appropriate for the Vehicle to operate it.
6. (f)
   Push or tow another vehicle, except when the vehicle is equipped with a towbar, under the condition that:

   1. (i)
      The item being towed is in a safe and roadworthy condition, compliant with relevant laws and regulations and properly secured.
   2. (ii)
      The weight and dimensions of the towed item do not exceed the specified capacity of the Vehicle (refer to the vehicle capacity guide).
7. (g)
   Transport any animals, except for Disability Assist Dogs as defined by the Dog Control Act 1996.
8. (h)
   Intentionally or recklessly cause damage or loss to the Vehicle.
9. (i)
   Use incorrect fuel in the Vehicle.
10. (j)
    Smoke in the Vehicle or allow any other individuals to smoke in the Vehicle.

If you commit an offence during the Rental Period, you are responsible for the fines and costs related to:

1. (a)
   Speeding, parking, traffic infringements, or unpaid road toll offences.
2. (b)
   Failure to comply with traffic signs or signals.
3. (c)
   Freedom camping offences under the Freedom Camping Act 2011, such as violating local bylaws, improper disposal of rubbish, or failing to vacate an area when legally required.

If an offence is committed during the Rental Period:

1. (a)
   You will be held liable for the costs associated with the offence, regardless of whether you were the driver at the time.
2. (b)
   If we receive an infringement notice related to your rental, we will be entitled to deduct a $95 + GST administration fee from the Bond, or request payment at a later stage.
3. (c)
   Within 5 working days of receiving an infringement notice, we will transfer liability for the infringement notice to you by providing your details to the relevant authority for direct communication with you.
4. (d)
   You have the right to challenge, complain, enquire, or object to any infringement notice directly to the issuing organisation (such as the Police for speeding tickets or a tolling authority for unpaid road tolls).
5. (e)
   You have the right to request a court hearing for any infringement notice, but you must make the request within 56 days of the ticket being issued or within 28 days of receiving a reminder notice (or any alternative timeframe detailed under the Summary Proceedings Act 1957 from time to time).

If we are unable to transfer liability for the infringement notice by providing your details to the relevant authority, we will deduct the total amount stated in the infringement notice(s) and our $95 administration fee from the Bond and promptly remit the payment to the appropriate authority.

We reserve the right to disclose the details of any vehicle-related offence to the relevant authorities or a debt collection agency, if we deem it necessary.

You authorise us to deduct any traffic fines, penalties, or other infringement notices or charges incurred during the Rental Period from the Bond amount. This includes, but is not limited to, speeding tickets, parking violations, toll charges and any other fines or infringement notices related to the use of the Vehicle.

By signing this Agreement, you acknowledge that we have informed you about your rights and obligations regarding any infringement notices for which you may be held liable.

You must document the details of all other vehicles or person(s) involved in the incident, including each driver's name, address, and contact telephone number.

You must not arrange for the recovery or repair of the Vehicle and must promptly notify us of the damage. You agree to cooperate to minimise our losses and / or pursue legal action against any responsible party.

We provide 24/7 roadside assistance for our vehicles. You can reach roadside assistance at 0800 694 737 or us at +64 3 244 9512. Please make sure you provide the Vehicle’s registration number, make, model, colour, exact location and nature of callout (e.g. breakdown). However, if the reason for the callout is due to your fault (e.g. running out of fuel, losing or locking the keys in the vehicle, or changing a wheel due to a puncture), you will be responsible for the cost of each callout. If the callout relates to a mechanical breakdown, we will refund the callout cost to you.

We may choose to provide you with a replacement vehicle for the remaining Rental Period, or we may decide, at our sole discretion, to terminate the rental due to the damage.

You are liable for any costs arising from damage to or loss of the Vehicle during the Rental Period (including repairs, towing, loss of use and administration fees), up to the Excess Amount for each incident. Your liability is not limited to the Excess Amount where clause 9 applies, or where our insurer declines the claim because of any act or omission by you or an Authorised Driver.

