Frequently Asked Questions
Signing In
I am not a registered customer of Primes & Zooms, can I still use the website?
If you are just browsing, you can check availability and rental prices without signing in. However, if you do wish to rent something, you will have to have an active registration. You can submit your registration request using the sign-up form on the homepage. Once it is verified, your email ID will be activated for checkout.
I am a registered customer of Primes & Zooms, how do I log in?
If you have rented from us after 1 Jan 2018 your registration is already migrated to our new website and you can simply use the Forgot Password option to generate a new password. Your login id will be your registered email address. If you have not rented from us after this date, you will have to submit a fresh registration with all required documents and our team will let you know once your registration has been verified. Please note that it normally takes us two working days after receiving the full set of documents to complete your verification.
I have clicked on the Forgot Password option but I have not received any email.
a. Please verify that you have used the Forgot Password option with the email ID that you registered with and that there are no typos.
b. Check your Social / Promotion / Spam folders for the email.
c. If you still cannot find the password reset email, write to us at registration@primesandzooms.com from your registered email address and our customer service team will help you out.
I have reset my password but I keep getting a message that says my user ID is deactivated or temporarily blocked
If you are sure that you are using the right password, please try clearing your browser cache or logging in using a private (incognito) browser window. If you still see the same message please write us at registration@primesandzooms.com from your registered email ID and our customer service team will help you out.
Registration
Why do I need to submit my documents to rent from Primes & Zooms?
We need to know our customer well since we rent expensive equipment without sufficient collateral to cover the cost of the equipment. We also need to ensure that nobody is stealing your identity and attempting to impersonate you.
How long does registration take? Can it be expedited if I need something today?
We need at least two working days’ time to verify and complete your registration AFTER we receive the full set of your documents. In an emergency, we may be able to shorten this process slightly only if all your documents are received in the first shot and they are in order.
Is registration a mandatory requirement to rent any equipment? Do I need to register for every rental?
Yes. Registration is a mandatory and one time requirement for you to rent with us. In case more than 6 months have passed since your last rental, you may be asked to re-submit your documents. When a document’s validity expires (as happens with rent agreements, passports, driving licenses), we request you to furnish a renewed document to keep your registration active.
Can I register and submit the documents in person by visiting your office?
We do not accept registrations at our office. You may, however, submit the form with your data and photo first and email the documents separately to us from the email ID used for registration.
What documents do I need to submit at the time of registration?
Please refer the section on Attachments (Parts A, B, C) of the sign-up form for details of which documents we accept for registration.
Will my documents and personal information be shared with anyone else for any reason whatsoever?
We do not share your details with any external agency except in cases of theft, default, fraud and other criminal activities in which case this information is used for the recovery of our assets.
I am staying in my current city of residence on a temporary basis (hostel / PG / office accommodation) and cannot furnish an electricity bill as an address proof. How can I complete my registration?
We recommend that you submit the registration form with the available documents and write to our registration team at registration-at-primesandzooms-dot-com about the unavailability of any particular document. Do note, however, that incomplete documentation may lead to the rejection of your registration.
Collecting and Returning Equipment
I did not inspect the equipment when I picked it up as I was running late for my shoot. Is this a valid argument in my favour if the equipment is damaged at the time of return?
No. You are expected to inspect the equipment and let us know of any problems with it before you pick it up. In case of a home delivery, you need to inform us within two hours of the delivery being completed.
Although my pickup time for a regular rental starts after 4pm, I have been informed that I should pick it up after 6pm. Why is this happening?
You may be requested to pick your equipment up later than the normal pickup time if the earlier return is delayed beyond the normal interval we provide for between orders or if the equipment has been returned damaged. These are factors beyond our control and we therefore request you to not plan to use the equipment during the buffer time.
I have just finished my shoot and am in the vicinity. Will I get a discount or refund if I return the equipment earlier than my scheduled return time?
No discount or refund will be given if the equipment is returned before the actual return date and time.
Can I pick my equipment up earlier than my scheduled time?
Provided the equipment is ready for collection, you may pay an early pickup charge of 15% of the per-day rent per hour and pick it up before your scheduled time. If you need an assurance of early availability, you should plan your rental accordingly.
