How to pick the best limo business
It is surprising the number of customers who only consider the cost of hire when comparing businesses when they want to book a limousine in Perth. The cheapest price does not always equal the best deal.
The limousines offered by various businesses may appear to be the same make and model, but that is often where the similarity ends. It is worth your time to investigate more thoroughly, especially for hiring wedding limos when the booking is usually made six to twelve months before the hire date. You need to be confident that the business will still operate by the time your wedding day arrives and that they will honour the terms and schedules discussed when you make your booking.
Several things to consider when comparing limousine businesses include:
1 How long has and will the business be operating?
Belle Classic Limousines
Belle has been operating as a specialist wedding limousine business since 2007. We have a reputation for secure long term wedding bookings and friendly service both from the office and our drivers.
Other Businesses
Many businesses are a recent start-up part-time operation with little experience in the industry. Some existing business have recently changed hands and the new owners trade on the businesses’ reputation and ‘age of the registered business name’ but have little real experience. One start-up business has been quoting 30 years experience which relates to the sum total of the two owners previous jobs of running a kitchen and transporting cars. There is a lot of fluff to discard.
At any time there are two or three businesses for sale in Perth and they will continue to take bookings even though the business is ‘up for sale’. You have no way of being sure that the new operator will honour your booking if the business sells before your hire date.
One well known Perth limousine business recently sold their classic wedding car and simply cancelled all forward bookings for the vehicle (some with only a few weeks notice).
2 What are the terms and conditions of limo hire?
Belle Classic Limousines (points 2 – 13 discuss our terms and conditions)
Belle Limos includes the terms and conditions of limousine hire on all Booking Agreement forms and in an expanded form here with an extended discussion of several points and comparisons to the business practice of several Perth operators. Don’t assume other businesses are as flexible or easy to deal with as Belle when an issue arises – most are not.
Other businesses
Search the web site of businesses you are considering for their terms and conditions. Many have no reference point for you to know what is included, whether they alter bookings, whether they permit alcohol or food in their limousines, or whether they carry children for example. The day of your booking is not the time to discover what they will not do for you.
One Perth business has removed their Terms and Conditions from their website and now only issues a copy after you have booked and paid your deposit. The T&Cs sent says by paying the deposit you agreed to the T&Cs which include an overtime rate of $150 per 15 minutes to be deducted from your credit card!!! If a business will not supply T&Cs before booking look elsewhere.
You may notice if you ask for T&Cs from businesses that at least four businesses that I know of have simply copied ours from the Belle website and made a few small changes. It is a sign of a start up business often with little experience.
3 Booking fee or deposit
Belle Classic Limousines
A booking fee of $200 per vehicle is required to reserve the vehicles. The booking fee only applies to the main wedding cars for a wedding booking with associated small transfers.
Discussion
The booking fee is deducted from the total cost, and is non-refundable but may in some cases can be transferred to a future booking or will be refunded less an administration fee if another equivalent booking is secured for the vehicle(s).
A tax invoice will be issued at the time your booking is processed noting deposit paid (if it presents into our account before the invoice is processed).
For long term bookings like wedding hire, an updated invoice is issued at the beginning of the month prior to your event after final details are established.
Many customers assume that if they book a wedding transport ten months ahead of a wedding date and cancel five months from the date, due to unforeseen circumstances, that it will be easy to rebook the cars with a long lead time. This is not usually the case. Venues book and are confirmed at least eight months in advance for Saturdays and most couples book other key items such as transport in the same period of organisation. Five months from a Saturday wedding date the majority of couples have already booked their transport and the prospect of a late booking is minimal.
Any forward transfer of funds or possibility of a refund associated with a cancelled booking is subject the booked vehicles being re-hired as well as payment of the office expenses associated with the original booking and is at the discretion of Belle Classic Limousines.
Other Businesses
Many businesses will demand a credit card deposit of 30-50% of the hire cost at the time of booking and have an (often undocumented) stipulation that the balance will be drawn from your credit card 90 days prior to the event and at that point full payment is non-refundable. Seriously, check the terms and conditions of the businesses you are considering.
If fate throws you a curved ball and you need to adjust your wedding date, some businesses will consider that a new booking and require an additional booking fee.
Be wary of businesses demanding cash deposits. Whilst paying in cash is your option, it should not be a condition of business.
4 The balance of the account
Belle Classic Limousines
Balance of account is to be paid four weeks prior to a wedding date, or three weeks or as soon as practical before a short term hire.
Payment may be by credit card, cheque, cash or electronic funds transfer (account details are on the booking form and invoice). Part payments are also welcome during the time between booking and the event date. Be sure to narrate all EFT payments with your surname and hire date.
Other businesses
As noted earlier some businesses will draw the balance three months prior to your event and at that point full payment is non-refundable or transferable.
