Hedge End Taxi Ltd, trading as Himalaya Cars, is registered in England. Registered office address: Director General House, SO15 2EP. Himalaya Cars is licensed as a private hire operator by Southampton City Council under Part II of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, and drivers and vehicles operating under this licence hold current licences issued by Southampton City Council, Hampshire County Council, or another licensing authority as applicable.
Hedge End Taxi Ltd reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions at any time for quality testing and development. Any changes will be promptly posted on the Himalaya Cars website's homepage, with users notified within 14 days of the updated Terms & Conditions. Continued use of our website implies acceptance and adherence to these terms and conditions unless explicitly objected to. The continued use of Himalaya Cars services also constitutes acceptance by the user.
When a booking is confirmed, Himalaya Cars, as the licensed private hire operator, accepts responsibility for that booking in accordance with Section 56(1) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976. This means the services described, including the pickup and drop-off locations, vehicle type, and any agreed preferences, are delivered as specified. Private hire vehicles may only be pre-booked and cannot be hailed in the street; fares are agreed between the passenger and Himalaya Cars at the time of booking and are not fixed by the licensing authority.
1.1 Please be advised that playing loud music within any of our vehicles is strictly prohibited. This policy is in place for passenger safety and to prevent any distractions for our chauffeurs while driving.
1.2 Alcohol consumption is not permitted in any of our vehicles without prior permission. The customer is liable for any damages arising from spills on seats or other vehicle surfaces.
1.3 Under no circumstances are any illegal drugs allowed. Our chauffeurs have the right to refuse service to any passenger under the influence of drugs. In such cases, no refunds will be issued, and the customer will be solely responsible for the full fare.
1.4 All our chauffeur services are pre-booked, and it's important to note that the vehicle may have other bookings immediately following your trip. If additional time is required beyond the initially booked hours, it is at the discretion of the chauffeur. We recommend scheduling any additional hours in advance to avoid inconvenience.
All terms and conditions outlined herein apply to services arranged and provided by Hedge End Taxi Ltd T/A Himalaya Cars as a licensed private hire operator.
2.1 After booking and commencement of the service, additional charges may apply, such as extra hours, additional stops, extra mileage, waiting time, parking fees, and address changes, all in accordance with our latest pricing structure.
2.2 All hourly bookings must conclude in the same city as the trip's starting point. If the drop-off location is in a different city, an additional charge may apply.
2.3 Users can select from various vehicle classes, including Executive Cars, People Carriers, and Luxury Class vehicles, as showcased on our Vehicles page. The images on our Vehicles page are for illustrative purposes to demonstrate the vehicle classes we offer. Subject to vehicle availability, users may request an upgrade to a higher-class vehicle. While the upgrade itself is free, charges will apply based on the upgraded category. Please feel free to contact Himalaya Cars at any time to discuss such matters.
2.4 Booking Times — For all vehicle bookings, we require a minimum notice period of 4 hours.
2.6 Children — When booking for children, please request child seats in the comments section and specify the children's ages and the type of seat required. Children under 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult unless otherwise agreed with us in advance. Where the law permits a child to travel without a child seat in a licensed vehicle, it remains the joint responsibility of the driver and the parent or guardian to ensure the child is safely restrained for the duration of the journey. Himalaya Cars and our booking staff do not provide child seats and cannot advise on which seat is suitable; this remains the responsibility of the parent or guardian. Please also see our Safeguarding Policy for our procedures regarding children and vulnerable passengers.
2.7 Conveyance of Animals — Customers wishing to bring animals on board must obtain prior permission from Himalaya Cars and our partners. Guide dogs will always be accommodated. However, Himalaya Cars reserves the right to refuse transportation of animals (excluding guide dogs) if prior arrangements were not made.
2.8 Policy on Passengers and Luggage — The luggage and seating capacities of our vehicles are clearly specified in our vehicle illustrations, and luggage is limited to the maximum weight and space capacity of the vehicle booked. You must inform us in advance if you believe your luggage may exceed this. When making a booking on the Himalaya Cars website, any extra luggage will incur additional charges based on space availability. Himalaya Cars reserves the right to refuse any luggage not agreed upon or unable to fit in the vehicle's trunk without compromising safety. Care is taken when handling customer luggage, although customers are advised to label their property. Likewise, the vehicle's seating capacity is clearly indicated, and passengers not included in the original booking may be refused if space becomes limited and safety is compromised.
2.9 Delays — Himalaya Cars cannot be held responsible for delays arising from extreme weather conditions, unforeseen traffic, GPS navigation errors, or any other circumstances beyond our control. We do not accept liability or offer compensation for financial losses resulting from such delays, including missed meetings, hotel bookings, flights, or connecting flights.