I am using a certain piece of equipment for the first time, can you educate me in its use?
A detailed explanation of the usage of any equipment is beyond the scope of our services. We may be able to help you with any specific queries about the equipment.
I am unable to come for my equipment pick-up personally, can I send my relative/friend for the same? / My friend will be using the equipment that I am renting, can he pick it up himself?
We do not allow on-behalf pickups. In very rare cases we may allow this subject to an email request from you to delegate the pickup. However, all reposibility for the rental will be yours. If you belong to a corporate entity or production house, you may send us a one-time email authorising certain persons from your organisation to collect equipment on your behalf. However, you will continue to carry resposibility for the rental in your personal capacity.
Is your equipment insured?
No, the last time we checked, insurance companies refused to cover rental assets. If you feel you need insurance for your rental, you will have to arrange for your own production / travel insurance.
Can I carry your equipment out of India? Do you provide any supporting documents for this?
You can carry our equipment out of India. We provide a declaration certifying that the equipment that you are carrying is rented from us to help you establish the origin of the equipment on your return to India.
Do you provide any software that is required to view / process the photos and videos shot with your equipment? Do you provide support in cases where media shot using your equipment does not open on my computer? Do you help with data recovery?
Software licensing terms do not allow us to bundle OEM software with our rentals. Support for troubleshooting data-related problems is beyond the scope of our services. At best, we may be able to point you in the right direction for getting help with your problem but we do not carry any responsibility to solve it.
Reservations
How are rental durations calculated?
If you need the equipment for 1 day, for example on April 7, we make the equipment available for you to pick up a day before (April 6) at 4:00 pm. You can use the equipment on April 7. You will have to return the equipment before 12 noon of April 8. We charge you only for one day, i.e. April 7. The buffer time on April 6 and April 8 is provided to accommodate exceptions on your as well as our end. You should NOT plan to use the equipment during this buffer duration. You will be charged for an extension only if you pick up equipment earlier than 4 pm on April 6 or return it later than 12 noon on April 8. If your equipment is not available at the start of the buffer time (4:00 pm), we will inform you of this so that you can plan to pick it up later during the buffer period.
Will I be charged a safety deposit?
As far as possible, we try to keep rentals deposit-free. However, in some cases, we may charge a security deposit that is sufficient to cover damage to the equipment. The amount of deposit is normally 2.5 times the per-day (pre-discount) rent of your order. If a deposit is required in your case, you will be informed of this at the time of confirmation of your registration. Deposits must be paid at least 2 days prior to your rental start date failing which your order will not be prepared for handover. Deposits cannot be paid or refunded in cash. After the return of your equipment, it takes us upto 7 working days to process the refund of your deposit provided no damage is identified.
Why am I expected to pay for a cancellation?
When we reserve equipment for you, it is held against all competing inquiries. Once you confirm your reservation, we turn down inquiries from all other customers for that equipment. In this scenario, when you cancel your reservation at short notice (within a week of the pickup date), this is very likely to leave the equipment idle and hence cancellations within a week of pickup are charged.
What is your cancellation policy?
- Reservations will be cancelled / modified only by email from the customer’s registered email ID. No verbal cancellations or modifications will be actioned. The date of receipt of the email will be treated as the date of intimation of cancellation.
- Reservations can be cancelled wholly or partly upto 7 days before the pickup date of the original rental period without any charges. Reservations cancelled within 7 days from the pickup date will be charged 50% of the total rent as cancellation charges.
- In the case of no-shows or cancellations on the day of pickup, the full rent will be charged even if the items are not picked up by the customer.
- Modifications to rental periods or items may be treated as cancellations if the revised order value is lower than the value of the original order.
- Rentals can only be extended after our formal confirmation. Such extensions are charged at the rate of 15% of the per-day rent for each hour of extension beyond the return time.
- It is the customer’s responsibility to inform us immediately of any potential delays in the return. Failure to do so will result in the extension being treated as an unauthorised extension.
- Extensions without our explicit confirmation will be treated as unauthorised extensions.