If any damage is present on the Vehicle that was not present prior to the Rental Period, as evidence by the Pre-Rental Inspection, we will obtain a repair quote for the Vehicle from our nominated mechanic(s). Please note that whilst we can share details of the repair quote with you (if requested), we are unable to disclose the identity of our mechanic(s) due to confidentiality reasons.

If the repair cost is lower than the Excess Amount paid as part of the Bond, we will deal with deductions from the Bond in accordance with clause 4.

The damage processing fee set out in clause 3.7 (c) (iv) is charged once per damage event. It covers obtaining the repair quote and administering any resulting deduction from the Bond. No further administration fee is charged in respect of the same event.

Third party damage. If you claim that a third party is responsible for damage to the Vehicle, you must, where it is safe to do so:

1. (a)
   Where the third party stops: obtain and provide to us the third party’s full name, address, contact phone number, vehicle registration number, make and model, and insurer details (if available), together with the names and contact details of any witnesses.
2. (b)
   Where the third party leaves the scene (hit and run): note the third party vehicle’s registration number, and its make, model and colour if possible; report the incident to the police immediately (by calling 111 if anyone is injured or there is immediate danger, or 105 in all other cases); and obtain a police event reference number.
3. (c)
   In all cases: notify us by phone on +64 3 244 9512 as soon as possible and no later than 24 hours after the incident, and provide us with the information above along with photos of the damage and the scene.

Your safety comes first. You must not follow, pursue or confront any third party. If you comply with this clause and we, through our insurer, recover our loss from the third party, the Excess Amount deducted from your Bond will be refunded to you, less the damage processing fee of $395 + GST set out in clause 3.7(c)(iv).

If you do not comply with this clause, or the third party cannot be identified or does not accept liability, you will be liable for the full Excess Amount and no refund of the Excess Amount will be made. Your liability may exceed the Excess Amount where clause 9 applies.

We maintain a commercial motor vehicle insurance policy with a third-party insurer which, subject to the policy terms, conditions, exclusions and excesses, may respond to certain loss, damage or liability arising during the Rental Period. Nothing in this Agreement constitutes a direct insurance contract between you and us. Any indemnity or benefit provided is subject to the insurer’s acceptance of the claim(s) under the applicable policy.

Subject to the terms of the insurance policy and this Agreement, you may be liable for:

1. (a)
   Loss of or damage to the Vehicle; and
2. (b)
   Reasonable recovery costs associated with that loss or damage, including towing and salvage where applicable.

Where the insurer accepts liability under the policy, cover may extend to your liability for damage to third-party property arising from use of the Vehicle, up to the policy limit of $10,000,000.

No cover is provided under this Agreement or the insurance policy for:

1. (a)
   Any trailers or items attached to or towed by the vehicle; or
2. (b)
   Any goods or contents carried in a trailer or towed item.

Theft of the Vehicle.

1. (a)
   Theft by a third party. If the Vehicle is stolen by a third party during the Rental Period, cover under our insurance policy may apply, subject to the insurer’s acceptance of the claim, provided that you:

   1. (i)
      had locked the Vehicle, closed all windows and the sunroof, and parked it in a reasonable and safe location;
   2. (ii)
      had not left the keys in, on or near the Vehicle, and can return all keys to us;
   3. (iii)
      report the theft to the police immediately on discovering it (by calling 111 if the theft is in progress or anyone is in danger, or 105 in all other cases) and obtain a police event reference number; and
   4. (iv)
      notify us by phone on +64 3 244 9512 as soon as possible and no later than 24 hours after discovering the theft, and provide the police event reference number.

   Where cover applies, you will be liable for the Excess Amount.

