1. Who these terms apply to
These terms apply whenever a passenger, account customer or authorised booker asks Northline Cars to arrange a private hire journey. “Northline”, “we”, “us” and “our” mean the legal entity identified in the website footer. “You” means the passenger and, where different, the person or organisation making the booking.
2. Private hire bookings only
Northline provides pre-booked private hire services. A vehicle cannot be hailed in the street or hired from a rank. A driver must not accept a journey directly unless the booking has first been accepted and recorded by a licensed operator.
3. Quotes and booking acceptance
An online, telephone or written price is a quote or estimate based on the information supplied. Submitting a request does not itself create a booking. A booking is accepted only when Northline issues a booking confirmation or an authorised member of staff confirms acceptance. We may decline a request where no suitable licensed driver or vehicle is available.
Before the journey starts, we will provide or offer a booking confirmation through an available communication channel. It will include the vehicle registration, the driver’s first name, the driver’s private hire licence number and, where the passenger can receive it, a driver photograph. Do not enter a vehicle if the driver or vehicle does not match the confirmation; contact Northline immediately.
4. Information you must provide
You must provide accurate pickup and destination details, date and time, passenger number, luggage, contact information, flight or train details where relevant, accessibility requirements, child-seat requests and any stops. Tell us promptly about changes. We are not responsible for loss caused by material information being incomplete or incorrect.
5. Fares and payment
We will agree a fixed fare or provide an accurate estimate before travel. The final booking confirmation will state the price basis. Unless stated otherwise, the quote is for the route, date, time, passenger number, luggage and vehicle type supplied at booking. Additional stops, waiting, parking, airport access charges, tolls, congestion-related charges, vehicle upgrades or route changes may change the fare where they were not included in the original quote.
Payment may be taken at booking, before dispatch, during the journey or through an approved business account. Card payments are processed by the payment provider shown at checkout; Northline does not store full card details. Failed or reversed payments remain payable.
6. Guide fares
Prices shown on the fare guide and route pages are indicative saloon ranges, not an offer capable of acceptance. Your confirmed fixed fare is the price shown in the booking flow or issued by Northline for the exact journey. Guide prices may be changed or withdrawn without affecting an already confirmed booking.
7. Changes requested by you
Changes are subject to availability. A different pickup time, route, destination, passenger count, vehicle size or additional stop may require a revised quote. If you do not accept the revised quote, the original booking may continue unchanged where operationally possible, or the cancellation terms may apply.
8. Cancellation by you
Unless a different cancellation schedule is displayed and accepted during booking, the following proposed standard terms apply:
| Notice before pickup | Cancellation charge |
|---|---|
| More than 24 hours | No cancellation charge |
| 6–24 hours | 25% of the journey fare |
| 2–6 hours | 50% of the journey fare |
| Less than 2 hours | 100% of the journey fare |
| Passenger no-show | 100% of the journey fare plus incurred parking or access costs |
Where a refund is due, it will normally be returned to the original payment method within 5–10 working days after approval. These contractual terms do not remove any non-excludable statutory rights.
9. Waiting time and no-shows
For non-airport pickups, 15 minutes of waiting after the booked time is included unless the confirmation states otherwise. After that, waiting may be charged at 50 pence per minute. For airport collections, 45 minutes after the confirmed flight landing time is included unless the confirmation states otherwise; airport parking and access charges are payable where they were not included in the quoted fare.
A booking may be treated as a no-show after reasonable contact attempts and 30 minutes beyond an airport collection window or 15 minutes beyond another pickup time. Keep your telephone switched on and provide a reachable number.
10. Flights, trains and delays
Where a valid flight number is provided, we may monitor published flight information and adjust dispatch. Flight monitoring does not guarantee that every schedule change will be detected. You must tell us about cancelled, diverted or materially changed travel plans. Traffic, road closures, security incidents, weather and other events may affect journey times; allow sufficient time for check-in or appointments.
11. Passengers, luggage and vehicle choice
Do not exceed the licensed passenger capacity. Children who require a passenger place must be included in the passenger count. Luggage must fit safely without obstructing the driver or exits. If the selected vehicle is unsuitable because the passenger or luggage details were incorrect, we may provide a larger vehicle at extra cost, delay dispatch while arranging an alternative, or cancel if no safe option is available.
12. Children and child seats
Tell us the child’s age and any child-seat request before confirmation. A child seat is supplied only where specifically confirmed. The booking adult remains responsible for deciding whether the available restraint is suitable. The law contains limited exceptions for licensed private hire vehicles when the correct child seat is unavailable; Northline nevertheless recommends using an appropriate child restraint wherever possible.
13. Disabled passengers, mobility aids and assistance dogs
We do not charge more because a passenger is disabled or requires legally required mobility assistance. Assistance dogs are carried without extra charge, except where a driver holds a valid medical exemption. Tell us about mobility aids, wheelchair dimensions and any help needed so that a suitable vehicle can be considered. A wheelchair-accessible vehicle is provided only when specifically confirmed.
14. Passenger conduct and safety
Passengers must wear seat belts where required, follow reasonable safety instructions, avoid distracting the driver, and not smoke or vape in the vehicle. We may refuse or end a journey where conduct is violent, threatening, discriminatory, unlawful, creates a safety risk, or is likely to cause serious damage. Any refusal will be handled consistently with equality law and passenger safety obligations.
15. Cleaning, damage and property
You may be charged the reasonable, evidenced cost of cleaning, repair or lost operating time caused by a passenger beyond ordinary wear. Report lost property promptly. We will make reasonable attempts to identify and return property and may ask you to pay reasonable postage, courier or delivery costs.
16. Drivers, vehicles and subcontracting
Bookings will be carried out using appropriately licensed and insured drivers and vehicles. We may subcontract a booking to another properly licensed operator where lawful. Northline remains your contact for a booking it accepted unless the confirmation clearly identifies another arrangement.
17. Our responsibility
Nothing in these terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation. Subject to that, we are not responsible for indirect or unforeseeable loss, missed flights or appointments where reasonable journey time was not allowed, or loss caused by events outside reasonable control. Business customers should arrange appropriate travel and business interruption insurance.
18. Complaints and serious incidents
Contact complaints@northlinecars.co.uk or use the complaints page. Include the booking reference, date, route, driver or vehicle information and what outcome you seek. Call 999 where anyone is in immediate danger or a crime is in progress. If you remain dissatisfied after our response, you may complain to Transport for London.
19. Privacy
We process personal information as explained in our Privacy Notice. SEND, safeguarding and health information must be shared only through an agreed secure route.
20. Law and changes
These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales and the courts of England and Wales will have jurisdiction, subject to any mandatory consumer rights. We may update terms for future bookings; the version accepted when a booking is confirmed applies to that booking.