Travelling by Hire-car

The European Consumer Centre already knows many car rental companies from it's consultation experience and provides information, which you should particularly bear in mind when hiring a car.

Alleged damage

A common reclamation which unfortunately affects many car rental companies relates to repairing charges for an alleged damage:

Over and over,  after return of the hire-car the consumers are accused of a damage.

Despite the luck of an damage assessment at the return, some of the firms debit a sum via credit cards or withhold the retention. The declared reason is the necessary reconditioning work. Scores of consumers, however, do not recall any damage and feel betrayed. Even subsequent complaints remain unsuccessful.

Checkup  before and after

It only helps if you check the hire-car before and after it's delivery together with an employee of the car rental company.

Damage that exists already at the time of the delivery should necessarily be included into the delivery protocol. The lack of damage after the return should also be confirmed in writing.

Attention: return outside business hours could cause additional fees as well as the risk of being accused of an alleged damage.

Phoney price?

Is the bill of cost correct or has a higher price been charged contrary to the previous agreement? Has a prepayment been taken into account by the billing at the end of period?

In order to avoid possible misunderstanding in charging,  it is advisable to get information about the final sum inclusive any auxiliary service.

Expensive additional demands      

Beside all inclusive offers  (incl. insurance, tax and without travel distance limits), normally an auxiliary service is not included in the hire price.
Extras such as

• Hiring and return of the the car at different places     
• Disposal outside business hours (however, not advisable)
• Child seat
• Border crossing
• Second driver a.s.o.

cost often extra money. Also

• Airport charge
• Gas

are often not included in the price and thus can cause additional costs.

Possibly the travel distance is also limited and any additional km/miles have to be paid separately.

Checklist of the European Consumer Centre for car rental

• Compare the prices! Comparisons show that there are generally not cheaper or more expensive offerors. The prices are according to the place, season and competition different.
• Read the hire contract very carefully and ask if something is unclear to you.
• Have prepayment and other possible agreements been included in the hire contract?
• Take special offers into account! The weekend rates, all inclusive offfers, advance booking bonus- this all can considerably reduce the price.
• Check the insurance protection.
• The maximum limits of liability are different in different countries. If the protection is low you should take an additional insurance.
• Consider whether you accept a retention or you choose an extra charge.
• Check the insurance coverage as well as the coverage sum. Since often even with a comprehensive cover insurance some kind of the damage is not covered or covered only under certain conditions (e.g. timely notice).
• The theft insurance applies owing to circumstances only to theft of the car not to theft of personal belongings.
• Is the passenger insurance included?
• Certain companies (holiday autos, sunnycars) are only application agencies. The hire contract is concluded with the car rental company on location. You receive only a voucher that proves the reservation. The risk is the discrepancy from the information of the applicant agent. Important: you have to complain to your contractor on location.
• Bookings of special vehicles are often not possible. The stated car is mostly only an example for a whole group of vehicles.
• Pay attention to the tank regulation. If returned with empty tank high fees and gas price can be charged. If returned with full tank, keep the receipt- there have been cases when the volume of the tank has been questioned.
• When choosing the type of the vehicle take the number of passengers as well as the amount of luggage into account. A bigger car means higher costs.
• Check the car at the time of the delivery for possible scratches or other car body damage and include them into the delivery protocol.
• In the case the car rental company demands a blank slip of your credit card ( as a security) ask for it's return after the payment and delivery of the car, unless it has been used for the payment.
• Keep all your receipts, since you can avoid a charging of a higher price than previoulsy agreed with the applicant agency as well as more easilly proceed a complain.

ABC of the car rental companies

• ALI Additional Liability Insurance, LIS Liablity Insurance Supplement
• LDW Loss Damage Waiver
• CDW Collision Damage Waiver
• PAI Personal Accident Insurance
• PEP Personal Effects Protection, PEC Personal Effects Coverage
• PERSPRO/CCP Carefree Personal Protection
• UMP Uninsured Motorist Protection

For any question or problems with the car rental companies abroad you can contact the European Consumer Centre.

Vienna, May 2007