1. General
a) Dean Taxis Limited, (which hereafter will be referred to as ‘Dean Taxis’ or the ‘Company’), includes but is not limited to, Dean Taxis Limited, Birtley Taxis, Gateshead Taxis, Team Valley Taxis, Blue Eagle Taxis, Low Fell Cabs, Whitehall Taxis, DNL, MetroCentre Taxis Limited, Felling Taxis, S & S Taxis, 422 Taxis and Grosvenor Cars. These Terms and Conditions, which come into effect on the 26 October 2020 and will remain in force until a revision becomes necessary, shall relate to the conduct of your business with ‘Dean Taxis’, on either a cash or credit basis. Up to date copies are available for download from the ‘Dean Taxis’, Grosvenor Cars’, or ‘Felling Taxis’ websites,
https://deantaxis.co.uk/ http://grosvenorcarsofnewcastle.co.uk/
http://www.fellingtaxis.co.uk/
or by written request to; Accounts Department, Dean Taxis Limited, 362B Dukesway, Team Valley, Gateshead, NE11 0PZ. Where postage is needed, a charge of £1.50 is made by ‘Dean Taxis’ to cover the cost of this service and you should include with your written application a cheque in this amount, made payable to Dean Taxis Limited, or payment can be made by card in the form of a verbal request by telephone to our accounts department on 0191 4403951. There is no charge for copies of these documents that are sent by email.
Bookings may be made by any of the following methods: –
Telephone
Email
Dean Taxis App
Letter
Via a third party using one of the methods shown above, which includes your ‘Dean Taxis’ driver.
It may be necessary as part of the booking process for you, or other persons you authorise to make bookings through an account held with Dean Taxis, to submit personal information to ‘Dean Taxis’ in order for ‘The Company’ to provide its services to you. These Terms and Conditions should therefore be read in conjunction with the Dean Taxis Policy on Data Protection that complies fully with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulations (EU Directive 2016/679). Any completed Credit Account Application forms sent to ‘Dean Taxis’ is an offer by the company, individual or business named on the application form, (hereafter referred to as the ‘Client’), to contract with ‘Dean Taxis’ for the provision of its services on an (account) basis. A contract will be formed only upon the issue by ‘Dean Taxis’ to the ‘Client’, confirmation that their application has been accepted.
b) The term ‘Dean Taxis’ shall include all of its drivers and vehicles, employees, contractors and agents.
c) ‘Dean Taxis’ reserves the right in its absolute discretion, and without giving reasons, to reject any credit application (account) and to decline to enter into a contract. ‘Dean Taxis’ may make enquiries with credit reference agencies in connection with your credit application (account), which may result in a record of the search being attached to your personal credit history.
d) A contract shall only be activated on the terms and conditions laid out herein, and upon the applicant’s acceptance of these terms and conditions, which, with your consent, ‘Dean Taxis’ will manage as part of your personal data, in accordance with its Policy on Data Protection. The contract shall be personal to both parties and non-assignable.
e) The ‘Client’ shall notify ‘Dean Taxis’ as soon as they can, of any change in any of the details the ‘Company’ holds. Amendments to details shall take effect on the date shown in a confirmation notice issued by ‘Dean Taxis’ to the ‘Client’.
f) The relevant Licensing Authority shall be defined as; the Licensing Authority (or Licensing District) responsible for licensing the operator, driver and vehicle allocated to the specific job.
2. Bookings, Consents and Security
a) ‘Dean Taxis’ will not accept bookings unless the necessary consents required by the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulations (EU Directive 2016/679). are given freely, and, where applicable, ‘Client’ account numbers and/or passwords are quoted. All telephone calls into and out of Dean Taxis and its subsidiaries are recorded. Overt CCTV systems are installed in many of our vehicles, where audio visual recordings are active for the purposes of security, safeguarding, in pursuit of a legitimate aim and proportionate to the level of risks faced by our drivers in carrying out their duties. Use of these systems is a condition of carriage and should you not wish to be recorded for any reason you should not use a taxi operated by the company or any of its subsidiaries. CCTV recordings are automatically overwritten after a set period of time.
b) ‘Dean Taxis’ will, for its part, safeguard the personal information it receives in accordance with its Policy on Data Protection, and the ‘Company’ is entitled without rebuttal, to assume that any person who correctly quotes the correct account numbers and/or passwords and ‘Client’ name, has authority to make bookings on behalf of the ‘Client’ and they are authorised to consent to the release of personal information to ‘Dean Taxis’ for booking, administrative and financial records purposes.
c) The ‘Client’ is solely responsible for safeguarding the confidentiality of all such account reference numbers, passwords and other such relevant information that may be necessary to safeguard their interests, such as in the case of the App based booking processes involving third party transaction facilitators, where credit / debit card details are originally registered with Dean Taxis through the App. Where cards are not reported to the police as having been stolen and a crime number issued, the card holder shall remain liable for the costs of all bookings and associated journeys made by any person, whether or not they have in fact been authorised by the ‘Client’, until such time as the card details are withdrawn from the App based booking facility or the card is reported as stolen to the police and a crime number is allocated.