- Any unauthorised extension will be treated as a new rental and charged at 1.5 times the normal rental rate. Additionally such an extension may also incur lost rental charges for any rentals that could not be delivered due to the extension. Unauthorised extensions may, at our sole discretion, be treated as default and will be sufficient cause to initiate recovery proceedings.
I will only use the equipment for a day although I will be in transit for the remaining X days. How will my rental charges be calculated?
Regardless of how many days you actually use the equipment, your rental will be charged as per your pickup and return dates. Please do not request for a non-chargeable early pickup or late return beyond your pickup and return buffers as we will not be able to accommodate these requests.
If I am renting equipment for alternate days, can I keep it with me for the entire duration including the intermediate day that I am not renting it for?
If you intend to rent equipment for alternate days, each rental is treated as a separate order and must be picked up and returned as per the individual scheduled times. If you retain the equipment for the intermediate day, you will be charged for that day as well.
I have picked up the equipment but my shoot has been cancelled/postponed due to factors beyond my control. Will this be treated as a cancellation?
Yes this will be treated as a cancellation and charged as per our cancellation policy.
Can I get a discount? Are the rental charges negotiable?
We offer a reducing rate as the rental duration increases. Additionally, we run promotional offers on certain equipment. Apart from these, our charges are not negotiable.
Can I modify or cancel my order online?
At this point, the website does not allow order modifications or cancellations. You will have to get in touch with our team at reservations@primesandzooms.com to do this.
Can I modify my rental order after I have picked it up?
Modification of your rental order after it is picked up is possible only under certain circumstances. Please contact your booking representative as soon as you realise that you may have to modify your rental order.
I do not live in any of the cities that P&Z services, but I want to rent from Primes and Zooms. Is this possible?
Depending on your specific case this may or may not be possible. Please get in touch with our registration team for assistance around this.
Can I use my previous rental credit with P&Z for my current order?
Yes you can. Please write us at reservations@primesandzooms.com from your registered email id and we will let you know how to proceed.
I am unable to see the home delivery and pickup options in the shipping section.
This can happen because the pincode of your shipping address is outside our serviceable locations. You can, however, get in touch with our team at reservations@primesandzooms.com to confirm this.
I am able to see the home delivery and pickup options in the shipping section but I cannot select any of them.
We have a predetermined number of delivery and pickup trips that we are able to commit to on a daily basis. Once these are full, we do not accept any more requests for pickups or drops. In such cases you will see these options disabled on the shipping page. You can get in touch with our team at reservations@primesandzooms.com for help around this.
When Things Go Wrong
At what point will I be notified if there is any damage to the equipment in the order that I have returned?
Post Covid-19, we have implemented mandatory isolation of all incoming equipment for a minimum of 24 hours in order to protect our staff and other customers from the risk of infection. As a result, only a physical count of items can be carried out at the time of return and a detailed inspection can be initiated only on the day after you have returned the equipment. If any damage is found in your order at this point, you will be notified of this by the front office team. Normally this process should not take more than 48 hours from the time that you have returned the equipment. We shall not be in a position to honor requests for immediate inspection of your order under any circumstances.
What is the difference between voluntary and involuntary disclosure of damage and loss?
Any damage or loss reported to us at the earliest possible time after it occurs along with full details of the incident is treated as voluntary disclosure. Damage or loss reported after an unreasonable delay or detected only during the return inspection is treated as an attempt to conceal or an involuntary disclosure. Voluntary disclosures help us perform timely and appropriate repairs as well as plan for substitutes for the next renter. They may, therefore, be eligible for some relief in the calculation and payment of damages and replacement cost. Involuntary disclosures, on the other hand, leave the next renter in a lurch and are not eligible for any such consideration.
What is the process for handling damage once it is identified?
The equipment is sent to the authorised service center. Once we receive the repair estimate from them, this is shared with you along with an explanation of what work has been done as well as what portion of the repair charges will be passed on to you. Once the repair has been completed to our satisfaction, the final repair charge payable by you will be shared with you. As a general rule, any damage due to wear and tear or manufacturing defects is not passed on to you. In cases of total loss, the calculation of the replacement cost will be shared with you along with the payment terms.
