advice
on car rental
(or van / Motorhome rental)...
Before you leave home - Ensure
that you are carrying both your picture and paper driving licence
(the paper licence shows any endorsements you may have)
and your passport (if visiting another country) and travel tickets and car hire
paperwork.
When
you collect the car:
Check
the vehicle for damage
Check
the spare tyre
REMEMBER:
Most car rental locations require a credit card
Most
car rental locations will not accept debit or Switch, Maestro cards or
similar they must be a credit card. It is worth checking in advance if
they accept American Express or Diners Club
You
must have held a valid driving licence for one year
UK licence holders should note that many car hire outlets will not release the
rental vehicle on sight of a photocard driving licence without also seeing the
paper licence counterpart.They may also ask to see the paper licence counterpart
of all named drivers.
Some
car rental companies insist that you have held a full driving licence for one
year and also must be over 25. Check in advance as it could mean when you reach
the car hire desk, they will not let you rent a car.
When
you pick-up your vehicle determine where the drop off point is for your return
Ask
if the return area has an attendant. If not, who do you return the car to?
If
you leave the vehicle without check-in, examine it for damage and photograph it
from every angle.
- The Vehicle Condition Report
(VCR) - Check your vehicle carefully for signs of damage before driving
away. This can be difficult some times if you are in a hurry, it is dark, it is
raining, or very very hot and you are in a hurry and have been waiting for the
car to be prepared and if it has just been washed and is not dry- however it is
very important.
If they have identified certain areas of damage on the plan of the car and not
all of them, return to the hire desk and get the additional damage signed off.
Take
photos of any damaged areas when you collect the car/van/campervan. Sometimes
these are very small. This of course is difficult to do in bad weather conditions
or at night. Examples of damage to look out for below:-
Left:
Small scratches on door handle and dent on edge of door
Right: Scratches and blemishes on paintwork
Left: Bad scatch on door
Right:
Black scratches above tyre
Check the rental agreement: The rental agreement
will normally include a section for the hire company to record the damage that
has been identified. Let the car hire company know if damage has not been recorded
before you drive away, even if you are anxious to get going. If you have identified
damage let them know.
Know your speed limits - these vary from country to country.
Speed / Radar cameras certainly apply to rental cars as well! The rental company
will be notified and the renter contacted by the authorities. Speed traffic camera
information is now being sent from one country to another. e.g. someone caught
speeding with a French registered car in Italy will find that the fine will be
reported to the French authorities if it is not paid.
Fuel
in the car
You
should check that there is a full tank of fuel (Petrol / Diesel) and normally
you should return it full. Car hire companies will often charge an administration
charge to fill it up plus the price of the fuel that might be higher than at the
pump. Some companies have even put stickers on the speedo stating to return it
empty. Take extra care here.
Make you fill the car with the correct fuel, most car hire companies issue a warning
either with the car keys like the one above or
on the outside or inside of the fuel tank cap.
Familiarise
yourself with the vehicle - Make sure you know where the controls for essential
instruments such as headlights, hazzard warning lights and the horn are located.
Adjust your seat and wing mirrors accordingly.
Check
with the Hire company if you can take the car out of the country you are renting
in.e.g. Going from France into Italy or if renting in Ireland can you take the
car into Northern Ireland or into the Republic of Ireland. You will probably have
to pay for crossing the border in Ireland.
When dropping of the car make sure you remove or personal
belongings and have it checked in and signed off.
The
majority of vehicle hire companies class snow chains and winter tyres as optional
extras on winter holiday hire packages.
Car
Keys: It can be costly if you lose those car hire car keys - GBP £250 or
more See
our info page Here
The
above information has been supplied by a third party and jml Property Services (insurance4carrental.com
/ jml Property Insurance.co.uk / jml insurance.co.uk) takes no responsibilty for
it's accuracy - September 2009
Fair
wear and Tear
The
following information is provided by a major UK Car hire company.
It should not be relied on for accuracy as other companies would have different
definitions. When you go to collect the car you might want to find out the individual
company's definition.
This
Uk Company say that they do not regard the items listed below as damage, but "fair
wear and tear" therefore it is not required to be recorded
Paintwork,
Boddy, Bumper and Rubbing Strips.
Marks
and surface scratches of less than 25mm that do not penetrate the top coating
and can be readily polished out (such scratches cannot be felt with a finger nail
and will not be visible if water is rubbed across)
Stone
chips of up to 2mm without a dent
Windows
Glass and Lamp lenses
Marks
that can be readily removed
Stone
chips not exceeding 2mm in diamater
Alloy
wheels, Trims and Tryres
Marks
and surface scratches that do not penetrate the top surface and can be readily
polished out. (Such scatches cannot be felt with a finger nail and will not be
visible if water is rubbed accross)
Even
tyre wear appropriate to the mileage of the vehicle
Interior
and luggage area
Marks
to trims, seats and carpets that can be readily cleaned or polished off
1.
Before you book -Pay
close attention to what is and isn't included in the reservation fee. For example,
some rental companies charge extra if you can't return the vehicle to the same
rental branch, are leaving the country or are under or over a certain age.
2.
Paperwork -Make
sure you read and understand the terms and conditions of your contract with the
rental company. Ask for a copy prior to your rental, so that you have plenty of
time to read it through.
3.