d) ‘Dean Taxis’ may, in its absolute discretion, without liability and without giving reason, refuse to accept any booking where, if it is considered necessary, through reasonable endeavours, they are unable to validate the authenticity of the person making the booking.
e) All accepted bookings are deemed to be confirmed at the time of booking. The ‘Client’ is then liable for all charges incurred for the time when a taxicab is assigned to the booking and dispatch has occurred, until the completion of the assignment. In the event of a timely cancellation of the booking prior to the vehicle being dispatched, no charges will be applied. In the event of an untimely cancellation by the ‘Client’ or their passengers, the ‘Client’ is also liable for such charges as may necessarily be incurred by ‘Dean Taxis’ consequently upon, or in order to, implement the cancellation. The liability of Dean Taxis in the event of cancellation by it is set out at 4(f).
3. Charges
Charges will be made on the basis set out below. All work undertaken outside of the relevant Licensing District may be surcharged. The rate of each charge shall be revised by ‘Dean Taxis’ as appropriate from time to time, entirely at its discretion. All charges are presumed payable in cash or card, unless otherwise stated at the time of booking. Items and basis of charges are: –
a) A minimum fixed charge for hiring. (Flagfall)
b) A meter charge based on the tariff laid down by the relevant Licensing Authority or Operator in the case of Private Hire Vehicles, as shown on the taximeter used in the licensed vehicle. Meter charges commence at the pickup time requested by the ‘Client’ or, should no pick-up time be specified, upon the arrival of the licensed vehicle. Taxi Meters operate on both time and distance and charges will only cease on conclusion of the assignment. ‘Dean Taxis’ reserves the right at its absolute discretion to charge ‘Clients’ where a taxi is supplied but it is unable to collect the passenger(s) for whatever reason.
c) Where waiting time of 5 minutes or more duration after the due time is incurred at the pickup location, an additional charge for all waiting time may be levied.
d) Special charges such as surcharges may be incurred for all bookings commencing outside of the relevant Licensing District. The remission of such charges and the amount charged will be entirely at the discretion of ‘Dean Taxis’.
e) There is an administration charge payable in relation to all invoiced payments that will be notified to you following acceptance of your credit application.
f) Charges may be made for the return of lost property at ‘Dean Taxis’ discretion and in accordance with the Licensing Authority conditions.
4. Extent of Dean Taxis Liability
a) Any quoted prices, pickup or journey times are best estimates only, utilising the best technology available to us and based on known variables and logistical data at the time of booking. We offer quotes or fixed fares on the basis of the pickup and drop off points stated to us at the time of booking, and type of vehicle requested, which does not include surcharges, extra stoppages or unforeseeable waiting time. Whilst Dean Taxis Limited and its representatives will use all of its skills, local knowledge and reasonable efforts within the law to convey passenger(s) to their destinations in the shortest possible time and via the most cost-effective route, Dean Taxis Limited shall have no liability if a pickup or journey time exceeds any estimate given, or otherwise exceeds the ‘Clients’ or their passenger’s expectations for whatever reason. Nor shall ‘Dean Taxis’ have any other liability to the ‘Client’ or their passenger(s) in connection with the time at which the passenger(s) reach or fail to reach the intended destination.
b) ‘Dean Taxis’ shall have no liability for any damage, loss, costs, claims or other expenses, (whether foreseeable or not), that may accrue as the result of a late arrival, where all reasonable efforts have been made by the ‘Company’ to fulfil the ‘Clients’ requirements, and it is deemed by the ‘Company’ through the investigation of root cause analysis, that circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the ‘Company’ has been the cause of such loss, costs, claims or other expenses.
c) It shall be for the ‘Client’ and/or their passenger(s) to ensure that any valuable, unusual, precious, sentimental or any other items or articles owned by them are covered by their own appropriate insurance in transit. No reasonable request to carry articles in the passenger compartment of the vehicle will be refused. However, this decision will be at the discretion of the driver, who will expect items that are bulky or have the potential to cause harm will be stored and carried in the luggage compartment.
d) ‘Dean Taxis’ will take reasonable steps to retain property accidently left in their vehicles and return it to the owner but, cannot accept any claim for loss or damage to any above described items or articles carried in the vehicles they operate or otherwise coming into their possession or control, howsoever caused.
e) Any damage negligently caused to any ‘Dean Taxis’ operated vehicle by the ‘Client’ or their passengers must be paid for. It is strongly recommended that an insurance policy is in force in favour of the ‘Client’ that adequately covers claims of this nature.
f) If ‘Dean Taxis’ cancels a booking, it shall have no liability to the ‘Client’ and/or their passengers if it has used its reasonable endeavours to fulfil the booking and to notify the ‘Client’ of the cancellation as soon as it is practicable to do so.
