Car rental

Young woman with short dark hair wearing a striped tank top holding a car steering wheel out in front of her with a scared expression and biting her lip.

Renting a car abroad?

Make sure you read the small print, particularly important details about online booking, insurance, picking up your car and returning it on departure. This helps to ensure there are no nasty surprises or unexpected costs. This section contains important information about what you need to know and advice on what to do if something goes wrong.

Good to know

If you rent a car abroad, pay attention to certain details such as the excess, insurance, deposit, charges and the rules around mileage and fuel. It is also a good idea to do some research about the actual rental business itself before booking your car.

A business may not retain some or all of your deposit unless there is a good reason, which backed up by evidence. Always ask the car rental company for a breakdown of the charges. If you disagree about the deposit costs and you are unable to resolve the issue immediately, then pay ‘under protest’. This is done by writing ‘under protest’ on your receipt and having it signed by the car rental company employee. Send a complaint to the car rental company as soon as possible and request a refund of the charges. This must be done in writing.

If you have a dispute with a car rental company, for example, because you feel you were wrongly accused of causing damage to the rental car, you can send a complaint in writing to the car rental company and the broker if you used one.