Terms and Conditions
Onyx Vans – Van Build – Terms & Conditions
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We’re delighted you’ve chosen Onyx Vans to create your new van.
These Terms & Conditions explain how we work together and what you can expect from us.
They’re designed to give you clarity and peace of mind throughout the process.
While we recognise that these might seem strict, we want to protect both your interests and ours. Feel free to give us a call if you have any questions or concerns about these.
1. Reservation Deposit at Exhibitions
At exhibitions or events (including the NEC), customers may secure a provisional build slot by paying a £2,000 non-refundable reservation deposit.
This reservation deposit guarantees a specified slot in our build schedule, but it does not constitute a full build contract.
This reservation deposit is non-refundable. It reflects Onyx’s costs in securing build capacity, administrative time, sales effort, and preparation work.
We will provide an estimate at the event based on a standard Onyx layout plus any discussed upgrades.
We will arrange a meeting with you to take place within 7 days after the end of the event.
After this meeting, we will issue a written confirmed specification with the final price.
Assuming there are no changes in specification (i.e. no additional upgrades), the cost should remain the same as estimated at the event and written on the order form.
To proceed, you must sign the Confirmed Specification and pay the balance of the 10 % deposit.
Payment of the deposit is a commitment to these T&Cs.
If you do not pay the balance of the deposit within 7 days of receiving the invoice, you forfeit your build slot and your initial £2,000 reservation deposit, unless otherwise agreed in writing with Onyx.
Onyx reserves the right to decline a build request if the requested specification is not feasible or falls outside our policy.
In that case, your reservation deposit will be refunded in full.
2. Payments
To confirm your build slot and begin design work, we ask for a 10 % deposit.
This deposit is non-refundable, as it allows us to:
• Reserve your space in our build schedule
• Begin your design and preparation work
• Place the order for your new chassis with our supplier
If you have already paid a reservation deposit (see section 1), that amount will be deducted from the 10 % deposit.
A 70 % payment is required before we take delivery of your chassis from the manufacturer.
We will invoice you when the chassis is ready at the manufacturer, and this payment must be made before we collect it.
The final 20 % balance, plus any agreed changes or additions, is due before handover.
3. Payment Schedule & Non-Payment
We will provide you with an estimated payment schedule alongside your build estimate.
This schedule is based on our expected build timeline and is intended to help you plan.
Payments must be made in line with this schedule:
• 10 % deposit to confirm your slot and begin design work.
• 70 % second instalment invoiced when your chassis is ready at the manufacturer, payable before we take delivery.
• 20 % final instalment (plus any agreed additions) before registration in your name.
If you are unable to make the 70 % second instalment within 7 days of invoice, your deposit and build slot will be forfeited.
You may re-book at a later date by paying a new deposit.
If you are unable to make the final instalment, the van will remain the property of Onyx Vans and will not be registered in your name.
If the final instalment is not paid within 30 days of invoice, Onyx Vans reserves the right to cancel the agreement and sell the van to another customer.
Any balance remaining after resale proceeds have been applied to cover our costs, expenses, and losses (including lost profit) will be refunded to you.
If there has been prior written agreement between Onyx Vans and the Customer, payment dates or related deadlines may be varied without affecting the validity of this agreement.
4. Design, Specification & Acceptance
By signing these Terms & Conditions, you confirm agreement to the cost set out in our estimate and the specification provided.
You also agree to our design style.
While we welcome your input, Onyx Vans will make the final decisions about the feasibility and safety of custom layouts.
We reserve the right to decline any design changes that are not practical, safe, or in line with our standards.
Concept designs will be provided after we receive your 10 % deposit and before the 70 % payment is due.
Once the 70 % payment has been received and the build begins, any further design changes may be possible but are likely to incur extra charges and may affect timelines.
Onyx Vans guarantees that we will build your van in accordance with the agreed specification.
If, due to supply-chain issues, technical constraints, or regulatory requirements, we cannot deliver an element of the agreed specification, we will notify you promptly and propose an alternative solution of equivalent quality and function.
Decisions on equivalence will be made reasonably and in good faith.
5. Cancellation
By paying your deposit, you are asking us to begin work immediately (reserving your build slot, preparing designs, placing the order for your chassis, etc.).
You agree that this service starts straight away and that the deposit will be non-refundable.
If you cancel after we’ve received your chassis and the 70 % payment, we won’t be able to refund any payments.
You would still be able to collect the van in its current state, and we would register it in your name at that point.
In exceptional cases, we may, at our discretion, offer a partial refund.
6. Ownership, Registration & Insurance
While your van is being built, it will remain unregistered.
Where agreed, we will present it for IVA testing before requesting your final payment.
Once IVA has been passed (if required) and your final balance has cleared, we will register the van in your name with the DVLA.
This will usually happen on or just before the day you collect.
6.1 Vehicle Ownership and Trust Arrangement
6.1.1 Once a specific vehicle chassis has been allocated to you and identified by its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), Onyx Vans Ltd (“Onyx”) acknowledges and agrees that it shall hold that chassis on trust for you, subject always to your continued compliance with these Terms & Conditions, including timely payment of all sums due.
6.1.2 Title to the identified chassis shall, from that point, be beneficially owned by you.
Onyx will retain possession of the chassis solely for the purpose of carrying out the agreed conversion works and will not dispose of, encumber, or otherwise deal with it except as required to complete your build in accordance with this Agreement.
6.1.3 If you fail to make any payment due under these Terms & Conditions, including the final 20 % balance, within thirty (30) days of the due date, Onyx may, at its discretion and without prejudice to any other rights or remedies, terminate the trust arrangement created by this clause.
Upon such termination, beneficial ownership of the chassis shall revert to Onyx, and Onyx shall be entitled to retain, sell, or otherwise deal with the chassis to recover any amounts owed, costs, or losses.
6.1.4 If Onyx enters administration, liquidation, or otherwise ceases to trade while these Terms & Conditions remain in force and you are not in breach of your payment obligations, the identified chassis (as recorded by VIN) shall not form part of Onyx’s assets and shall remain your property.
You will be entitled to take possession of the chassis at its then-current stage of completion, subject to payment of any sums properly due to Onyx up to that stage.
6.1.5 This trust arrangement applies only to the specific chassis identified by VIN and does not apply to any other goods, materials, or components not yet allocated or specifically identified to your build.
6.2 Insurance
Your van is covered under our insurance while it’s with us, including any period during which it is held on trust for you under clause 6.1.
From the day you collect it, insurance becomes your responsibility.
You may choose to arrange your own insurance from the date your chassis is allocated and held on trust, but this does not replace Onyx’s obligation to maintain insurance while the vehicle remains in our custody.
Most insurers will require a tracker to be fitted.
We don’t install trackers ourselves but can suggest trusted suppliers, and we recommend arranging this before collection.
6.3 Early Registration Option
6.3.1 At Onyx’s discretion, and only by prior written agreement, you may elect to have the base vehicle registered in your name upon delivery of the chassis to Onyx, before completion of the conversion works.
6.3.2 Where this option is chosen, ownership of the base vehicle shall pass immediately to you, and Onyx’s obligations under the trust arrangement in clause 6.1 shall no longer apply.
6.3.3 You acknowledge that if the base vehicle is registered early in this way:
(a) the vehicle will be registered by the DVLA as a commercial vehicle, not as a motorhome;
(b) the vehicle cannot subsequently be presented for IVA by Onyx; and
(c) Onyx makes no warranty or representation that the vehicle will qualify for reclassification as a motorhome once conversion is complete.
6.3.4 You are responsible for insurance, tax, and any statutory obligations from the date of early registration.
6.3.5 If you choose this option, all other build and payment terms remain in force, including the requirement to pay the final balance before handover.
7. Warranty & Aftercare
We provide a 12-month warranty on all of our installation work.
All appliances and components come with their own manufacturer’s warranty.
Our warranty does not cover normal wear and tear, accidental damage, or misuse.
Light off-road use is included in our warranty. However, this does not extend to underslung tanks, external appliances, or any exterior equipment.
At around six months after collection, we invite you back for a complimentary check-in to make sure everything is running smoothly and to resolve any snagging issues.
Transport of the van to and from our workshop for warranty or service work is the customer’s responsibility.
8. Changes & Additions
Once the build has started, changes may still be possible.
These will need to be agreed in writing and may affect both cost and delivery time.
We’ll always confirm any extra charges before carrying out the work.
9. Timescales & Testing
We will give you an estimated completion date and confirm your collection date about two weeks before the van is ready.
While we always do our best to stay on schedule, delays outside of our control (such as supplier issues) may occur.
In these cases, we will keep you updated but cannot offer compensation.
We may put up to 500 miles on your van for testing purposes before handover.
This ensures everything is properly run-in and working as it should.
10. IVA & Registration
Not all vehicles require an IVA inspection before they can be registered.
We will attempt to secure IVA approval for your vehicle where agreed, but we cannot guarantee IVA certification unless this has been agreed beforehand or your van is one of our standard layouts.
If IVA is required, we will present the van for testing on your behalf before requesting your final payment.
Once any required IVA has been passed and your final balance has cleared, we will register the van in your name with the DVLA.
This will usually happen on or just before the day you collect.
If, however, you have chosen to have the base vehicle registered early under clause 6.3 (Early Registration Option), Onyx Vans has no obligation or ability to present that vehicle for IVA, and the vehicle will remain registered as a commercial van unless you later pursue reclassification directly with DVSA.
While we aim for every van to be registered as a “motorhome,” DVSA makes the final decision.
If DVSA registers your van under a different category (e.g. “van with windows”), we cannot be responsible for any difference in road tax, insurance, or resale value.
11. Customer Responsibilities
All base vans are ordered new through Onyx Vans; we do not normally accept customer-supplied chassis.
Unless agreed otherwise, we do not fit customer-supplied parts.
Please make sure your van is insured from the day of collection, and arrange for a tracker to be fitted in line with your insurer’s requirements.
12. Liability
We will always act with care and professionalism, but we cannot accept liability for indirect losses such as missed holidays, resale value, or insurance costs.
Our liability is limited to the value of the build contract between us.
13. Governing Law
These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.
Any disputes will be handled by the courts of England and Wales.
14. Company Details
Onyx Vans Limited
Registered in England & Wales
Company number: 13902035
Registered office: Unit 2, Tickfold Farm, Marches Road, Kingsfold, RH12 3SE
VAT number: GB406221736