ROFI: Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
- ROFI is a peer-to-peer carsharing platform that connects car owners with individuals in need of a vehicle. By using ROFI, car owners can earn extra income by renting out their idle vehicles, while renters have access to a variety of vehicles at affordable prices. With ROFI, both parties can enjoy the benefits of car sharing - car owners can offset the costs of vehicle ownership, and renters can have access to a car without the long-term commitment of buying or leasing one. It is designed to be easy to use and secure, ensuring that both parties have a positive experience.
- For customers who do not hold a valid Sri Lankan licence, you need to hold a recognition permit issued by Automobile Association Ceylon (AAC) for legal recognition of your overseas license. To save customers from having to visit AAC office in person, Rofi have partnered up with AAC to facilitate exclusive online applications and flexible delivery or pick up options.
- To apply and purchase a recognition permit online please contact one of our support team members at support@rofi.lk with your booking reference number.
- To hire a vehicle on ROFI, you must select a vehicle from the available listings and complete the booking process. You must agree to the terms and conditions set by the vehicle owner, including any restrictions on the use of the vehicle and the cancellation policy. You must also provide any required documentation, such as a valid driver's license.
- To list your vehicle, you need to first sign up for an account and then head to the List Your Vehicle page. This can be accessed from the home page. For more information, refer to Listing Your Vehicle
- ROFI is founded with the idea of providing a platform for hirers and hosts to use at ease, and signing up is not an exception.
- Simply click register an account and input your name, phone number and email addresses, as well as create your password then you are all set! Keep in mind that you will have to verify your email address with the code we send you to start using your account. Enjoy!
- To find out more about how we collect and handle your information, refer to our Privacy Policy in Terms and Conditions.
- Yes, all cars will have insurance coverage during the trip. Some hosts have their own rental insurance for their vehicles whereas other hosts do not and in these instances, you will need to purchase an insurance cover through Rofi for the period of the trip.
- If rental insurance is required, it will be reflected in the final breakdown on the checkout page and the final price.
- Self Drive:
- All renters have to be over the age of 18 and hold a valid driver's licence to make a booking.
- Chauffeur-driven:
- The primary renter has to be over the age of 18.
- A valid full licence will be required from the country of origin and/or an international driving permit.
- For self-drive cars, the renter must be more than 18 years old.
Make a Booking
- To find a car to rent you can use the search function on the homepage. Start by selecting the type of vehicle, then the pickup location (a city or a district) and next choose the pickup and drop off times and hit search.
- The next page will show you which cars are available that fit your times, you can then select a car to see more information on it. Use the filters and sorting parameters to find the best vehicle suited to your needs. Then proceed with the booking.
- When you click on "proceed to payment" during checkout, you may enter your card details to finalise the payment.
- An initial Concierge Fee will be charged to reserve the vehicle for the period of the booking. This Concierge Fee will cover the admin-related expenses to make your trip a good one.
- A deposit may be required at the hosts’ discretion. You may see if a deposit is applied on the listing of a vehicle and on your booking confirmation page.
- A deposit is a refundable fee that is charged to ensure that the renter has enough money to cover the excess of the insurance in case the vehicle gets into an accident. All/ part of it may also be used to compensate the vehicle owner if the car is returned with damages or in an unclean condition.* A deposit will be charged at the time when you finalise the booking and pay the remaining booking fee (total booking price less the Concierge Fee charged).
- In this case, we suggest you increase the search radius or tick the “show nearby vehicles” when using our filter function.
- Alternatively, invite friends or family with idle cars to join the platform!
- If you select a vehicle for the desired period, this specific booking will be temporarily reserved for you for 60 minutes, until the Concierge Fee is paid. If the temporary reservation is expired then any other ROFI members can book the vehicle at the time you selected, in which case you would no longer be able to make the payment for the Concierge Fee.
- Once the Concierge Fee is paid, your reservation is secured! Unless any adjustments were to be made, in which case the ROFI admin will send out an email and inbox you through the ROFI app to notify you what happens next.
- Currently on Rofi all rental bookings are made on a day to day basis. If you have input a period less than one day or not a full x-day period (where x are whole numbers), this will be automatically adjusted up to the nearest whole number of days.
- For example, if you selected the pick up time to be 10am today and the drop off time to be 11am tomorrow (which implies a 25 hours period), this will be automatically adjusted to 2 full days unless you make further changes. If you confirm this booking, you can return the car at 10am two days after the tripped started without late return charges occurring (regardless that originally you searched for a period of 25 hours).
