Thanks for asking us questions, we love answering them.

The MOST asked questions.

Is there a deposit to rent a lens?
Nope! What you see is what you pay.

Really?
Yes, really.

How can I be sure you're going to get me the lens when I need it?
There's really only one way to put this; if we missed reservations, we wouldn't be in business very long. The only thing that will prevent you getting the lens is inclement weather or that one in a thousand delays with Canada Post or Purolator. Most of the time we ship with delays in mind!

Is the date I select for my reservation the date you ship it, or the date I will have it?
You select the date you want to RECEIVE the lens. Shipping time is determined by us.

I am in INSERT PROVINCE, how long does shipping take?
Scroll down, there is a chart with the provinces and guaranteed ship times. Sometimes they will arrive sooner, just don't bank on that.

When does my rental begin?
If you reserved for a specific date, your rental begins the date you requested the lens. If it arrives early, that's free days for you.

If you rent to ship ASAP, your rental begins based on our best guess of when a lens will arrive. We usually start the rental on the guaranteed arrival date from Canada Post. If it arrives earlier than that, that's free time for you.

Purolator overnight, your rental begins the date the rental item(s) arrives.

Security Measures
First time renters will be subject to an intensive anti fraud check. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 48 hours.

Next day shipment to first time renters cannot be guaranteed.

We may require additional information to verifiy who you are. If the requested information cannot be provided, we will have to cancel the order. It's a very rare occurence that a rental is not completed.

Things that will slow down security checks.
- Use of an anonymous email address. (gmail, yahoo, hotmail, etc). Using a verifiable business, student or large ISP email address will speed this up.
- Register with a listed landline. Cellphones are not traceable.
- Are you a pro? Send us a link to your web site in the comments section.

Billing Questions

When is my credit card billed?
Your credit card is billed at the time of rental and/or reservation.

Can I change my reservation date?

Yes you can change your reseravtion date. There are conditions however. You must call us 48 hours before your ship date. Please check your email stating when your rental will be shipped to you. If your reservation date has to be changed a second time you will automatically be charged 15% of your rental price. 

Can I get a refund if I cancel my reservation?

Yes, you will receive a 100% refund. There are conditions however. The order must be cancelled 72 hours before your ship date. You will receive an email with the ship date after you have ordered. You will not receive a full refund if you cancel the order after it has shipped, even if you decline the delivery. You will be charged 50% of the rental fee.

If you need clarification of this policy, please call us at 1.888.599.2271.

How long do refunds take?
Refunds may take up to 21 business days in certain situations. Most are processed within 24 hours.

Will I get a refund once an item has shipped and I do not want it anymore?
Generally no. We've had to pull the item from our shelves and have undertaken costs involved with time, shipping and packaging.

Will I get a refund if the package is returned due to an incorrect address?

We try hard to make sure we are sending packages to the correct address, however we only have the information provided by you and Google maps are not always correct. You are asked to confirm your address before payment is taken and you can also go on your file anytime to check your address. Please make sure you provide a unit or suite number if required. A refund will be provided however you will have to pay shipping charges.

Can I use a "prepaid" credit card?
We do not knowlingly accept payments with Prepaid credit cards. This is a security risk for the renter as well as Lens Rentals Canada.

When is my credit card charged?

Your credit card is charged at the time of the order.

In Canada, there is bank imposed limitations as to how long a merchant can place a hold of funds on a credit card. Some banks are 3 days, some are 14 days. It would be too manually intensive for us to be pre-authorizing credit cards after 3 days for a rental that will begin in 2 weeks.

Rental Questions

Are there any limitations on 4 day rentals?
Yes, a 4 day rental may only begin on a Monday, Thursday and Friday. 

When do I have to return my rental?
The lens is due back the number of days you rented after you have received your package.

Example: On a 7 day rental; If you order your lens on a Wednesday and it arrives on Friday, you would bring your rental items back to a Canada Post outlet the following Friday. Shipment time is NOT deducted from your 7 day rental period.

What if I keep the lens too long?
Late charges will apply and they cost a lot more than just extending the rental. Late returns are subject to a fee of one fifth of the 7 day rate per day. For example, if a lens costs $100 for a week, and you're 2 days late in returning the item. You'd be charged $40+ taxes.

Can I extend my rental period?
Yes, we welcome this. Although we cannot guarantee your rental items will be available for an extension, as they could be needed for another rental. You must get approval from Lens Rentals Canada for your extension, please don't assume it's ok, especially in the summer months.

You can call us at 1.888.599.2271 or email us at sales@lensrentalscanada.com and we'll make the arrangements.

Please note that the minimum extension is 4 days. 

How much do extensions cost?
Extensions are priced at 80% of the posted rate. For example, if you wanted to extend for 7 days and the rate on the site is $100. You will pay 80% of that, or $80.00.

Can I return my item early for a partial refund?
No, if you have comitted to a specific time period for a rental, we're unable to rent that item to anyone else for that time period. We will not give partial refunds in this case.

Will you ship to a hotel or motel?
No, we will not ship to a hotel or motel. We will ship to a UPS store in the area you are though. ID is required as well as a $5-$10 charge at time of pickup due to the UPS Store, we cannot prepay this.

