In
addition, the report reveals that a significant number of travellers have been
exposed to what are considered in the industry as "rogue practices". These include
travellers arriving at the pick-up desk to find that the car they booked was no
longer available, being sold insurance that they later realised they already had
or didn't need, or in the worst cases, being told that there was no evidence of
their booking.
Alison
Rice, travel and tourism commentator says: "In order to avoid getting taken for
a ride by a rogue car hire broker, I recommend that customers consider the following
points before clicking the "book" button:
-
Cheap is not the same as value for money - cut-price
car hire companies may add costly extras when you pick up the car. They may even
be compromising on vital vehicle maintenance. It's also worth checking if the
pick-up desk is at the airport or a shuttle bus ride away as, while it may be
cheaper, the extra distance will add time and hassle to your journey.
-
Beware the hidden extras - book with companies willing
to agree all costs in writing when you book. Arriving at your holiday airport
tired and anxious is not the time to negotiate
insurance costs. Also make a note, if you are
not paying in sterling, to check that the exchange rate used to calculate the
end cost is in line with the current rate. .
-
Look for a 24-hour customer support service - this
may not sound important when you book but if something goes wrong it will be vital
.
-Look for sites with a phone number - many websites
only offer online forms. Why are they not encouraging you to contact them easily?
-
Ask friends and family for recommendations - there's
nothing better than a personal recommendation. Review sites don't always offer
an accurate picture.
- If you book through a broker,
check out the car suppliers they use. How are the suppliers selected? -
brokers work with all kinds of suppliers from big names such as Hertz to smaller
but reputable country specific suppliers such as Auto Jardim (Spain). Reputable
brokers vet their car suppliers. It's worth asking how they go about doing this
and what each supplier has to commit to before the broker will use them.
- Spend time researching and asking around if you are unsure
of a company's reputation - cutting costs with a cut-price car hire company
can leave you out of pocket or worse - risking your safety in a car that's not
up to scratch.
Stuart Nassos, Managing Director of
holiday
autos says: "For many people, hiring a car
is an essential part of the holiday experience and should be an easy and straightforward
purchase. However, there has been a worrying increase in the number of companies
that are taking advantage of consumer trust and tarnishing the reputation of the
car hire industry with their unscrupulous behaviour.
"We
are keen to help our regulator stamp out some of the malpractices which occur
within the industry. The Code of Conduct we are working to create for brokers
aims to regulate industry practices. For too long consumers have had to put up
with unclear advice around car hire terms and conditions, insurance and pricing
and we are keen to bring clarity and trust back to the industry."
To
download a full copy of the Holiday Autos "Uncovering Car Hire" report, please
visit http://www.holidayautos.co.uk/car-hire-uncovered.html.
.
More
information about holiday autos
and this News Release: Holiday Autos commissioned
a body of research in February 2011amongst car hire brokers and holidaymakers.
This involved mystery shopping UK based car hire brokers and a quantitative survey
amongst 2080 consumers.
All
consumer figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov plc. Total sample size
was 2080 adults. Fieldwork was taken between 11th and 14th February 2011. The
survey was carried out online and the figures have been weighted and are representative
of all UK adults (18+).
*The
UK European Consumer Centre reported a rise of 29% in the number of complaints
and enquiries about car rentals in the EU in the first five months of 2010 compared
to the first five months of 2009. Report issued on 21st July 2010.
More
information about holiday autos
Since
1987, holiday autos has helped millions of customers with their car hire needs
and quickly established itself as the leading leisure car hire broker in the world.
The holidayautos.co.uk website was launched in 1999, designed to offer fully inclusive
car hire with no hidden charges in 3 easy steps. Holiday Autos's multi award-winning
service now operates in over 5,000 locations globally.
Working
with partners including Avis, Alamo, Europcar, Sixt, Hertz,
National, Thrifty and Budget,
Holiday
Autos
offers competitively priced car hire and a high level of service to all its customers.
As well car hire, Holiday Autos also offers motorhome hire, van hire, prestige
and hybrid car hire as well as chauffeur drive services through its consumer website.
.
With
support for consumer bookings, trade partner bookings and B2B partners, Holiday
Autos
is an undisputed leader in the car hire market.
Travellers
can book directly at http://www.holidayautos.co.uk
Source:
holiday
autos
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