- Currently, for all rentals the minimum booking period is 1 day.
- The total trip price is calculated by adding the deposit to the total rental charge (calculated on a day to day basis) less the Concierge Fee.
Refuelling
- Usually, the car listing page shows the correct fuel type the vehicle consumes. Users can also look up places such as next to the fuel cap eject button or behind the fuel cap to find our stickers about which type of fuel to pump.
- Self Drive:
- No, however, the right fuel needs to be pumped and the car must also be returned with a full tank of fuel. If it isn't, an extra fee will be charged for the inconvenience of the owner.
- At the end of the trip, any excess kilometres travelled will be calculated in accordance with the extra per kilometre rate for the rental. And will be charged to the renter.
- Chauffeur-driven:
- For chauffeur-driven rentals, the driver will pump the fuel when they deem it appropriate.
- At the end of the trip, any excess distance travelled will be charged in accordance with the extra per kilometre rate.
Collecting and Returning Your Ride
- Pick up:
- For vehicles with Chauffeur, details of the vehicle and driver will be presented to you in the booking confirmation email after the booking is finalised.
- Once you locate the vehicle and the driver, the driver shall pick you up and will confirm with the team
- Drop Off:
- At the time of the drop off the driver shall confirm with the team and the booking automatically concludes.
- Pick up:
- When you arrive at the pickup location to meet the Host, use the camera in the Rofi app to scan the QR code on the app of the vehicle owner. This will signal the start of the trip.
- For Self-Drive vehicles, start by taking a picture of the mileage/ odometer reading, taking pictures of the vehicle and noting any existing damages and uploading them onto the app.
- Drop Off:
- When you arrive to drop off the vehicle and end the trip, you will have a QR code on your app for the Host to scan through his app's camera feature. This will signal the end of the trip.
- For Self-Drive vehicles, the host will first take a picture of the odometer reading and then spend the next 10 mins inspecting and taking pictures of the vehicle and uploading them on the app with the renter present. Ensure no damage is done and the vehicle is returned in a clean state.
- For Self- Drive
- In some cases, there will be a pickup and drop-off window. At Rofi we value the experience for each of our members. Therefore, there could be significant penalties for late returns. You can find more information in the Terms and Conditions*.
- If you are running late, call our helpline and let a Rofi team member know
- For Chauffeur driven
- The driver will alert you when the pickup time approaches.
- If you are running late, please inform the driver via the phone number provided to you in the booking confirmation email. Late fees may apply.
- If the Host doesn’t show up, please call Rofi support on +94 777 595 695 and inform us of the booking reference number. We will contact the host and try resolving the pickup issue.
- If the vehicle is unavailable due to unforeseen circumstances we will try our best to find an alternative vehicle nearby so your plans do not get disrupted.
- If the renter doesn’t show up, please call Rofi support on +94 777 595 695 We try to communicate with the renter and resolve the issue. If you believe that your renter has any misconduct, please report it to us. We will commence an investigation and take actions accordingly.
- For self-drive vehicles, to end your trip you have to return the vehicle and meet with the host. Simply use the camera function in the Rofi app and scan the host's QR code. A final inspection of the vehicle will automatically start and you will need to record photos of the car as per instructions.
- The car should be returned to the host in the same condition it was given to the renter at, at the start of the trip. This means that it should be clean and safe to use after handoff. If cleaning is required then the renter wil be charged accordingly.
During Trips
- No, unless otherwise agreed, only you who made the booking can drive the vehicle with our valid protection
- At ROFI we aim to provide the best experience for the entire ecosystem of hirers and hosts. To ensure that everyone is able to enjoy using ROFI we ask you to
- Not smoke or consume food or drinks in the vehicle
- Not engage in any illegal activities while using the vehicle
- Report any damages or issues with the vehicle as soon as they are discovered
- Follow all traffic laws and regulations while operating the vehicle
- Use seat belts and child safety seats as required by law
- Not use the vehicle for towing, racing, or off-roading
- Fees and charges may apply if you do not comply with these rules. See more in our Terms and Conditions.
- Unless the damage is a result of normal wear and tear, you are liable for settling the situation and addressing the party responsible for the damages. Make sure to notify authorities and emergency services and exchange details with other parties in the incident.
