Credit Hire Crunch

Credit hire agreements signed months after a hire car

had been returned were insufficient evidence to establish a

liability between a claimant and a credit hire

company.

The appeal

In a recent appeal before the High Court; Company Call

Centre v Sheehan [2009], in-house Counsel for Browne Jacobson

LLP successfully argued that a District Judge sitting in the

Birmingham County Court had been correct in reaching the view that

late signed hire documents did not establish a liability between

the claimant and Helphire Plc, who had provided a hire vehicle. It

followed that the defendant should not therefore be ordered to pay

the associated charges.

Background

The claimant driver was instructed to contact Helphire Plc to

arrange use of a replacement vehicle. He was advised that any

charges would be met...