Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. SAB Supply hires equipment to private customers, trades and businesses. You must be 18 or over to place a hire order.

No. Most customers simply pay when ordering. Approved business customers can also apply for a SAB credit account.

Payment is required before equipment is released unless you have an approved SAB credit account or SAB has expressly agreed another arrangement.

Product pages show the price excluding VAT and the corresponding VAT-inclusive price. The applicable VAT is included in the final checkout/order total.

SAB does not normally take a security deposit. If a particular future product or order requires one, this will be made clear before you are bound by the order.

Yes. Approved SAB credit accounts are normally on 30 days end-of-month terms.

Yes. SAB uses a nationwide network of hire depots and suppliers across Great Britain, with more limited coverage in Northern Ireland. Availability varies by equipment type and location.

Standard delivery and collection is free on many hire orders over £50. Some categories carry transport charges regardless of order value, including large plant, toilets, fencing/barriers, tower lights and any other product where transport charges are shown before ordering. The applicable charge is shown or confirmed before you pay.

No. Requested delivery dates and times are not guaranteed. SAB works through third-party depots, drivers and transport networks, so availability, traffic, vehicle issues, weather and other operational factors can affect delivery.

Yes. SAB can request AM, PM or another timing preference from the supplying depot. These are requests rather than guaranteed delivery slots.

If timing is important or labour/contractors have been booked, SAB recommends arranging delivery with reasonable contingency before work is due to start. This gives time to resolve unexpected delivery or equipment issues.

You are responsible for accurate delivery information and for telling SAB in advance about relevant access restrictions. If delivery fails because of something within your responsibility - such as an incorrect address, restricted access, site closure, nobody being available where attendance is required, or undisclosed parking, loading or delivery-time restrictions - a failed-delivery charge and reasonable additional transport/supplier costs may apply. The Hire Period does not begin until equipment is successfully delivered.

The Hire Period begins on the calendar day equipment is successfully delivered. The time of day does not change the start date: equipment delivered at 8am Monday and at 4:30pm Monday both begin hire on Monday.

Unless otherwise stated, most equipment has a one-week minimum hire charge and toilets have a four-week minimum hire charge. Any other minimum hire period will be clearly stated on the product page, quotation or order.

Yes, but ending hire early does not reduce the applicable minimum hire charge. Equipment with a one-week minimum which is off-hired after two days remains chargeable for the full one-week minimum.

Contact SAB before the current hire period expires. Any required extension payment should normally be arranged by 5pm on the working day before the current hire period ends.

SAB normally attempts to contact customers before their scheduled hire end date. If no extension has been agreed and paid for by the relevant deadline, SAB may treat the equipment as off-hired on the scheduled end date and arrange collection. If collection then fails because you are still using the equipment or have not made it ready, failed-collection rules may apply.

Usually yes, provided relocation is not specifically prohibited for the equipment. Tell SAB if the eventual collection location changes. If a driver attends the wrong address because SAB was not informed, additional transport/failed-collection charges may apply.

Request off-hire by telephone, email or the SAB website/contact form. Provide your SAB order/reference number, the equipment, site and requested off-hire date.

SAB normally aims to collect within five Working Days after off-hire. This is a target rather than a guaranteed deadline. Collection can take longer depending on depot workload, driver availability, route planning and other operational factors.

Yes. Off-hire normally stops further hire charging, subject to minimum hire periods and the other provisions of the Hire Terms. It does not automatically transfer custody back to SAB. Keep equipment secure, complete, dismantled where required and accessible until physically collected or returned to an authorised depot with SAB's agreement.

Yes. Scaffold towers must be fully dismantled before collection. Keep all components together and reasonably accessible so the driver can collect promptly.

If collection fails because of your act or omission - for example, a tower still erected or partly erected, equipment inaccessible or still in use, locked gates/site, missing items, or equipment moved without telling SAB - the previous off-hire may be reversed. Hire charges may be reinstated/backdated to the previous off-hire date. The applicable failed-collection fee and reasonable additional supplier/transport costs may also be charged.

Sometimes. Contact SAB first so we can confirm the correct depot, notify it and ensure equipment is allocated back against the correct SAB reference. Do not simply take equipment to a depot without speaking to SAB first.

Not necessarily. SAB uses a nationwide supplier network and may supply a materially equivalent make/model where a specific machine has not been expressly agreed as essential. If a particular manufacturer/model is essential, tell SAB before ordering.

SAB has dedicated instruction directories for scaffold towers and other equipment. Check the manufacturer and full model on the equipment you received, then use the relevant directory below.

Stop using it and contact SAB as soon as possible. Do not repair, alter or modify hired equipment unless SAB specifically authorises it. Where a genuine fault not caused by you prevents use, SAB will normally arrange inspection, repair or replacement as soon as reasonably practicable. Where appropriate, SAB may extend hire for verified downtime or provide another fair adjustment.

SAB does not normally require proof of training simply to place an order. You are responsible for ensuring operators can use equipment safely, have any competence/training required by law or the site, and understand the equipment before use. If an operator does not understand the equipment or controls, do not use it until suitable guidance has been obtained.

You are responsible for damage beyond fair wear and tear while equipment is in your custody. This can include impact damage, misuse, missing components, tyre damage, excessive cleaning, unauthorised alterations and customer-caused faults. Where charges are raised, SAB will normally provide supporting evidence from the supplier/depot.

Tell SAB immediately. Report theft to the police; SAB may request the crime reference number. Missing equipment can remain on hire until recovered or SAB formally agrees to place it to loss. Where equipment is placed to loss, reasonable replacement costs may be payable.

Insurance is recommended for hired equipment generally. For higher-value equipment such as telehandlers, excavators, powered access and other significant plant, SAB may require evidence of suitable hired-in plant insurance before supply. You remain contractually responsible for equipment even if you choose not to insure it.

Normally yes. Under SAB's standard cancellation policy, a hire order can normally be cancelled for a full refund if SAB is notified no later than 4:30pm on the Working Day before the Requested Delivery Date. After this deadline, equipment may already have been allocated, prepared, loaded, committed to a route or reserved at the expense of other work. Reasonable cancellation/supplier costs may therefore apply. Consumer statutory rights remain unaffected.

If SAB tells you before delivery that the requested delivery date cannot be fulfilled and the alternative offered is unsuitable, you may cancel the affected hire for a full refund. Requested delivery dates themselves remain non-guaranteed.

Yes, depending on whether you are a Consumer or Business Customer, the reason for return, the condition of the goods and applicable statutory rights. See our policy for the full details.

Unless SAB expressly states otherwise, your hire contract is with SAB Supply Ltd. SAB uses third-party hire depots, equipment owners, carriers and service providers to fulfil orders nationwide.

If you still need help, contact our team and have your SAB order/reference number ready where possible. You can also email info@sab-supply.co.uk.