Sneaky car hire companies who use flight delays and cancellations as an excuse to make holidaymakers upgrade to more expensive vehicles is the latest trick travellers should be aware of, according to consumer champion Which?
The scheme works by forcing the unlucky customer to pay through the nose for a higher-priced rental after being told their pre-booked car is no longer available due to their late arrival. Which? highlighted the practise, revealed by broker Zest Car Rental, who described it as "an easy way to extract more money from customers".
The best way to avoid being caught out is to enter an accurate pick-up time and your flight details when your book, according to Which?, then staff should then be automatically alerted of delays. However, it advises travellers not to rely on this and also inform your rental company if your flight is delayed or cancelled.
Read more: The difference between ABTA and ATOL and what you need to know before booking a holiday
This trick is one of many used by car hire companies to hit customers with unexpected or hidden fees. Other common ways holidaymakers are caught out include:
1. Buying unnecessary insurance
When you turn up at the rental desk, the car hire company may try to sell you overpriced insurance that you don’t need. When you hire a car, you aren’t required to buy any additional insurance. Basic insurance is included in the rental – but you will have to pay the excess. If you don’t want to risk being hit with the excess, you can either buy a reimbursement policy online or an excess waiver from the car rental company. In the past, Which? has found that car hire company waivers are usually a rip-off, offering inferior cover and costing much more than excess insurance from a third-party.
The solution: Buy your own excess reimbursement policy online from a provider such as Insurance4carhire.com or Reducemyexcess.co.uk, and you may well get cover for the year for the same price as a week or two if you buy it from the car hire desk.
2. Being charged for someone else’s scrapes
It’s annoying and expensive to have to pay for scratches and scrapes that didn’t happen when you hired the car. To avoid this happening, examine your hire car carefully before you drive it away – and take photos or video evidence of any dents or scratches. Your rental agreement should detail any scuffs. If you spot any pre-existing damage that isn’t listed, point it out to staff immediately and ask them to update your agreement.
The solution: When returning the car, make sure an employee checks for new damage with you and get a signed receipt saying there was none. If you’re dropping it off out-of-hours, take another set of photographs, so you have evidence that there were no additional scrapes.
3. Paying over the odds for fuel
When you’re choosing a rental car, check the fuel policy carefully before you book. If you opt for a full-empty policy, you’ll be charged for a full tank of fuel when you pick up your hire car. You’re likely to be charged an excessive rate for this fuel. You’re then told to return it empty and there are no refunds for unused fuel.
It’s usually cheaper to opt for a full-full policy instead: you’ll pick up the car full and return it full, paying the local price for whatever fuel you use. You might also be able to choose same-same. Either way, make sure you return the car full, or with the same amount of fuel as when you collected it, or you may be charged a premium for the difference. You can also be hit with a penalty if you’re supposed to return the car full and fail to.
The solution: If you’ve opted for a full-full or same-same policy, take a photo of the fuel gauge at the end of your trip as well. Make sure to keep your final fuel receipt – some companies will fine you if you can’t produce one.
4. Paying for mileage you didn’t do
Some rental deals come with a limited number of miles and you’re charged extra if you do additional miles. When you return the car, rental companies sometimes get your mileage wrong – and customers are then charged for miles they never drove. Some companies charge extra for unlimited mileage and automatically add it to your quote. Make sure you’re not being charged for something you don’t need.
The solution: Take a photo of the dashboard at the start and end of your holiday. You’ll then have a record of how many miles you clocked up, so you can dispute any extra.
5. Taking overpriced ‘extras’
Hiring a satnav with your car is a waste of money, according to Which?. Free GPS apps are available for your smartphone. Even buying a new dedicated device can be cheaper than a week’s hire.
Child car seats can also be overpriced and may be of inferior quality. The additional baggage cost of flying with a seat will probably cost less than hiring one. Some airlines allow you to put a car seat in the hold without charge.
Adding an additional driver can also be pricey, especially if you don’t arrange it until you arrive at the rental desk. Book with a car hire company or broker that offers free additional drivers.
The solution: Decide what you need before you book and take it with you if you can.
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