Listing Your Vehicle
- Rofi is made to make everything about renting out your vehicles easy. As long as you are a Rofi member, you can upload your vehicle’s details for review. Once approved, your listing will be ready to be published and show up on the search! Get ready to meet your guests soon!
- Currently, any vehicles that are manufactured during or after 2000, valued between RS 1,500,000 and RS 50,000,000, and that fall under the Car, SUV, and Van categories are accepted to be listed on the platform. These include subcategories such as (sedan, hatch, convertible, sports cars, 4X4, and people movers…). Types of vehicles that aren't currently unavailable are busses, trucks, bikes, three-wheelers and lorries. These will be made available in the near future.
- If your vehicle falls into one of the available categories but is not an available brand or model in the “List your vehicle” page on our website, please send us an email inquiry to support@rofi.lk. Requests to list a vehicle will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
- Rofi welcomes any car regardless of whether you have your own rental insurance or not. As long as the vehicle is approved for listing a rental insurance cover will be provided for the period of the booking.
- When the hosts' vehicle is booked, they must take the necessary steps to ensure that the vehicle is clean and safe to use by the renter before doing the handover procedure, this includes but is not limited to ensuring the; the cabin is clean and surfaces are disinfected, the car is in a roadworthy condition*, the car is handed over with a full tank of gas.
Changing, Extending, or Cancelling Trips
- To make changes to a booking you need to go to the Current Bookings and Rentals tab in the dashboard and then select ‘Bookings’. Then Select the Actions button on the same row as the car you want to make the changes to. Here you can request a cancellation or make the payment to confirm the booking.
- After requesting a cancellation of the current booking, if you wish to reschedule for another booking, please search for another vehicle for your new dates as the same vehicle may not be available at that given period.
- Note that if you cancel your current booking, at least one day's worth of the booking amount will not be refunded. See more details at question #41
- In most cases, an extension may not be possible since the vehicle is booked with the understanding that it will be returned on time so subsequent bookings can take place without a hitch.
- For self-drive, if the vehicle cannot be returned in the designated drop-off time window, then a late return charge may apply.
- For chauffeur-driven, the Driver will advise you on how long there is before the end of the trip, and they will adhere to the time strictly.
- If you have a change of mind between the time of requesting a vehicle and making the full booking payment you can request a cancellation at which point only the nominal Concierge Fee will be charged. The Concierge Fee is non-refundable.
- Once a full booking is done, a cancellation can be requested up to 72 hours before the start of the trip. A refund will be processed, but one day’s rent will be retained to reimburse the inconvenience for the hosts.
- If you request a cancellation within 72 hours of the trip commencing, a partial refund may be granted on a case-by-case basis.
- If recurring cancellation requests are made, your account may be placed under review and could be deactivated.
Early/Late Returns
- Rofi is not able to facilitate any partial refund. However, we are working on developing new features where applications for refunds can be lodged and then reviewed by the hosts. Until then, make sure you are 100% certain of your booking time before you make the full payment to avoid any loss!
- If you are running late (pick-up/ drop-off) please inform one of our staff members by calling our support line at +94 777 595 695.
- For chauffeur-driven, the Driver will advise you on how long there is before the end of the trip, and they will adhere to the time strictly. If you are running late, please inform the driver via the phone number provided to you in the booking confirmation email. Late fees may apply.
Accident resolution
- We understand that it is stressful after an accident. It’s important to keep the following steps in mind:
- Call emergency services to report the accident and request medical assistance (dial 1990) if needed.
- Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver(s) involved in the accident.
- Notify the police by dialling 119 and they will attend the scene of the accident to conduct an investigation.
- Seek medical attention if you or any passengers are injured.
- Contact your insurance company to report the accident and start the claims process.
Managing Your Account
- Once your account has been registered, a verification code will be generated and sent to your email inbox. You will have to verify your email address using this code to start using your account. If you are having trouble accessing this email, please check your spam folder in your mail app and help mark our emails as non-spam.
- If the issue persists, you may contact our support team at support@rofi.lk and we shall get back to you promptly.
- Don’t worry, we have you covered! Simply click the “Forgot Password” button and enter the email you used to create your account. We’ll send you an email with further instructions on how to reset your password.
- Please contact us at support@rofi.lk if you have trouble accessing this email.
- To be eligible to make bookings on ROFI, you need to verify your identity and that you are at least 18 years old. You can do this by navigating to your user profile and uploading photos of your driver’s licence following the instructions.