2.10 Booking Availability — Bookings can be made by telephone, email, or through the Himalaya Cars website. While we make every effort to ensure our booking channels are available at all times, we do not guarantee uninterrupted availability of our website, telephone lines, or email, and we reserve the right to suspend any of these from time to time, including for maintenance.
Any penalties, such as parking tickets, resulting from customer actions or failure to obtain prior approvals, will be charged to the customer, including special parking fees imposed by building management, etc.
3.1 Third-Party Website Bookings — Himalaya Cars does not accept responsibility for bookings made through third-party ground transportation service provider websites. We only accept direct bookings through the Himalaya Cars website, by telephone, or by email.
3.2 Change of Vehicle — In the event that a vehicle is unavailable due to sudden mechanical failure or other reasons, we will provide a substitute vehicle of a similar class, licensed by Southampton City Council or Hampshire County Council as appropriate.
(a) Transfer Services
(b) Hourly Services of Less Than 1 Hour
4.2 Cancellations — Himalaya Cars may cancel bookings due to unforeseen emergencies, driver unavailability, vehicle unavailability, or extreme weather conditions, and a full refund will be provided.
4.3 Changes to Booking — Changes to the destination can be made during the ride and will be subject to review and additional mileage charges by Himalaya Cars.
4.4 Behaviour in the Vehicle — All passengers are required to adhere to standard rules and laws while travelling with the Himalaya Cars fleet. Passenger safety is paramount.
4.5 Lost Property — Items left in our vehicles will be recorded in our lost property register and held for collection. Customers are advised to label their property. Customers can retrieve lost items by contacting their driver or our office. The cost of returning lost items, including transportation and courier fees, will be borne by the customer. However, we do not charge for storing lost items. Himalaya Cars chauffeurs are not responsible for any loss or damage to luggage or property unless it results from negligence by our chauffeur. Customer property is transported entirely at their own risk, and Himalaya Cars shall not be held liable for any loss or damage to such property.
4.6 Complaints — In the event of a complaint about our services, customers should seek assistance from the driver or our company at the time of the incident. If this does not resolve the issue, complaints should be submitted in writing within 12 days of the hire's termination date. The company will acknowledge all complaints within 12 days and will generally respond in full within 28 days. A record of all complaints is retained for a minimum of 12 months in accordance with our operator licence conditions.
5.1 Waiting Times for Transfer Services — For transfer services, the first 45 minutes of waiting time are free for airport pickups after the agreed pickup time. Non-airport pickups include 15 minutes of free waiting time. After this free waiting time, additional waiting time costs will be charged at a flat rate, calculated based on the hourly booking price for the pickup location area, including the vehicle category rate (including VAT).
5.2 Additional Distance for Hourly Bookings — Himalaya Cars and its partners have a fixed mileage rate for hourly bookings. Any additional mileage beyond the hourly rate will incur extra charges, calculated based on the hourly booking price for the pickup location area, including the vehicle category rate (including VAT).
5.3 Terms of Payment and Transaction Fees — Customers can make payments using major credit and debit cards. We use approved third-party payment processors, compliant with the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), to handle and process card payments; your card details are securely tokenised and are not stored by Himalaya Cars. Payment will be processed immediately upon booking completion, with any additional charges incurred during the journey debited 24-48 hours after the trip concludes.
5.4 Invoice — Invoices are sent to customers as soon as their journey ends (provided no additional charges are incurred). Included with the invoice is a review form that can be sent back to us via email or through our social media pages. In cases where customers add extras, invoices and review forms will be sent within 24-48 hours after the journey ends.
5.5 Payments by Credit Card — Customers are responsible for any charges associated with currency conversion or local account variations. Himalaya Cars reserves the right to request credit cards and ID verification if any suspicious activity is suspected.
5.6 Driver Payment and Commission — All drivers engaged by Himalaya Cars are remunerated on a weekly basis. A standard commission of 20% will be deducted from the total fare of every job assigned to the driver. This commission applies irrespective of the payment method received from the customer, including cash, credit card, or account payments. The net amount payable to the driver will be the total fare collected, less the 20% commission and any other agreed deductions (e.g., for penalties or damages caused by the driver as per other clauses).
5.7 Booking Records — In accordance with Section 56(2) and (3) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, Himalaya Cars keeps a record of every booking accepted, including the time and date of booking, the name and contact details of the person booking, how the booking was made, the pick-up and destination details, and the driver and vehicle allocated. These records are retained for a minimum of 12 months and are made available to an authorised officer of the licensing authority or the police on request, in line with our Privacy Policy and Data Protection Policy.
Himalaya Cars reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions at any time. Clients will be notified of significant changes. Continued use of our services constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.
If you have any questions or concerns about these Terms and Conditions, please contact us:
By booking with Himalaya Cars, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms and Conditions.