Portland-Equipment Rental > Blog > How To Rent Equipment > When Renting Equipment - Ask Lots of Questions

• Transportation. Am I expected to drive the tools/equipment to and from the rental store?  How do I secure it?  Will it fit in the back of my vehicle?  How do I load the equipment into my vehicle?  How do I unload the equipment?  Is there a chance that it will fall while I'm loading or unloading the equipment?  Could it fall on me?  Could I strain my back while lifting it up or down into a vehicle?  Do I have to rent separate ramps just to get it in and out my vehicle?  What happens if I slam on the brakes with the equipment in the back of my vehicle? Will the rental business deliver the tool rental to my home or project location?  If delivery is available then how precise will the delivery and pickup times be?  Will the delivery driver be qualified to train me on safe and proper use of the rental tools?  Will the delivery driver help place the equipment at the location where I will be doing the work?Every YardRents rental includes free delivery.  This completely eliminates the hazard, stress, and frustration of transporting equipment to and from the rental store.  Our Rental Consultants will not only deliver your equipment, but they will also train you on safe and proper use of your rentals.  The YardRents rental consultant will assist you, as much as possible, in positioning the equipment at your exact work location.
• Price.  How is price determined/calculated? Am I paying for the rental while I am driving it to and from my project location?  What is the minimum rental charge?  When does the rental begin?  When do I want the rental to end?  Are there any other hidden fees or charges that will automatically get tacked on?  What if I am late returning the rentals?When you are placing your YardRents order, you will see the minimum time requirement for each tool you are renting.  Minimums are between 2 and 4 hours.  The great thing about YardRents is that your rental does not begin until after the rental consultant drives away.  Unlike other rental stores, YardRents does not believe that you should have to pay rent on a tool while it's in transit.  There are not other hidden fees.  YardRents believes in managing customer expectations up front.  Therefore, we do not like to charge extra fees for anything. We stand behind the price you are quoted online.  Since we are picking the equipment up at your location, it's impossible for you to return it late.  In the event that you need equipment longer, we are always happy to try to accommodate your additional rental needs.  We always leave you with multiple ways of contacting us once you realize that you need more or less time with a rental.  Obviously, if equipment is damaged then there is the possibility of damage charges, but damaged equipment is an extremely rare occurrence.  We generally charge in 2 hour increments where the first 2 hour increment is the most expensive and each subsequent 2 hour increment costs less and less.
• Fees.  Is there a delivery and pickup fee?  Is there a penalty if I don't return the rental full of fuel?  Is there a cleaning fee if I don't return the rental completely clean and if so then by what cleaning standards?  What happens if I am one minute late returning the rental?  Will I be strong-armed into purchasing rental insurance?Your YardRents order includes free deliver and pickup.  We always try to leave you with enough extra fuel to get you through your project.  We kindly ask that you use that fuel to top of the tank.  If you forget to top off the tank then we are more than happy to do it for you.  When we are picking everything up, we simply measure the amount of fuel that you used and add that amount to your order.  No more last minute scramble to find fuel or stop off at the gas station for a fraction of a gallon of gas.
• Rental Insurance.  Why do I need to purchase rental insurance if the equipment is in good condition?  What are the most common rental insurance claims for the piece of equipment I am renting?  Do the majority of claims have to do with transporting, loading, and unloading the equipment from my vehicle?  What are the odds that I will damage the equipment? Must I purchase rental insurance in order to avoid charges due to equipment failures resulting from normal wear and tear?
• Convenience.  Can I get real time tool pricing and availability information from the rental business? web site?  Do I have to call in order to get basic information?  Will the rental business allow me to reserve the tool rental for future use?  Does the rental business have any means of telling me if tools are available at a specific time?  Do I have to wait in line at the rental store to get help and checkout with my order?  What are the rental business? hours?  Is the rental business open on Saturday and Sunday?
• Customer Service.  Will the rental store employees have patience with me, especially if I am not a professional?  Will I feel hurried and pushed when renting the tools and completing rental agreements?  Will the rental store employees get frustrated with me if I don?t know what I am talking about?  Is there someone I can call directly when I am at my project site and having issues?  If there is a problem while I have the rental, will I be expected to drive it back to the rental store for replacement or repair?
• Training.  Will I be trained on how to safely and successfully operate the tool rental?  Will I be trained at my project location or in a parking lot at the rental store?  After being trained, what if I decide that I can?t safely or comfortably use the tool?  Will I feel comfortable asking questions about the tool rental, especially if there is a line of people behind me waiting to checkout?
• Quality.  How old is the equipment that I will be renting?  Is the equipment that I?m renting the same as the equipment shown on the website?  Are there any videos that will demonstrate proper tool usage?  Will I have the opportunity to learn about the equipment and read the operators manual before renting?  What happens if the equipment breaks down while I have it rented?  Am I responsible for equipment failures from normal wear and tear?  Will I have to pay for the full rental period even if the equipment breaks down?  If there is a breakdown, do I have to load the equipment back in my vehicle and drive it back to the rental store or will the rental store send someone out to my location to address the problem?
• Communications.  How easy is it to contact the rental business?  Will I be starting a conversation with a new employee each time I call?  Does the rental store respond to email?  Texts?   Can all of my questions be answered online via the rental store website?  Am I assigned a dedicated business representative to handle my delivery, training, questions and issues that may arise when I am left alone with the rental equipment?
• Project Success.  How can I know that I have rented the proper tool for my project?  How can I know that I can handle the equipment safely and comfortably while I have it rented?   If there is an equipment problem, will anyone proactively try to fix the equipment or re-accommodate me so that I can complete my project?