Vismart Four Wheels – Refund & Cancellation Policy
At Vismart Four Wheels, we understand that travel plans and circumstances can change. However, once a vehicle has been reserved for a customer, Vismart may commit the vehicle, staff, preparation time, delivery arrangements and other resources to that booking.
This Refund & Cancellation Policy explains how cancellations, refunds, booking deposits, security deposits and other payments are handled.
This policy applies to vehicle rentals and related services provided by Vismart Four Wheels unless a different written arrangement has been expressly agreed for a particular booking.
1. Booking Confirmation
A booking is considered confirmed once:
- Vismart has accepted the booking; and
- The required 30% booking deposit has been received and verified.
Until the required deposit has been received, Vismart may treat the booking as pending and the vehicle may remain available for other customers.
A quotation, enquiry or provisional booking does not guarantee vehicle availability until the booking has been confirmed.
2. Booking Deposit
A 30% deposit of the total rental amount is required to confirm a standard vehicle rental booking.
The deposit is used to secure the vehicle for the customer and allows Vismart to make preparations and logistical arrangements for the rental.
Once the booking has been confirmed, the booking deposit is non-refundable if the customer subsequently chooses to cancel the booking.
This applies regardless of whether the cancellation occurs shortly after confirmation or closer to the rental date, because Vismart may have already committed the vehicle and declined other potential bookings.
3. Why Confirmed Booking Deposits Are Non-Refundable
When a customer confirms a booking, Vismart may:
- Remove the vehicle from availability;
- Decline other customers requesting the same vehicle;
- Prepare and inspect the vehicle;
- Schedule staff;
- Arrange a chauffeur;
- Arrange airport or hotel delivery;
- Arrange vehicle collection;
- Make travel or logistical arrangements;
- Allocate operational resources; or
- Incur other costs associated with the booking.
For this reason, a confirmed booking represents a commitment by both parties.
The 30% booking deposit is therefore non-refundable when cancellation is initiated by the customer.
4. Customer-Initiated Cancellation
If a customer chooses to cancel a confirmed booking, the customer should notify Vismart as soon as possible.
However, cancellation by the customer does not create an automatic entitlement to a refund.
The booking deposit will normally be retained.
Where Vismart has already incurred additional costs specifically for the booking, the customer may also remain responsible for those costs where applicable and lawful.
Any exceptional refund or adjustment is entirely at Vismart's discretion and must be approved in writing.
5. Cancellation Before Confirmation
Where a customer has made an enquiry or provisional reservation but has not yet paid the required booking deposit, Vismart may release the vehicle to another customer.
No refund is applicable where no payment has been made.
Where a payment has been made but the booking has not yet been formally confirmed, Vismart will assess the circumstances and determine whether any amount is refundable.
6. No-Show
A no-show occurs where a customer fails to collect or accept delivery of a vehicle at the agreed time without prior communication and without an arrangement being made with Vismart.
A no-show does not automatically qualify for a refund.
The booking deposit may be retained.
Where the customer has failed to communicate and the vehicle is no longer reasonably required for the booking, Vismart may release it to another customer.
7. Early Return
If a customer collects a vehicle and subsequently decides to return it before the agreed rental end date, the customer is not automatically entitled to a refund for unused rental days.
The rental was reserved for the agreed period and Vismart may have declined other customers for those dates.
Any exceptional adjustment or refund is subject to Vismart's discretion.
Customers should therefore ensure that the requested rental period is accurate before confirming a booking.
8. Change of Rental Dates
A request to change the dates of a confirmed booking is not automatically guaranteed.
Date changes are subject to:
- Vehicle availability;
- The requested new dates;
- Seasonal demand;
- Existing bookings;
- Operational arrangements; and
- Vismart's approval.
Where Vismart agrees to change the rental dates, the customer may be required to pay any difference in the applicable rental rate.
A date change should not be assumed to constitute a cancellation and refund.
9. Change of Vehicle
A customer may request a different vehicle after making a booking.
Any vehicle change is subject to availability.
Where the replacement vehicle has a higher rental rate, the customer must pay the applicable difference.
Where the replacement vehicle has a lower rental rate, Vismart may consider the adjustment at its discretion, taking into account the circumstances and costs already incurred.
Changing vehicles does not automatically create a right to a refund of the booking deposit.
10. Security/Damage Deposit
The Security/Damage Deposit is separate from the Booking Deposit.
For applicable self-drive rentals, the standard Security/Damage Deposit is:
40% of the total rental amount.
The Security/Damage Deposit is held as security against potential liabilities arising during the rental.
It may be applied toward amounts including:
- Vehicle damage;
- Loss of vehicle accessories;
- Theft or loss attributable to the customer;
- Excessive cleaning;
- Missing equipment;
- Traffic penalties;
- Recovery costs;
- Unauthorized use;
- Other rental-related liabilities.
