Photo: Sjoerd Verhelst on Unsplash
Private campervan hire means renting a van from the person who owns it, instead of from a company depot. On this site, vans are listed by private owners and local hire businesses and booked through our partner Outdoorsy, with insurance and payment protection on every booking. You get more variety and a person to talk to, and in return you do a little more checking yourself.
| Who lists | Private owners and local hire businesses; check each profile |
|---|---|
| Booked through | Outdoorsy, our partner |
| Protection | Insurance and payment protection come with every booking |
| Roadside | 24/7 roadside assistance is optional |
| Confirmation | Instant Book is confirmed at once; otherwise the owner has 24 hours to accept or decline |
| Driver age | Normally 25 or over |
| Handover | Signed in the app, with timestamped photos taken by you and the owner |
Private campervan hire: how owner listings work
Each listing belongs to one owner, who decides the nightly rate, mileage allowance, pet and smoking rules, cancellation tier, and whether they will deliver. You search by location and dates, open a listing and either press Instant Book or send a request. Outdoorsy shows the full pickup address only once the booking is confirmed, so until then you see the area, not the street.
Not every listing is a private individual. Some come from small local businesses that list through the same platform. The owner's profile and reviews usually make clear which you are dealing with, and the rest of this guide applies to both. For how Outdoorsy itself works, see our Outdoorsy review.
Campervan hire from private owners or a hire company
Neither is better in every case. The table sets out the usual differences, which vary by owner and company.
| Point | Private owner | Hire company |
|---|---|---|
| Choice of van | Wide, including older, converted and personalised vans | A fleet of set models, often newer |
| Pricing | Set by each owner; compare listings | Usually a published tariff by season |
| Local advice | Often personal, from someone who uses the van | Depends on the staff you meet |
| Support if something fails | Owner first, with Outdoorsy behind the booking | Often a depot or helpline |
| Flexibility | Pickup time, delivery and extras are negotiable | Often fixed by depot hours |
| Consistency | Varies from one owner to the next | Usually standardised |
If you want a standard process and a fleet behind you, a company may suit you. If you want a specific type of van or a local owner's knowledge, search the listings and compare. Our camper van hire guide compares the vehicle types.
What Outdoorsy covers
Insurance and payment protection come with every booking, and your trip page shows a summary of the protection that applies. A few conditions matter:
- Verified drivers only. Every driver must pass Outdoorsy's driver verification before the trip starts. Drivers must normally be 25 or over.
- Terms must be followed. Outdoorsy's terms say that misuse or breaching them can reduce or void cover. That includes using the van for commercial purposes.
- Roadside is optional. 24/7 roadside assistance is an optional extra, not part of the standard booking. Ask the owner what happens if the van breaks down.
- Deposit is a hold. The security deposit is placed two days before departure and is for things like tolls, parking tickets, minor damage and house-rule breaches. Most holds are released seven days after return.
For the detail of excess and cover, read our insurance guide for campervan hire.
How to vet an owner before you book
- Read the reviews. Outdoorsy's own advice is to read all the reviews for the owner you want to hire from. Look for comments on cleanliness, honesty about faults and how problems were handled.
- Study the photos. Look for current pictures of the interior, bed, kitchen, roof and the outside from several angles. Be wary of a listing with few or generic images.
- Check responsiveness. Owners can reply within minutes or hours. An owner who answers questions clearly before booking is a good sign.
- Read the house rules. Pets, smoking, mileage, cleaning and extras are set per listing. If you are bringing a dog, see our dog-friendly campervan hire guide.
- Ask specific questions. Outdoorsy suggests clarifying extras, mileage, pets, pickup logistics, delivery, extensions and roadside support before you go.
- Keep everything on the platform. Message, pay and agree changes through Outdoorsy. Its terms prohibit completing a transaction independently of the platform, and doing so may leave you outside the protection that comes with the booking.
Instant Book listings skip the waiting. Our instant booking guide explains how they differ from request-only listings.
The handover
The handover is where a private hire is won or lost. Outdoorsy's key exchange is done in its app, and has been mandatory since 1 February 2026. You can sign the rental contract any time after the booking is confirmed, and on departure day you and the owner take the pre-trip photos with the in-app camera, which records a timestamp and location that cannot be edited. On return, you both take post-trip photos and sign off.
Use the time with the owner to learn the van:
- how the gas, water, electrics and heating work, and where the switches and valves are;
- how to raise and lower the roof, bed or awning if there is one;
- how to empty any toilet and waste water;
- the van's height and length, and any quirks of the gearbox or handbrake;
- who to call and what to do if something stops working.
If you are new to driving a van this size, our first-time driving guide is worth reading before pickup. Photograph and report anything that does not match the listing at once, because claims raised after the trip can be refused if the issue was not documented.
Pros and cons of private campervan hire
Pros
- A bigger choice of vans, including older or personalised ones.
- Local knowledge from someone who knows the van and the area.
- Pickup, delivery and extras can often be agreed with the owner.
- Insurance and payment protection come with the booking.
Cons
- Standards vary from owner to owner, so you must check the reviews.
- Help if something fails starts with one person, who may not be reachable at once.
- Rules differ per listing, from mileage to pets.
- The service fee of 10% is never refundable.
How hire works
- Search by pickup location and dates.
- Check the listing and the owner's profile, reviews, photos, house rules and cancellation tier.
- Book through our partner Outdoorsy, with insurance and payment protection included.
- Complete driver verification, sign the contract in the app, then collect the van or have it delivered.
Outdoorsy's guide to renting on the platform and its key exchange checklist set out each step. Our guide to documents for campervan hire lists what to bring.
Private campervan hire FAQs
Is it safe to hire a campervan from a private owner?
Booking through Outdoorsy brings insurance and payment protection, verified drivers and a photographed handover. Safety also depends on your own checks of reviews, photos and house rules.
What if the van is not as described at pickup?
Photograph or film the problem straight away and contact Outdoorsy support as well as the owner. Complaints raised after the trip may be refused if they were not documented.
Can I pay the owner directly?
No. Pay through the platform. Outdoorsy's terms bar transactions made independently of it, and you may be outside the protection that comes with the booking.
How long does an owner take to reply?
Instant Book listings confirm at once. Otherwise the owner has 24 hours to accept or decline, and many reply sooner.
How old do I need to be to hire from a private owner?
Drivers must normally be 25 or over. Drivers aged 21 to 24 can book only some listings in the US and Canada, with limits.
Find local owners: search campervans near you.