Insurance -
Check if there are any exclusions to your loss/damage waiver insurance. For example,
in most cases windscreens, tyres, roof damage and undercarriage damage are not
covered. The BVRLA has a guide to damage protection programmes and insurance available
by clicking on the image below
4.
Fuel - Your
car rental quote will not include fuel. Most companies will give you the option
of buying a tank of fuel from them and returning the car empty or returning it
with a full tank. Remember what you agreed to, otherwise you could end up gifting
the rental company a free tank of fuel or paying an extra charge to have the tank
re-filled.
5.
Going abroad -Make sure that you
tell the rental company if you are planning to take the vehicle abroad and that
you familiarise yourself with the driving regulations at your destination. You
may also need to take additional documentation, such as a VE103B
certificate.
6.
The collection -
Do a thorough inspection, inside and out, walking all the way around the vehicle.
Note every single chip, dent and scratch. Pay particular attention to the wheels,
windscreen and lights, which are common damage areas. Before you drive the hire
vehicle away, familiarise yourself with all of its controls - lights, windscreen
wipers etc.
7.
The return -
Allow plenty of time, particularly at busy rental sites such as airports. Try
and return the vehicle during the rental site's operating hours so that someone
can check it over with you. Otherwise you will be liable for any damage that occurs
between you returning it and them inspecting it.
8.
Additional charges -
Rental companies will try to outline the full cost of your rental when you make
your booking. If you do receive any additional charge upon your return, make sure
it comes with an explanation and some supporting documentation.
9.
Road traffic offences -If
you commit a road traffic offence or fail to pay toll or congestion charges, the
rental company will chase you for payment. You will also be liable for an administrative
fee on top of the cost of the fine.
10.
How to complain -
If you have an unresolved dispute with a rental company
that belongs to the BVRLA, you can get it referred to theBVRLA conciliation service here
The
UK European Consumer Centre - UK ECC has
an excellent guide "Car hire across the EU - what you
should know" which can be download, for your information and use,
by
using the link below
The
free Adobe Acrobat Reader is available to download direct from Adobe by following
the link to read this information
PET:
There is no NHS for pets, make sure your family pet is properly
covered
WEDDING: Safeguard your big day now
by getting comprehensive insurance for your wedding
HEALTH
& LIFE:
Life, Health, Dental Plan
BUSINESS
INSURANCE: General Business, Public Liability,Shop
and Retail, Office, Tradesmen and Surgery and Clinic insurance,
Employers liability, General Business and more
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jml
Property Services(insurance4carrental.com
/ insurance4vanrental.com / insurance4motorhomerental.com
/ insurance4minibusrental.com / jml Property Insurance.co.uk / jml insurance.co.uk
) are an advertising service, we are not insurance brokers and are unable to offer
advice or deal with any of our advertisers enquiries. This
site IS NOT an insurance comparison price website.
All dealing must be with the insurance company that you
will gain access to via a link from this website.
jml Property Services are unable to give advice either verbally or in writing
regarding insurance or assist with changes to insurance policies that you have
taken out. You must contact the insurer direct. We are therefore unable to provide
any quotes ourselves as we would be breaking the law. All dealing must be with
the insurance company that you will have accessed via a link from this website
insurance4carrental.com
/ insurance4vanrental.com / insurance4motorhomerental.com / insurance4minibusrental.com
are web trading names of jml Property Services which is a trading name of Jeffrey
Milner Ltd - PO Box 80 - Princes Risborough - Buckinghamshire - HP27 0WA - England
- Established 1979
Before you leave home - Ensure
that you are carrying both your picture and paper driving licence
(the paper licence shows any endorsements you may have)
and your passport (if visiting another country) and travel tickets and car hire
paperwork. 
Most car rental locations require a credit card
UK licence holders should note that many car hire outlets will not release the
rental vehicle on sight of a photocard driving licence without also seeing the
paper licence counterpart.They may also ask to see the paper licence counterpart
of all named drivers. 
Never initial or sign an agreement without asking about each item
Do
not over insure. If you have travel insurance you do not need personal effects
or personal accident insurance
If they have identified certain areas of damage on the plan of the car and not
all of them, return to the hire desk and get the additional damage signed off.
Left:
Small scratches on door handle and dent on edge of door
Left: Bad scatch on door
Drink drive laws vary from country to country - for example in Italy if you have
a glass of wine and a grappa with dinner and you are stopped by the police - you
will be fined. 
Know your speed limits - these vary from country to country.
Speed / Radar cameras certainly apply to rental cars as well! The rental company
will be notified and the renter contacted by the authorities. Speed traffic camera
information is now being sent from one country to another. e.g. someone caught
speeding with a French registered car in Italy will find that the fine will be
reported to the French authorities if it is not paid.
You
should check that there is a full tank of fuel (Petrol / Diesel) and normally
you should return it full. Car hire companies will often charge an administration
charge to fill it up plus the price of the fuel that might be higher than at the
pump. Some companies have even put stickers on the speedo stating to return it
empty. Take extra care here.
Make you fill the car with the correct fuel, most car hire companies issue a warning
either with the car keys like the one above or 
on the outside or inside of the fuel tank cap.
When dropping of the car make sure you remove or personal
belongings and have it checked in and signed off.
Guides on driving abroad Click
on an area below