5 Hiring customer’s responsibility
Belle Classic Limos
Charter of Belle limos can only be made by an adult 18 years of age or over.
We are happy for students to inquire and hold a limousine for a school ball, but the hire agreement must be completed by a parent.
The hiring customer will be held responsible for the conduct of all passengers within their party.
6 Alcohol
Belle Classic Limousines
Belle Amie Pty Ltd reserves the right to terminate the charter agreement without refund if passengers become unruly or abusive. Belle Limousines is happy for guests to enjoy their own music, drink alcohol and expects that you will have fun in the limos, but we will not tolerate excessive intoxication or abusive behaviour from a group.
All school ball limo hire must be alcohol free.
Other Businesses
There are several businesses that market themselves as the home of hard partying, if you intend for yourself and your guests to become ‘wiped out’ during the course of the hire you are better off with a different business.
There are also several businesses that will not permit alcohol consumption in the limousine. Strange but true, it is worth asking whether you can drink in the limousines ahead of booking.
7 Smoking
All vehicles are non-smoking by law. Should this condition be ignored the drivers are instructed to terminate the charter agreement immediately.
8 Seat belts
All passengers are required to wear seat belts in accordance with current laws (where fitted). Many classic cars are not required to have seat belts fitted. Be advised that some Belle Amie Pty Ltd cars are not fitted with seat belts.
Children under the age of four cannot be transported in classic cars as child restraint devices are not fitted. Modern limos do have a limited number of restraint anchor points for child capsules.
Carriage of children aged four to seven in limousines using correct seat belts and booster seats when required is permitted.
We are happy to accommodate children in our cars and carriage of children under seven years old is by negotiation prior to the event. We need to know they will be in the car and who is supplying the child restraints and or booster seats if required. Child restraints are bulky and are only provided in the cars when we know they are needed.
If a child is an important part of your entry to a wedding we will allow the transport of children without seat-belts for the final approach from outside the ceremony location to the wedding drop-off point.
10 Final confirmation and booking adjustments
Belle Classic Limousines
Bookings are confirmed by phone during the week of the booking. Belle staff will attempt to call and/or email during the week prior to booking. If you do not receive the call, please telephone the office to confirm your booking.
Final details of the schedule for wedding bookings is to be given to Belle Amie Pty Ltd at least two weeks prior to a wedding booking. Changes to a wedding or booking schedule (or even hire date) are acceptable subject to the availability of the vehicle during the new times when different to the original booking. Changes must be confirmed by email and verbally to ensure your booking is adjusted.
Belle does not charge for adjustments to a booking unless the total hire time increases or you upgrade to a more expensive or additional vehicle. If your hire time or the number of vehicles needed decreases, Belle will reduce the billed amount if it is above the minimum hire fee (subject to a cancelled vehicle being rehired if it is late notice).
Other businesses
Many businesses are inflexible about changes to the original booking, and some businesses will charge to make alterations.
Some businesses will not change dates or refund the original booking even if your venue defaults on your original wedding booking due to an escape clause in the venue contract (often for a concert or other big-ticket event). They simply re-bill you for a second hire if you re-book with them on the new date.
11 Overtime Rates
Belle Classic Limousines
Belle chauffeurs will attempt to inform customers when they are approaching the end of the scheduled hire. In most cases, the driver can remain for extra time when requested. The hire rate charged for overruns on hire time are $60 for classic cars; $90 for Chrysler limos per half hour or part there of (as indicated on the pricing schedule). Overtime will be invoiced to the hiring customer and deducted from the credit card when applicable. Running overtime can be frustrating for drivers who may have commitments after your wedding, so we recommend that you build some time into your booking schedule for unexpected delays on the day.
Having said that, we are a flexible business and will not charge overtime rates if a final drop-off is 5 -10 minutes after the noted finish time.
Wedding customers are advised that Friday and Saturday evenings from February through to June are popular school ball nights. If you book a Chrysler limo through to only 5.00 – 5.30pm, expect that it will be booked for a following school ball and an extension of booking time will not be possible once the limo has a following booking.
Other businesses
Some business charge $125 per fifteen minutes overtime and regularly deduct any overtime charges from the customers credit card at these rates. At $500 per hour this is above the standard hire rate.
A few Hummer and Chrysler limousine businesses in Perth will intentionally double book a wedding and school ball for the 5.30 – 6.30pm time slot. They commonly leave the wedding at around 5.30pm or arrive late to collect the students for the school ball. Belle Limousines will not knowingly double book this period and will honour your wedding booking until the agreed finish time.
12 Damage or Soiling
Damage or soiling of the limos caused by the party (including upholstery damage, spillage and soiling) will be charged to the hiring customer. The cleaning and sanitising fee for soiling is approximately $300, damage at cost. Repair costs will be invoiced and deducted from the booking credit card.
13 Unforeseen Event Affecting the Hire Vehicle
Belle Classic Limousines
In the event of an unforeseen accident or breakdown before or during the event or wedding hire, we reserve the right to substitute an alternative vehicle for those booked. This is provided as a service to the hiring customer. Belle limos will always attempt to provide a suitable alternative so you are not further inconvenienced on the day. We usually have a reserve vehicle and driver at the depot to assist with a possible breakdown, accident or flat tyre we cannot guarantee a timely turnaround (especially when the hire extends outside the central Perth service area).
In the event of an unforeseen accident or breakdown or other circumstance which may effect the schedule during a wedding or charter booking, Belle Amie Pty Ltd will not be held liable for compensation beyond the cost of the car hire for the specific vehicle and time it is not in service.
If a hold-up during a hire is due to circumstances outside our control (traffic congestion, severe weather, emergency etc) Belle Amie Pty Ltd will not be held liable for any refund.
Other businesses
Smaller businesses will ring on the day and say we cannot make it (sort it out yourself). It is interesting to note that several businesses will call Belle if they have a breakdown or accident on a day, because they know we have a spare vehicle and driver on call when vehicles are out on wedding days.
Other factors to consider
14 Are your wedding cars, limousines and drivers correctly licensed and insured?
Belle Classic Limousines
Our wedding cars and limousines are correctly licensed SCV Small Charter Vehicles. They are subject to an annual DOT safety inspection and carry the correct insurance to cover fares or hire paying passengers. Ensure any vehicle you are considering has SCV or PT number plates.
Our drivers are personally vetted, and all have an ‘F extension’ license category for working with charter customers.
As a registered company, we also have public liability insurance in place and personal insurance associated with vehicle registration.
Other businesses
Perth has several illegal ‘vehicle for hire businesses’ targeting the wedding and school ball industry. The vehicles can be easily identified because they have number plates that do not say ‘Small Charter Vehicle’ under the main characters on the plate. If you cannot see green SCV number plates on the vehicles and limousines displayed on a website move on quickly.
Incorrectly licensed operators are usually running a cash business so they do not pay tax, they are not insured (neither for public liability or to cover you, your friends or your family as paying customers), their vehicles are not subject to annual inspections (so even though they may look nice they may not be safe mechanically), and they are probably incorrectly licensed to drive passengers (so have not been subjected to a criminal police check). Is that what your want for your special occasion?
Oddly, because of the Uber fiasco where the Government has decided not to take direct action on incorrectly licensed Uber cars being used to carry passengers, the people running unlicensed wedding cars are also not being prosecuted by the Department of Transport. At least Uber ensures their drivers have the correct license and their cars the correct insurance category.
Mustangs and Kombis are the main vehicle types being operated illegally.
15 What is the review profile of the business?
Belle Limousines
Security is often found in an extensive review profile for the business with reputable review sites. Trust Google+, Yelp, Yellow Pages, Facebook (if they have a large number of reviews), and Easy Weddings. Any business with less than 5 reviews in each of these locations is quite possibly very new to the business or blocking reviews about the business.
Belle has the most extensive review profile of any wedding car business in Western Australia.
Other businesses
Many businesses have blocked their review profiles on Facebook (for obvious reasons).
Start up businesses will only have one or two reviews (often by close friends).
See our article on reviews for a more detailed discussion.
16 What do the drivers wear?
Belle Classic Limousines
Our male drivers wear a black suit white shirt and a company tie. Female drivers wear a black skirt or slacks, white top and a black jacket. Our staff will usually wear their coats throughout the hire period. On very hot days they will wear their coats at the pick-up and drop-off to the ceremony and if requested by our clients during the remainder of the hire period. We feel it is better for them to stay cool to best serve you (during the wedding afternoon) and not wear their coats if they are uncomfortable during the photography sessions.
Other businesses
Many businesses have no standard attire for their drivers. We see the impact on the occasions when couples hire cars from two businesses: no ties, variously coloured shirts and slacks, shorts and boat shoes are considered ‘cool’ by some kombi businesses. It is better to check if you have a standard that you are hoping for.
17 What is included in the hire price?
Belle Classic Limousines
For weddings, each wedding car and limousine is equipped with an ivory satin ribbon, an ice box with iced water; champagne flutes; complementary drinks; umbrellas and a box of ‘just in case’ supplies including a first aid kit; mints; bottle openers and stoppers; sewing kit; pens; bobby pins and safety pins; and tissues. Red carpet is available if required and of-course each car is driven by a courteous, service focused chauffeur wearing a black suit, white shirt and company tie. In our classic cars the champagne flutes are hygienically stored in plastic glass containers which are cleaned between each hire.
We advise couples to supply alcoholic refreshments or soft drinks if you prefer and have them available cold at the pick-up point. You best know the preferences of your wedding party. The chauffeur will transfer your drinks into the wedding cars.
