Van and LCV replacement: what is usually supplied
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If you work off your van, the replacement has to work too: like-for-like at LCV level means matching load bay, payload and body configuration, because a tradesperson in the wrong van loses income daily. Commercial vehicles run on their own schedule in the GTA convention, separate from the car groups (GTA Technical commercial vehicle rate tables, gtacredithire.com).
What replacement van will I get?
| You run | Realistic supply | Our review |
|---|---|---|
| Medium panel van (Transit Custom, Vivaro, Trafic, Vito) | Ford Transit Custom — the class's fleet default — or a direct equivalent | Transit Custom review |
| Small van (Transit Connect, Caddy, Berlingo, Partner) | An equivalent small van | — |
| Large panel van (Transit, Sprinter, Movano, Crafter) | An equivalent large van, wheelbase and roof height matched | — |
| Dropside/tipper/Luton | Specialist commercial supply, arranged by body type | — |
Which models count as like-for-like for a van?
A van of equivalent size class, payload and access: wheelbase and roof height matter (a low-roof SWB van does not replace a high-roof LWB), as do tow bars, ply-lining and racking where your work depends on them — state these when the hire is arranged (how supply works).
What will I not be given?
Not a car, and not a van a size down: a Caddy is not a match for a Transit Custom, and a Custom is not a match for a Sprinter. Specialist bodies (tippers, fridge vans, Lutons) are matched by body type through commercial supply rather than from standing hire stock, which can add sourcing time.
Do you need a van replacement?
Need comes before class, and it is worth settling first. The Financial Ombudsman Service has said a referral into credit hire may not have been appropriate where it was clear a hire car was not needed — for example where a suitable spare car was available, where courtesy car cover was already sufficient, where the damaged car was still roadworthy and drivable, or where a policy already provided benefits at least as good. For most van drivers the need is the work itself, which makes it strong and easy to state: what you carry, what it weighs, what you cannot do without a load bay of that size. A car is not a partial answer to that need.
Work through the test in full on do I need a replacement vehicle?, then check what would actually be suitable for you on what counts as a suitable replacement. What real supply changes is on availability.
In this class: Transit Custom durability record. All classes: vehicle classes explained.