2. (b)
   Failure to take reasonable care. If you do not comply with paragraph (a), including where the Vehicle was left unlocked, the keys were left in or near the Vehicle, or the Vehicle was left in circumstances that invited theft, our insurer may decline cover. In that case you will be liable for the full loss of the Vehicle, up to the lesser of its insured value or its market value at the time of loss, together with all associated recovery, towing, storage, repair and loss of use costs.
3. (c)
   Theft or conversion by you. If you or any Authorised Driver steal or unlawfully retain the Vehicle, including by failing to return it at the end of the Rental Period without our agreement, no cover applies. You will be liable in full for all loss, damage and costs arising, and we will report the matter to the police.

We collect and retain personal information about you, such as your name, contact details, driver's licence information, copies of invoices, and our written correspondence with you.

We use this information for the purpose of providing vehicle rental and related services, including monitoring, reporting, and repairing damages, responding to accidents and incidents involving the Vehicle, processing payments and charges, debt recovery, fraud prevention, insurance claims, credit management, marketing, and promoting safe driving in New Zealand.

We will adhere to our obligations under the Privacy Act 2020, which governs our rights to collect, use and store such information.

We may be required to disclose your personal information to our insurers, service providers (including online platforms), authorities responsible for collecting fines and other road-related charges, police upon their request, credit reporting agencies, debt collection agencies, your credit or debit card provider in the event of payment default, and other parties involved in an accident with the Vehicle.

You have the right to request a copy of any personal information we hold about you and request corrections if you believe it to be inaccurate. To obtain a copy of your information or request corrections, please contact us at info@queenstowncarrental.nz.

All cancellations must be notified to us in writing at info@queenstowncarrental.nz. The time of cancellation is the time we receive your written notice. All timeframes in this clause are measured back from the scheduled start of your Rental Period, in New Zealand time.

If you cancel your booking, the following cancellation fees will be charged and deducted from any amount you have paid. Any remaining balance will be refunded to you.

1. (a)
   Cancelled 21 days or more before pick-up: a cancellation fee of $295 + GST is charged. The rest of the amount paid is refunded.
2. (b)
   Cancelled 8-20 days before pick-up: a cancellation fee of 30% of the total rental charges (minimum $295 + GST) is charged. The remaining 70% is refunded.
3. (c)
   Cancelled 72 hours to 7 days before pick-up: a cancellation fee of 60% of the total rental charges (minimum $295 + GST) is charged. The remaining 40% is refunded.
4. (d)
   Cancelled less than 72 hours before pick-up, or no-show: a cancellation fee of 100% of the total rental charges is charged. No refund is given.
5. (e)
   Card processing fees and any third-party charges incurred for the booking are non-refundable.
6. (f)
   If the booking dates are changed and the booking is later cancelled, the cancellation fee is calculated from the original pick-up date.
7. (g)
   No refund is given for vehicles returned before the scheduled end of the rental period.
8. (h)
   These fees reflect the costs to Queenstown Car Rental of holding the vehicle, declining other bookings, and the limited opportunity to re-hire the vehicle at short notice.

This clause 13 applies to refunds of rental charges only. The return of the Bond is governed exclusively by clause 4. Refunds are otherwise only available where required by law or in accordance with this Agreement.

We will aim to pay you any refund to which you are entitled, other than the Bond refund, within 20 working days after it becomes payable to you, by such method as we may reasonably choose. Any Bond refunds will be processed in accordance with the timeline set out in clause 4.6.

Any refunds will be processed back to you by such method as we may reasonably choose.

We utilise Stripe.com’s Payment Card Industry (PCI) auditor-certified payment processing infrastructure to manage all payments our customers make online. When you make a payment online, you are securely taken to Stripe.com’s servers to input your payment card information.

All communications between our website and Stripe.com is secured with industry-standard encryption protocols.

We do not store your payment information. All customer payment details for online payments are processed and stored within Stripe.com’s infrastructure.

When you make a payment over the phone, we will ask you to provide your card details verbally and input this information directly into our merchant terminal. We do not record or store any card details when you make a payment this way.

Our systems and processes undergo regular audits and reviews to mitigate any vulnerabilities and risks.

We encourage all customers to contact us with any enquiries or concerns related to payment card security.