The Security/Damage Deposit should not be confused with the 30% booking deposit.
11. Damage Claims and Insurance
Where a vehicle is damaged during a rental, the customer may initially be required to meet the full cost of the damage while the circumstances are being investigated.
Where applicable, Vismart may submit an insurance claim to the relevant insurer.
The insurance investigation may require:
- Accident reports;
- Police documentation;
- Photographs;
- Driver statements;
- Vehicle inspection;
- Other supporting documents; and
- Information from other parties involved.
The customer must cooperate fully with the investigation.
12. Insurance Reimbursement
Where an insurance claim is successfully settled, Vismart may receive an amount from the insurer relating to the covered loss.
Any amount actually recovered through insurance may be considered for reimbursement to the customer after the investigation and settlement process has been completed.
Insurance reimbursement is not guaranteed.
The customer should understand that an insurance claim may be:
- Approved;
- Partially approved;
- Delayed;
- Reduced;
- Rejected; or
- Subject to deductions or exclusions.
The outcome depends on the applicable insurance policy and the insurer's investigation.
Vismart does not guarantee that the customer will receive any refund from an insurance claim.
Factors affecting the outcome may include:
- Insurance policy terms;
- Policy exclusions;
- Insurance excess;
- Driver conduct;
- Negligence;
- Unauthorized use;
- Police findings;
- Failure to report an accident;
- Missing documentation;
- Depreciation;
- Uninsured losses; and
- Other circumstances determined by the insurer.
13. Refund of Security/Damage Deposit
Where no damage, loss, penalties or other outstanding liability is identified, Vismart may process the applicable Security/Damage Deposit in accordance with the rental agreement and internal verification procedures.
Where there is an unresolved damage or insurance matter, Vismart may retain the relevant amount until the matter has been sufficiently investigated or resolved.
Customers should understand that insurance investigations may take time and that Vismart cannot guarantee a specific refund date where a third-party insurer is involved.
14. Fuel Deposits
Customers who request a fully fuelled vehicle may be required to provide a vehicle-specific fuel deposit.
Examples include:
- Toyota Prado: KES 15,000
- Mazda CX-5: KES 10,000
- Nissan X-Trail: KES 10,000
Fuel deposits for other vehicles may vary according to the vehicle and its fuel tank capacity.
Vismart normally provides rental vehicles with sufficient fuel to allow the customer to reach the next petrol station.
Where a fuel deposit has been paid, its treatment will depend on the applicable fuel arrangement and the amount of fuel consumed during the rental.
15. Duplicate Payments and Overpayments
Where a customer accidentally makes a duplicate payment or pays more than the amount required, Vismart may review the transaction and, where verified, refund the excess amount.
The customer may be required to provide payment confirmation or transaction details to assist with verification.
Any applicable transaction or processing costs may be considered where permitted.
16. Vismart-Initiated Cancellation
In exceptional circumstances, Vismart may be unable to provide the booked vehicle or service.
Circumstances may include:
- Serious mechanical failure;
- Accident involving the reserved vehicle;
- Safety concerns;
- Unforeseen operational circumstances;
- Government restrictions;
- Severe weather;
- Events beyond Vismart's reasonable control; or
- Other circumstances making provision of the booked service impractical or impossible.
Where Vismart cancels a confirmed booking and cannot provide a reasonable alternative, Vismart will communicate with the customer and determine an appropriate solution.
Where appropriate, this may include:
- Providing an alternative vehicle;
- Rescheduling the booking;
- Applying the payment to another service; or
- Providing a refund of an amount actually paid for the unavailable service.
The applicable remedy will depend on the circumstances.
17. Vehicle Replacement Instead of Cancellation
Where the originally booked vehicle becomes unavailable, Vismart may offer a replacement vehicle of a similar category or an appropriate alternative.
Where the replacement vehicle is reasonably comparable, the booking may continue under the alternative vehicle arrangement.
Where the replacement vehicle is of a higher category or has a higher rental rate, additional payment may apply.
Where Vismart cannot provide an appropriate alternative, the customer and Vismart may agree on an alternative arrangement.
18. Airport Transfer Cancellations
Airport transfer bookings are subject to the same general booking principles.
Customers should notify Vismart as early as possible if:
- A flight is cancelled;
- A flight is rescheduled;
- Travel plans change; or
- The transfer is no longer required.
Vismart does not charge airport waiting-time fees.
However, cancellation of an already confirmed transfer does not automatically create a right to a refund where Vismart has already allocated a vehicle, chauffeur or other resources to the booking.
19. Chauffeur Service Cancellations
Chauffeur bookings involve the allocation of a vehicle and chauffeur for a specified period.
Once confirmed, cancellation by the customer does not automatically qualify for a refund.
Where the customer requests a change to the booking, Vismart may consider the request depending on chauffeur and vehicle availability.