I'm not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, can I rent from you while I'm visiting Canada?
No, we only rent to people with Canadian issued credit cards. You can use LensRentals.com (unaffiliated company) in the USA for your rental needs into Canada.

What if I forget to return lens caps, body caps or hoods?

If a lens comes back with missing a lens cap ($15+ tax) or back cap ($15 +tax), an automatic charge will be applied to the credit card used for the rental. The same charges will be applied if a non branded (other than Canon or Nikon) is on the lens. There will also be an automatic charge for any missing or offbrand body caps on camera rentals.

If a lens hood is not returned, we will charge the credit card on file for the retail value of the lens hood. If you return the lens hood to us within 5 business days, we will refund the amount in full.

Shipping Questions

How much is shipping?
Shipping both ways is included for standard Xpresspost to any province in Canada. People in the territories need to contact us before they order for shipping rates.

Overnight shipping costs $45.00 and is sent via Purolator. Lenses 400 f/2.8 and larger are $90 overnight. There is no overnight service to the territories.

How do I ship the items back to you?

Just keep the packaging your rental came in and affix the return shipping label inside the box to the outside of the box. It's that simple!

It depends on the province you're in.

Below are the guaranteed ship times via Canada Post Xpresspost. If you live within an hour of a major urban center, lenses usually arrive a day earlier than the guaranteed time. Please plan for the "guaranteed" time and any variance. This is a snow country, trucks get stuck in stuff and planes sometimes can't take off.

*NOTE Some rural areas of Canada require extra days in transit. If you live in Smithers, BC, nothing will get to you on time. :) Hopefully the folks that live in these areas know who they are.

British Columbia 3 Days
Alberta 3 Days
Saskatchewan 2-3 Days
Manitoba 2 Days
Ontario 1-2 Days
Quebec 2 Days
New Brunswick 2 Days
Nova Scotia 3 Days
PEI 3 Days
Newfoundland 3 Days
Nunavut 7 Days (Please call before ordering)
Northwest Territories 7 Days (Please call before ordering)
Yukon 7 Days (Please call before ordering)

What is the cutoff time when ordering to get the item shipped out the same day?
The standard cutoff time is 3PM EST. However, if you're a new customer, we may not be able to guarantee that while we do the security checks. Other arraingements can be made to ship after 3PM EST, however, you must speak to someone at Lens Rentals Canada to get that approved. The number is 1.888.599.2271

Can I get a lens shipped to me for the next day?
Yes, you can select the Purolator option and get a lens shipped to you for the next day. Cutoff time for overnight shipping is 3PM EST.

*NOTE There are a few areas in Canada that overnight shipping is impossible. If you live a days drive away from civilization, there's a good chance it won't get to you overnight.

Who do you ship with for most rentals?
We ship with Canada Post.

Do you require a signature?
Yes.

If a lens arrives early, does my rental date start that day?
No, if it arrives early (which is common), please consider it free time with your rental item. Your rental period does not begin until the day you requested it to.

Is there anything else I should know about shipping?
A great thing to have when you're renting from us is a roll of packing tape! It'll make returning the lens to us fast and efficient.

Any special measure needed to ship to the Yukon, Northwest Territories or Nunavut?
Due to distance and shipping charges, special arrangements will have to be made. Please call 1.888.599.2271 before you order and we can discuss your request. We treat orders from the territories on a case by case basis.

Other Questions

Can I reserve a lens?
Yes, you can! There are a few ways to reserve a lens.

1) You select the day you want the lens to arrive during checkout.

2) You can also reserve items that are currently out of stock when checking out. You just select the date you want the lens to arrive. Keep in mind this date must be at least 1 day after the expected back date.

Do you stock more than one of each lens?
Some, yes! We have no idea what lenses are going to be in high demand. Rest assured, if it's an in demand product, we'll get more copies!

What is the damage waiver?

The damage waiver is a coverage program that partially covers damage to an item by the renter.

How does it work?
If you purchased the damage waiver at time of rental, you are covered against all impact damage. The deductible for the cover is 5% of the rental items replacement value. For example, if you break a lens that costs $1000 and purchased the damage waiver, you will be responsible for a deductible of $50 plus applicable GST or HST. We then cover the rest of the repair costs. The deductible is ALWAYS cheaper than the repair.

What isn't covered by the damage waiver?

• Submersed water damage. If the rental item has been underwater, it cannot be repaired. The renter is reponsible for the entire replacement value of the item.
• Theft and loss. The lens must be returned to us, no matter how many pieces. The renter is reponsible for the replacement of a lost or stolen item.
• Lens caps, back caps, body caps, lens hoods, camera bags, camera straps, filters, and any other accessory sent with the principle rental item. It generally costs less than the 5% deductible to pay for replacements.
• Our damage insurance covers repair of a lens should it be damaged while in your possession. If this happens, you will be responsible only for paying only a deductible (5% of the lens' sales price). Without damage insurance you are responsible for the cost of repairing or replacing a damaged lens.

 

The damage waiver is void if a rental item is shipped back to us not in the packaging we shipped it to the renter in.