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Are you holidaying in the UK and want to drive something different for a change, or going abroad and want to get about? Car rental is usually the answer. There are good and bad car rental companies, both at home and abroad, and in the majority of cases, they are pretty good. At the same time, some firms and their employees come up with cons that you may not have considered. This article offers a few tips on what to look out for.
Upgrades
You may have pre-booked your car rental, which is usually best, and asked for a particular type of vehicle. When you arrive at the agency, or the agent delivers the car to where you are staying, it’s not what you asked for. In this scam, it usually means they’re trying to upgrade your order to a more expensive vehicle. The only thing that you can do is try calling their bluff, ask them to give back your deposit. When faced with this, the person delivering the vehicle phones their office, and magically, there was a mistake, and they’ll deliver the car ordered. Ask yourself whether you trust such an outfit not to try something else.
Excess Waiver
Make sure that you know exactly what you are getting and what is required of you. Don’t be fobbed off by excuses. The usual ploy is extras on the insurance, especially when insurance is included in the hire cost of a vehicle, because if there is a problem, the excess is generally huge, £1,000 or more. Before you take off on holiday, get an excess waiver form, which works out at a few pounds a day, much less than they’d ask for.
Fuel Costs
Some vehicle hire companies make it a policy to ask for the cost of fuel before you’ve even tested the driving seat. This con is not exactly illegal, but it’s frowned on and could cost you more than you’ve anticipated. These companies have what is known as a full/empty rule, which means that you pay up front for a full tank, and can bring it back empty. If you don’t think you’ll be driving great distances, and you don’t want a petrol/diesel bill up front then avoid companies with this policy, it can be expensive.
The Devil is in the Detail
A car rental contract, like most other contracts, has a lot of words and while you may give something a fair scan, you really need to read the hire contract form from start to finish. This isn’t actually a con in the sense that the other issues here might be, but rental companies and insurance companies often rely on people not reading everything before they sign.
You may be in a hurry but if you don’t want to find yourself with a lot of hidden extra costs at the end of your holiday, read the contract — yes, even the tiny bits on the back!
