1. About Friends Cars

Friends Cars is a private hire taxi and airport transfer company serving Edenbridge, Lingfield, East Grinstead, Crawley, Redhill, Horley, Sevenoaks, Westerham and surrounding areas across Surrey, Kent and Sussex. We operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

2. Accepting these terms

By requesting, confirming or paying for a booking with Friends Cars you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. If you are booking on behalf of another person, you confirm that you have their authority to accept on their behalf and that they are aware of these terms.

These terms apply to all passengers, account holders, corporate clients and anyone else who uses Friends Cars services — including local journeys, school transport, medical trips, airport transfers, executive travel and long-distance journeys.

3. Bookings and confirmation

A booking is accepted only when confirmed by Friends Cars by phone, SMS, email, website confirmation or dispatch message. An unconfirmed enquiry or quote request does not constitute a confirmed booking.

It is your responsibility to ensure all booking details — pickup address, destination, date, time, passenger numbers and flight information — are accurate. Friends Cars is not responsible for errors arising from inaccurate information provided by the customer.

Friends Cars may decline a booking at its discretion, including where suitable vehicles are unavailable, the journey falls outside our operating area, or previous bookings have resulted in a no-show, non-payment or a conduct issue.

4. Fares and quotes

Quotes are based on the journey details provided at the time of the enquiry. The following charges are not included in a basic quote unless clearly confirmed at booking:

• Airport terminal drop-off and collection fees (e.g. Gatwick up to £10, Heathrow up to £7, Stansted up to £28, London City up to £8).
• Waiting time beyond the standard grace period.
• Additional stops added after confirmation.
• Route diversions or unscheduled stops during a journey.
• Parking charges incurred during a wait.
• Cleaning charges where applicable.
• Bank holiday or unsociable hours surcharges where published.

Published price guides are indicative only. A confirmed fixed fare for a specific journey takes precedence over any general pricing shown online or in advertising materials.

5. Passenger responsibilities

Passengers must provide accurate booking details, select a pickup time that allows sufficient travel time for their journey, and be ready at the agreed pickup location on time.

For airport departures, it is the passenger's responsibility to allow adequate time for check-in, security and any airline-specific requirements. Friends Cars is not liable for missed flights where the passenger did not allow sufficient travel time or provided incorrect departure information.

If the number of passengers, volume of luggage or the requirement for specialist items (child seats, wheelchairs, oversized luggage) differs from what was confirmed, Friends Cars may arrange a larger vehicle at an adjusted price or, where no suitable vehicle is available, treat the booking as a cancellation.

6. Waiting time and airport pickups

A standard grace period of approximately 10 minutes applies to most local pickups before waiting charges begin. For airport arrivals, waiting time is calculated from the actual landing time based on live flight tracking — provided the correct flight number was given at booking.

Where airport parking, meet-and-greet or additional waiting fees are incurred beyond the included grace period, these may be charged to the passenger at cost. For pre-booked meet-and-greet services, parking beyond the agreed period will be passed to the passenger.

7. Delays and service disruptions

Friends Cars will make every reasonable effort to arrive on time for all bookings. However, we cannot guarantee journey or arrival times due to circumstances outside our reasonable control — including heavy traffic, road accidents, road closures, adverse weather, vehicle breakdown, police operations, strikes or public events. Where a delay or cancellation on our part is unavoidable, we will contact the passenger as soon as possible and attempt to arrange an alternative vehicle.

8. Cancellations and refunds

Cancellation terms and refund eligibility are set out in full in our Booking & Refund Policy. In summary:

• Cancellations with more than 24 hours' notice: generally eligible for a full refund.
• Cancellations between 3 and 24 hours before pickup: partial refund may apply.
• Cancellations with less than 3 hours' notice or after driver dispatch: no refund.
• Any airport-related charges already incurred may be deducted from any refund due.

To cancel, call 01342 618082 or email with your booking reference as soon as possible.

9. Luggage and special items

Please inform Friends Cars at booking if you are travelling with more than standard hand luggage and one suitcase per passenger, or if you require space for child seats, booster seats, folding wheelchairs, mobility aids, prams, buggy, pets, sports equipment or musical instruments.

Carriage of such items is subject to available vehicle space, driver approval and applicable safety regulations. Friends Cars is not liable for loss of or damage to luggage or personal property unless directly caused by proven negligence. Passengers are responsible for removing all personal belongings from the vehicle at the end of the journey.

10. Conduct and safety

Friends Cars reserves the right to refuse carriage or terminate a journey if any passenger is behaving in a threatening, abusive, violent, heavily intoxicated, disruptive or illegal manner, or if their behaviour creates a risk to the driver, other passengers or road users.

The following are not permitted in any Friends Cars vehicle:

• Smoking or vaping.
• Consumption of alcohol without driver agreement.
• Unlawful drug use or possession.
• Physical or verbal abuse directed at drivers or other passengers.
• Any behaviour that creates a safety risk to the driver or vehicle.

A cleaning or decontamination charge of up to £150 may be applied for vomiting, spillages or excessive mess. Damage to vehicles caused by passengers will be charged at repair cost plus loss of earnings during the repair period.

11. Payment

Payment may be required in advance, before pickup or on completion of the journey depending on booking type and account arrangements. Business account customers must settle invoices within the agreed payment terms. Friends Cars reserves the right to suspend account facilities for overdue balances. Card processing fees of approximately 1.5–3% may apply where non-recoverable from the payment provider.

12. Subcontracting

Friends Cars may use subcontracted private hire drivers or partner operators to fulfil bookings during periods of high demand or where specialist vehicles are needed. All subcontracted drivers must hold a valid private hire licence. Friends Cars remains responsible to the passenger for the quality and safety of subcontracted journeys.

13. Liability

Nothing in these terms limits the liability of Friends Cars for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded. Subject to this, Friends Cars is not liable for:

• Indirect, consequential or special losses.
• Loss of profits, business, missed opportunities or missed connections.
• Missed flights or appointments where the passenger did not allow adequate travel time or provided incorrect journey details.
• Losses caused by events outside our reasonable control, including severe weather, road incidents, industrial action, airline cancellations or technical failures.

Where Friends Cars is liable for a journey-related loss not excluded above, our liability is limited to the fare paid for the specific journey in question.

14. Complaints

If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of your experience, please contact us as soon as possible with your booking reference, travel date, driver details (if known) and a description of the issue. We will acknowledge your complaint promptly and investigate fairly.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the relevant local licensing authority or seek independent advice.

15. Governing law

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any dispute arising in connection with these terms or any booking shall be subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, without prejudice to any consumer rights you hold under applicable law.

Friends Cars may update these terms from time to time. The current version will always be published at www.friendscars.co.uk. Continued use of our services after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

Contact us

For any questions about these Terms and Conditions, please reach out to our team: