FAQ
Answers to the questions we get asked most. If yours isn't here, WhatsApp us on 07415 198667 and we'll come back to you fast.
Getting Started
Three options. £60/week if you arrange your own Hire and Reward insurance — open to riders aged 18 and over with a valid CBT. £125/week fully inclusive for riders aged 25 and over with a clean record. £145/week fully inclusive for riders aged 21–24. The fully inclusive plans cover H&R insurance, GPS tracking, and maintenance. No setup fee. No admin charge. £250 refundable deposit on all plans.
You need a valid CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) certificate with a provisional licence, or a full A1 motorcycle licence. You must be 21 or over to ride with ShiftLease. Here's something a lot of couriers don't know: a standard car licence (category B) does not let you ride a 125cc — you still need a CBT on top of it. If you haven't done your CBT yet, most training centres run it in a single day for around £150–200. Get it done, then apply.
Depends which plan you're on. The standard plan at £60/week means you arrange your own Hire and Reward (H&R) insurance — legally required the moment you start doing paid deliveries. Your standard SD&P (Social, Domestic and Pleasure) policy does not cover delivery work, and riding on it is illegal. On the fully inclusive plan at £125/week, H&R is included. If you're sorting your own, Zego and Lexham are the two main specialist providers in the UK — expect to pay around £25–45/week depending on your record.
Yes — this is exactly what these bikes are built for. Every ShiftLease scooter is set up for delivery platform use from day one. On the inclusive plan, H&R insurance is already included and covers all delivery work. On the standard plan, your own H&R policy covers you. Deliveroo, UberEats, and JustEat all require proof of H&R cover — the apps check it. GPS is fitted as standard, which satisfies most platform telematics requirements. Apply, get confirmed, start earning.
How It Works
Fast. The form at shiftlease.co.uk/apply takes 3 minutes and eligible applicants get confirmed the same day. Once your deposit is paid, we send the gate pin and lockbox code — the bike is available for collection 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No appointment, no staff member to meet, nothing to wait for. Most riders are on the road within 24 hours of first applying.
No. ShiftLease is fully contactless — there's no office, no appointment, no member of staff to meet. The bike is in a secure gated yard in East London. Once your application is approved and your deposit paid, we send you the gate pin and lockbox combination by WhatsApp or text. Turn up whenever suits you — 6am, midnight, Sunday morning — collect the bike and go. Built this way specifically because couriers work hours that shops don't.
The online form asks for your name, contact details, licence type, age, and riding experience — takes 3 minutes. When it comes to collecting the bike, we need to verify your CBT certificate or A1 licence, a valid UK driving licence, and a proof of address within the last 3 months (bank statement or utility bill). If you're on the standard plan, we also need to see your H&R insurance policy before you collect. All of it is done digitally — you don't need to bring anything to a physical location.
Yes, fully. The £250 comes back when you return the bike in the same condition you collected it, with no outstanding fines or damage. Nothing deducted for normal wear and tear — that's expected. The only reasons we hold a deposit are: damage that goes beyond ordinary use, outstanding PCNs or fines that haven't been transferred, or missing equipment. Ride it properly, return it clean, no fines outstanding — you get every penny back.
Practical Questions
Message us on WhatsApp or call straight away. On the fully inclusive plan, all mechanical maintenance is covered — we arrange repair or a replacement and get you back earning as fast as possible. GPS tracking means we can often diagnose the issue before we even arrive. On the standard plan, mechanical faults are covered by us; consumables like tyres and bulbs are a shared responsibility. A bike that's off the road costs us both — we move fast.
All fines, PCNs, congestion charges, ULEZ charges, and any other penalty notices incurred while the bike is in your possession are entirely your responsibility. When a notice arrives in our name, we transfer liability to you via a Section 172 notice under the Road Traffic Act 1988 — that puts it legally in your name. Pay them quickly. Unpaid fines escalate fast, and your deposit stays held until every outstanding notice is cleared.
No fixed cap. We work on a fair use basis — couriers typically cover 500–800 miles a week, which is well within normal operating range for a 125cc. If usage is significantly above that we'll have a conversation, but for the average rider it's never been an issue. The GPS tracker monitors mileage so we can schedule servicing on time and keep the bike in good shape for you.
Minimum rental is 4 weeks. After that, 7 days notice is all we ask — a WhatsApp message or email is fine. Return the bike to the yard at any time, contactlessly. Deposit is returned within 7 days of the bike being inspected.
Eligibility
Depends on the detail. A clean record or a single minor point means you're eligible for our standard tier — £60/week without insurance or £125/week fully inclusive. Two or more points, or any claims in the last 3 years, and we likely can't proceed — it affects our insurance position. If you're unsure, apply anyway. The form captures the detail and we assess each case fairly. We'd rather explain the outcome to you than have you assume you're out when you might not be.
No. 21 is our minimum age, not a problem. Riders aged 21–24 fall into our Premium Entry tier — £145/week inclusive, or the standard plan at £60/week if you arrange your own insurance. The slightly higher inclusive rate reflects the actual cost of insuring younger riders — it's actuarial, not a judgement on you. At 25 you move to the standard tier automatically. If you're 21–24, have a valid CBT or A1 licence, and a clean or near-clean record, you're eligible — apply now.
No active account needed to apply. Plenty of riders collect the bike first and complete their Deliveroo, UberEats, or JustEat onboarding while the bike is ready in the yard. Platform applications are all online and usually take a few days. The one thing that must be active before your first paid shift is your H&R insurance — the platforms check it and you can't legally work without it. Everything else can follow.
Trust & About Us
We operate from a secure gated yard in East London, serving Barking, Ilford, Dagenham, Romford, East Ham, Stratford, and the surrounding areas. Positioned specifically for the highest concentration of delivery riders outside central London. The exact yard address is sent once your deposit is paid — we keep it private for security. Any questions before that point, message us on WhatsApp 07415 198667 or email hello@shiftlease.co.uk.
Yes. ShiftLease is a UK-registered operation. We provide a formal rental agreement before you pay anything, the fleet is GPS-tracked, and the process is completely transparent. No payment is taken until you've been approved and chosen to go ahead. If you return the bike in good condition with no outstanding fines, the deposit comes back in full. We're on WhatsApp and email and we respond. If something's worrying you, message us before you apply — we'll answer it straight.
On the fully inclusive plan at £125/week: a premium 125cc scooter, GPS tracking, H&R insurance, routine maintenance and servicing, road tax, and MOT. Nothing extra for standard use. On the standard plan at £60/week: the scooter, GPS tracking, road tax, and MOT — you handle your own H&R insurance. Both plans include 24/7 contactless yard access. Neither plan covers consumables if abnormally worn, or any fines you pick up. No hidden fees on either plan.
After your minimum 4-week period you're on a rolling weekly agreement. You can continue for as long as you need or return the bike with 7 days notice. No automatic lock-in, no penalty for leaving. Deposit returned within 7 days of the bike being inspected on return.
Possibly. If you're running a team of couriers or managing a small delivery operation, email us directly at hello@shiftlease.co.uk to discuss fleet terms. We're actively scaling and have the capacity for multiple bikes. Fleet arrangements are handled individually — pricing and terms will differ from single-rider hire.