g) The ‘Client’ shall notify ‘Dean Taxis’ of any prospective claim or complaint as soon as possible and in any event within one month of the date of the journey or, if later, the first date on which the ‘Client’ became aware of, (or if sooner should have been aware of), the matter claimed or complained of. All complaints must be in writing and addressed to, The Manager, Dean Taxis Limited, 362B Dukesway, Team Valley, Gateshead, NE11 0PZ or by email to management@deantaxis.com
h) ‘Dean Taxis’ undertakes to investigate all matters claimed or complained of free of charge if made within the maximum one-month period allowed, but it will only investigate matters outside of this period if there is a legal request made, or there is a sufficient or compellable reason for doing so, and charges for this service may be invoiced accordingly.
i) ‘Dean Taxis’ requires that all passengers making a journey that connects with another ongoing form of transport should, at the time of making a booking, make ‘Dean Taxis’ operators aware of this requirement, and the passenger should ensure that they leave sufficient time from their requested pickup time to ensure that they arrive in time for trains, buses, coaches and airport departures. It is recommended that international flights should be at least 2 hours, with ships and domestic flights at least 1 hour before the scheduled departure time, or such other time as may have been specified by the relevant third-party travel company, coach or bus operator, shipping company or airport. ‘Dean Taxis’ will not accept any liability whatsoever for customers who fail to allow acceptable times for their journeys to further connections, or, if the customer fails to advise ‘Dean Taxis’ operators at the time of booking, that there is a further connection to be made.
5. Accounts and Payments
a) Invoices are issued to the ‘Clients’ email address shown on the Credit Application Form unless agreed otherwise. A statement of account will be available if requested at the end of each month.
b) Settlement in full is due no later than 30 days after the invoice date.
c) ‘Dean Taxis’ reserves the right at its discretion to charge interest to businesses on unpaid accounts in accordance with the “Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998” as amended. Statutory Interest is set at 8% plus the Bank of England base rate prevailing at the time.
d) In addition, the ‘Client’ shall pay ‘Dean Taxis’ the following fixed debt recovery costs for late payment: –
Amount of debt Charge
Up to £999.99 £40
£1,000 to £9,999.99 £70
£10,000.00 or more £100
plus, any other reasonable expenses associated with pursuing the debt, such as all legal and court costs incurred in the collection of any overdue account and the minimum charge in this respect shall be £100.00
e) Invoice Payment shall be by means of cheque, payable to Dean Taxis Ltd, and remitted to Dean Taxis Accounts Department at, 362B Dukesway, Team Valley, Gateshead, NE11 0PZ, or by such other methods (such as Direct Debit, BACS, Credit / Debit card etc.) as may be agreed in writing by ‘Dean Taxis Limited’.
f) Invoice queries must be notified in writing to Dean Taxis Limited within 14 days of receipt of the invoice, after which date the Client shall not be entitled to dispute the amount, save for manifest or gross error on the part of Dean Taxis Limited.
6. Termination of Account
a) The account is terminable by either party in writing, giving seven days’ notice at any time, without reason needing to be given. It may also be terminated with immediate effect by ‘Dean Taxis’, without notice at any time, if any overdue amount is not paid by the ‘Client’ in accordance with the terms allowed at 5(b).
b) Upon termination of the account for whatever reason, all sums payable to or chargeable by ‘Dean Taxis’, or otherwise appearing on the ‘Clients’ account, shall become immediately due and payable in full if not already due and payable.
7. Alterations to these Terms & Conditions
‘Dean Taxis’ reserves the right to alter or vary these terms and conditions in any respect at its absolute discretion, the most recent and applicable terms and conditions will be available for download from our website or by request to our Accounts Department on 0191 4403951 or email accounts@deantaxis.com
8. Applicable Law
The Law of England applies.
9. The Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 shall not apply to this contract.
‘Dean Taxis’ makes every effort to ensure that the information contained in these terms and conditions is correct, fair and compliant with all relevant Statutory requirements of English Law and Regulations of the EU applicable at the time of issue. Nothing contained in these Terms and Conditions will affect your Statutory Rights. ‘Dean Taxis Limited’ aims to be transparent in all our undertakings and dealings with our customers and if there is any aspect of these terms and conditions that you would like to be explained to you further, please write to The Manager, Dean Taxis Limited, 362B Dukesway, Team Valley, Gateshead, NE11 0PZ or email management@deantaxis.com
10. Covid-19
All passengers are solely responsible for ensuring that they strictly adhere to any, and all, applicable Covid and social distancing rules and laws as set down by the Government, at all times.
It is the passengers’ responsibility to ensure that they are not breaking any laws when booking journeys by whatever means with the Company, especially when bookings are from or to, multiple locations, and when they are passengers in the vehicle.
Drivers may refuse to carry passengers if they feel that by doing so, their own personal safety may be affected.
