Late returns cost more than just an extra day's rental. The booked daily rate keeps running, a $50/day late fee stacks on top, and if the trailer isn't returned within 48 hours and we haven't heard from you, the trailer may be reported stolen. The fix is simple: tell us early if you'll be late.
The grace window
There isn't one. The rental clock starts at scheduled return time — if you're an hour late, you're 1/24th of a day into the next rental period for billing purposes.
In practice, we don't nickel-and-dime tiny overruns when nothing else is affected. But anything past your scheduled return is technically late, and there's no formal grace period that protects you from charges.
The fees
Late returns are charged:
Continued rental — the booked daily rate, per day or partial day past scheduled return
Late return fee — $50 per day or partial day late, in addition to the continued rental
Recovery costs — if you don't return the trailer and we have to retrieve it
So an extra day on a $200/day rental costs $250 (the $200 day plus $50 late fee), not $200.
Contact us if you'll be late
A 30-second message can avoid most of this:
In-booking messaging in your booking app
Phone (615) 850-3751
Tell us your booking number, your current expected return time, and how much late you'll be.
If the trailer isn't booked right after you, we can usually extend without late fees — see the extending your rental article. If it is booked right after you, we still want to know early so we can manage the next renter's expectations.
The 48-hour stolen threshold
If the trailer is not returned within 48 hours of scheduled return time and we haven't been able to make contact with you, the trailer may be:
Reported stolen to law enforcement
Recovered using GPS data and law enforcement assistance
Charged for all recovery costs against your card on file
This isn't punishment — it's the protocol when we genuinely can't reach a renter and a trailer is out of contractual control. The 48-hour window exists precisely so we don't escalate prematurely.
The way to avoid this is trivially simple: answer your phone or respond to chat. Even "I'll be back tomorrow" buys you 24 hours and avoids any stolen-vehicle escalation.
Avoiding the chaos
The single most important habit: if you might be late, tell us before you're actually late.
Cost comparison:
Ask for extension at hour 0: likely free or small extension fee
Show up an hour late, no warning: $50 late fee + partial-day rental charge
Show up 24 hours late, no warning: $250+ in fees plus a frustrated next renter
48+ hours late, no contact: stolen vehicle report + recovery costs + lost trust
The first option is always available. The rest are progressively worse for everyone.
Full terms in your Rental Agreement and Fee Schedule
Late return fees are in § 15 (Fees, Late Returns, and Charges) of your Rental Agreement and in our published Fee Schedule.