The applicable booking deposit remains subject to the general cancellation provisions of this policy.
20. Refund Processing
Where Vismart approves a refund, the refund will normally be processed using the original payment method where reasonably possible.
The customer may be required to provide accurate payment or account details for processing.
Processing times may vary depending on:
- The payment method;
- Financial institutions;
- M-Pesa or banking systems;
- Payment processors;
- Insurance investigations; and
- Other third-party processes.
Vismart cannot guarantee the processing time of a third-party financial institution.
21. Refunds Relating to Insurance Claims
Refunds associated with vehicle damage or insurance claims will only be considered after the applicable investigation and settlement process has been completed.
Where an insurer has not yet made a decision, Vismart may retain relevant amounts pending the outcome.
If the insurer rejects the claim, Vismart is not required to refund amounts that remain the customer's responsibility under the rental agreement.
If the insurer settles only part of a claim, any reimbursement will be based on the amount actually recovered and applicable deductions.
22. Non-Refundable Circumstances
Except where Vismart expressly agrees otherwise or where required by applicable law, the following generally do not qualify for a refund:
- Customer cancellation of a confirmed booking;
- Customer no-show;
- Early return of a vehicle;
- Unused rental days;
- Change of travel plans;
- Failure to use the vehicle for the full booked period;
- Change of itinerary;
- Personal circumstances preventing use of the vehicle;
- Failure to meet rental eligibility requirements after booking;
- Failure to provide required documents;
- Unauthorized cancellation after vehicle preparation or allocation; or
- Any other circumstance where the customer voluntarily chooses not to proceed with a confirmed booking.
23. Exceptional Refunds
Vismart recognizes that exceptional circumstances may occur.
Where appropriate, Vismart may, at its discretion, consider an exceptional refund or adjustment.
Such consideration does not create a precedent or guarantee that similar treatment will be provided in another case.
Any exceptional refund must be expressly approved by Vismart.
24. Refund Requests
Customers requesting consideration for a refund should contact Vismart and provide:
- Full name;
- Booking reference, where available;
- Rental dates;
- Vehicle booked;
- Payment confirmation;
- Reason for the request; and
- Any supporting documentation.
Vismart may request additional information before making a decision.
25. Policy and Terms & Conditions
This Refund & Cancellation Policy should be read together with Vismart's Terms & Conditions.
The Terms & Conditions contain additional provisions relating to:
- Rental eligibility;
- Booking deposits;
- Security/Damage Deposits;
- Vehicle damage;
- Insurance;
- Mileage;
- Fuel;
- Accidents;
- Cross-border travel;
- Chauffeur services;
- Airport transfers; and
- Other rental obligations.
Where the two policies address the same matter, they should be interpreted together.
Specific written terms agreed for a particular booking may apply where they expressly modify the general policy.
26. Changes to This Policy
Vismart may update this Refund & Cancellation Policy from time to time to reflect changes in its services, business operations, payment arrangements or applicable requirements.
The version applicable to a booking will generally be the version communicated to or accepted by the customer at the time of booking, subject to applicable law.
The latest version will be published on the Vismart website.
27. Governing Law
This Refund & Cancellation Policy is governed by the laws of the Republic of Kenya.
Customers and Vismart should first attempt to resolve any refund or cancellation dispute through direct communication and good-faith discussion.
Where a matter cannot be resolved amicably, the applicable laws and dispute-resolution mechanisms of Kenya shall apply.
28. Contact Vismart Four Wheels
For refund, cancellation or payment-related enquiries, please contact Vismart Four Wheels.
Vismart Four Wheels
Nairobi, Kenya
Phone: 0799 913 533
Website: https://www.vismart.co.ke/
Please include your booking details and payment confirmation when contacting us about a refund or cancellation.
Important Customer Notice
Before paying a booking deposit, please understand these key points:
30% Booking Deposit
A 30% deposit is required to confirm a booking.
Confirmed Bookings
Once confirmed, the booking deposit is generally non-refundable when cancellation is initiated by the customer.
40% Security/Damage Deposit
This is separate from the booking deposit and provides security against damage and other rental liabilities.
Customer Damage
The customer may initially be responsible for the full cost of vehicle damage while the circumstances are investigated.
Insurance Claims
Any possible reimbursement following an insurance claim depends on the insurer's investigation and settlement. An insurance refund is not guaranteed.
Early Return
Returning a vehicle early does not automatically qualify for a refund for unused rental days.
No-Show
Failing to collect or accept delivery of a vehicle without prior arrangement does not automatically qualify for a refund.
Airport Transfers
Vismart does not charge airport waiting-time fees, but cancellation of a confirmed transfer does not automatically qualify for a refund.
Exceptional Circumstances
Vismart may consider exceptional refund requests at its discretion, subject to the circumstances and applicable law.