Warning. We recommend that you do not use coloured drinks on a wedding day. The artificial colours quickly leave a difficult to remove stain in white material (think wedding dresses) which will be better avoided by sticking to clear drinks.
Other businesses
Whilst other businesses will provide various bits and pieces, I don’t think anyone has more comprehensive preparation. If you do visit another business, ask to look in the boot of their wedding car or limo. You might be surprised that lots of businesses use the cardboard boxes that the glasses came in to store their glasses. They go back in there after use spilling champagne and dirt. They go back in there after being cleaned with all the accumulated grime and mould from previously spilled champagne, and then they are taken out of the dirty boxes for your use or to restock the bar in the limousine – it is disgusting. Other businesses have open glass storage trays in the boot of the car which is not much more hygienic.
18 Does the business offer back-up wedding cars or limousines?
Belle Classic Limousines
We have a classic vehicle reserved on most days if something happens to the vehicle you book (such as the rare case of an accident or mechanical failure the week before your wedding). Alternative stretch limousines are available through our extended network of suppliers.
Other businesses
Few other businesses are prepared to have a car at home on a peak wedding day. Fewer still will have a spare driver to assist if needed. Most small businesses have the owner driving one car while the full set is out at weddings. Not only is there little they can do to assist if a situation arises, but because they are driving at a wedding, they will be taking telephone calls and possibly disturbing a second wedding (possibly yours, even though there is no problem with your car). Many of these businesses will phone us for support on the day we may or may not provide – we prioritise our own weddings, of course).
19 Does the owner intend to sell the business?
At any time several limousine businesses are for sale in Perth. Most customers do not receive notification of the sale until the booking is forwarded to the new owner. Disputes between the new and old owner about deposits can often lead to difficulties with forward bookings.
There is never a guarantee that the new owner will honour the bookings attached to the vehicle.
20 What is the quality of the correspondence?
Compare the quality of correspondence from the businesses and information requested for your booking.
Some limo operators gather and document few real details of your day. This can lead to confusion with your hire schedule or can also be a reason to alter the booking to their advantage if they double book the limo closer to the hire date.
21 What happens when I talk to the business?
Not surprising these days, most limousine charter bookings are made on-line. Even if you trust that the limousines being offered are comparable by looking at the on-line pictures it is useful telephone and talk to the people who manage the business.
If the phone manner is short and unhelpful or demanding that you book immediately you can expect that manner on from your drivers on the day of your event.
22 What special offers to you provide? Be wary of ‘too good to be true offers’
Belle Classic Limousines
Belle Classic offers friendly service and great value for all limo hire. We don’t advertise outrageous specials to get you attention, however we will work to your budget and match genuine prices for like businesses.
Often in business you will find that the limo hire company that charges a little more for their services is running a sustainable business, whilst those that offer ‘too good to be true’ prices or ‘a free late night get-away and groom transfer with every wedding’ discounts are on the edge of survival or struggle to get work for other reasons. Offering hours of driving extras with every wedding is not sustainable, at some point the business will default on the promises.
Other businesses
A few business in Perth are currently offering 30% discounts of their standard limo hire rate if you book this week, but don’t tell you that their standard rate is nearly double other businesses’ standard rate. Your 30% discount ends up costing you more than the typical limo hire rate.
No saving on price is worth the frustration of finding out the week before your event that the booking you made and paid for is worthless or the upset of having special offers declined when you expect it. A month before the wedding is too late to secure services for popular dates – be safe not sorry and dig a little deeper into the hire conditions of the business you are dealing with.
23 Can I look at your diary for the date?
Surprisingly many limo businesses sole method of record keeping is a standard yearly business diary. I’ve seen some that are so crammed with notes and loose pieces of paper (customer booking details) that the diary will not close. This is a recipe for confusion, double booking and arguments about agreed schedules when your wedding day approaches. Some businesses only record a pick-up address and time and wing the rest on the day. If you cannot quickly follow their process neither will they.
24 Is there an adjoining booking?
Belle Classic Limousines
We do not engage in the practice of double booking or taking overlapping bookings.
Other businesses
If the answer is yes to the above question, then ask when and where does the booking start or finish?
Why should I know this? During school ball season from February through to June on Friday and Saturday evenings several stretch limo businesses short change their clients by having overlapping wedding and school ball bookings. Weddings usually finish between 6.00-6.30pm. School balls usually pick-up between 5.30-6.00pm and there is often a 30+ minute drive between the two and a limo to clean, say no more.
We have seen both:
- wedding party limos driving off from UWA mid photo shoot with their belongings left on the footpath (because the limo was leaving to get to a school ball booking)
- school ball students waiting on the footpath for a limo that is 50 minutes late because it was still at a wedding booking.
If you require additional insights please contact the office on 9279 9922 or phone John direct on 0419559900.
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