DCDS Limited - TERMS OF BUSINESS

1. Agree to the driver hire via responding to the email, agreed tariffs and other pending/agreed expenses sent to you as a Coach Driver Hire Agency would.
2. Pay the Invoice on terms agreed prior - on time! Further charges of £50 admin fee along with daily charges for late payment at 5% of the invoice balance per 7 days passed from the original due date (in addition to the one-off charge for admin). 
3. Non Payment process - Recovery & legal fees apply with additional 25% of the debt added in addition to the amount outstanding, small claims fees and attendance to hearing (mediation & court attendance charged as driver day rate). Late payment frustration is no difference to late arrival, or no driver show when booked. Therefore, respect our drivers and pay on time!
4. Rates are usually £15.00 - £16.50 per hour, 15 hours minimum on travel days, 10 hours minimum Resort days for tours. Private hire minimum 8/10 hours within 10-mile radius of the driver). Other hires upon agreement. Positioning comes under Resort days, travel/overnight/meal expenses to comply within driving laws UK/EU.
5. Bank holidays is no different to employed drivers, additional 50% day rate added worked. Christmas/New Year double rates unless prior arrangement agreed in advance as flat fee blanket for whole duration of the hire is offered. 
6. We will endeavour to provide availability minimum 2 weeks in advance for our clients to book driver hire, we expect to have full schedule of hire in return 7 days prior to hire commencing.
7. Singular Day hire will be accepted on the basis we do not receive a tour (3+ days) elsewhere, as common sense to accept larger bookings if 7 days’ notice is given either way. This does not apply to any last minute bookings as no notice is required if within 7 days for the greater booking takes priority.
8. Float must be provided if no agreement is in place to invoice tolls when conducting hires on behalf of the operator. Vehicles are presumed to have electronic toll payment on board to avoid further charges. Fuel cards must be provided & in operation, otherwise a 5% handling charge will be applied to any outlay paid to continue the tour as planned, which will be added to the invoice without negotiation to this ruling, along with international usage of payment charged by our business banking corporation for use of our cards. 
9. GHOSTING communications will not secure your verbal arrangements with us when we try to concrete such agreement, only to be ignored. We receive so many business promises for inbound work, then no bookings made to confirm this, will not be honoured. FIRST COME (confirmed bookings & invoice agreed/issued) FIRST SERVED! (accepted booking and is a go!).
10. Set days booked (weekend work), can be changed by either parties (provided there is 7 days’ notice given), to pave way for larger bookings to take priority (tours supersedes private hire). If within 7 days, we will always seek permission and compromise around this, otherwise we will honour the booking regardless.
11. Any future confirmed bookings will be suspended if there is a breach of contract as described in these terms. Payment will still be required, even if your business is taken elsewhere due to disagreements such as non-payment or discriminatory/abusive behaviour towards our drivers or office staff. We have the right to charge for all hires booked and honoured in the diary up to 90 days based on civil and criminal breaches/behaviour from yourselves. This condition may seem far-fetched, however we have been subjected to all types of abuse for not tolerating disrespectful business owners and drivers to the point we have been affected financially and via social media on slanderous allegations untrue, or release of confidential contracts/discriminatory personal health records on Facebook & driver groups to cause damage for their unprofessional business practices. We have learned the hard way and will not tolerate bullying or slanderous media coverage to damage an individual’s mental health! It’s happened from an operator to me directly (Darren Mayall).
12. As per Operators licence requirements, drivers to be under operators’ insurance without any liability to DCDS Limited. PL&DNI Policy cover can be arranged upon request prior to hire. Invoices still to need paid - IN FULL. As a Coach Driver Hire Agencies still required to pay drivers. IT IS NOT THE DRIVER/DCDS RESPONSIBILITY TO COVER ANY EXCESS CHARGES/REPAIRS/RECOVERY TO VEHICLE IN ANY EVENT OF DAMAGES should PL&DNI insurance be declined. Damage waiver works the same when hire car taken from Avis! You cannot add to hire once hire commences in the event of an accident!
13. Confirmed bookings cancelled before 7 business days prior to hire commencing will not be charged. Cancel within the 7 days, then FULL Charge applies, however should alternative incoming work cover your cancelled booking, we will only charge the difference lost financially. Operators have their charging terms to clients, we're no different to maintain our driver payments & costs too.
14. Operators’ responsibilities to be compliant as to their Operators Licence to conduct transport services, maintain defect reporting, walk around checks and carry out repairs prior to business. Refusal of drivers to commence hire based on these conditions not being met will result in full charges regardless.
15. Keep business a simple transaction, without negative social media coverage from either side and too many conditions to complicate matters further. You’re the Operator, we're the driver hire provider. Comply with licencing laws that applies, and our drivers will ensure the conditions and legal requirements is their responsibility also. DCDS accepts no responsibility, losses or breach of any conditions to business/laws to either parties failure to comply, other than to match driver to hirer - charged as a brokerage agency would in these terms.
16. We shall endeavour to support you any way we can, including emergency last minute cover, however we pride ourselves in being only a small handful of trusted drivers in our team. Advisable to book in advance to secure their services.
17. Our drivers are independent and manage their own dairy and decisions from availability & further costs. Any amendments will be discussed prior to hire. Drivers & Operators are NOT permitted to conduct direct business within 12 months of the last hire, we do not poach drivers and expect the same in return with regards to our drivers! Respectable business and strong relationships we take pride in! Release fees can be discussed should they wish to do direct business without DCDS's involvement.
18. Operators/Drivers MUST conduct any bookings confirmed without complications or issues to DCDS. Charges will be enforced financially to either parties for any loss of business caused by either parties conducting unauthorised changes made without prior agreements from us first.
19. Both Operators and drivers to show respect and always be professional. Uphold legal laws surrounding disability, age, creed, sexuality and colour, for we will not tolerate any discrimination in any situation. Abuse in the form of bullying and harassment of discrimination will result in the immediate termination of your hire regardless of location with additional costs added to travel back to base, further costs to replace the driver is at your own cost! 
20. Lastly - Coaches MUST be thoroughly cleaned and fuelled ready for hire on arrival to commence hire.  We will endeavour to return the vehicle in the same condition provided the correct equipment and training provided for use of yard facilities to clean on return, also have onboard cleaning supplies and equipment whilst on tour.  Otherwise we will presume the operator has a cleaning team to bring coach back to standards after hire is completed for the detailed cleaning once driver removes all bulked rubbish and disposed of by use of bins.
21. DPA applies as no information will be shared outwit the agreement. We expect the same in return from the client, the driver and DCDS.
22. DCDS files & pays all taxes in accordance to HMRC laws and compliant to the regulations of business at Companies House.  Company Number 12982843. We are fully compliant including IR35 as a limited registered company, we ask that operator themselves educate further on the local/national/international laws and expectations/rights all parties have surrounding this sector.
23. IR35 - We reserve the right to swap drivers beyond our control in some operational circumstances once arrangements are in place, unforeseen situations to cover sickness or driver's personal leave is required. Continuous 12 weeks work with one client, will be allocated to another client for one job before returning to comply with the IR35 rules, alternatively you may approach us to purchase the driver out of contract. You cannot give instructions as an employer and direct their schedule without driver control, otherwise breach of IR35. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CLICK HERE  Understanding off-payroll working (IR35) - GOV.UK 

Straight forward simplicity, jargon free honest business, without any drama or gossip, do what we are paid to do, in the best standards above the rest - as it should be!  

Business is always personal and as such, lets work as a team with effective communication and work within the law!

DARREN MAYALL

DIRECTOR / DRIVER