European Consumer Centre Solves Your Car Hire Concerns
The European Consumer Centre in Dublin has drawn up a list of handy tips for car rental. Earlier this week, a full list of tips was launched on the centre’s website. A synopsis of the most common misconceptions and problems are as follows:
Alleged Damage:
The ECC says the most common problem they’ve been hearing about is from customers whose credit cards are charged an amount for damage to the vehicle after it has been returned to the car rental company.
What the EEC suggests:
“Always check the car for damage before you take the car and when you bring it back, and ensure that you do so in the presence of an employee of the car rental company. Damage that exists at the time of the pick-up should be noted in writing. On return of the vehicle, the lack ofdamage should also be confirmed in writing.”
Pricing Problems:
Some advertised basic prices for car rentals may appear to be total prices but usually do not include other costs. Some prices may be displayed as ‘inclusive’ and include essentials such as insurance, tax and no distance limits, but more often than not, they don’t include additional services such as:
· Hiring and returning the car to different places.
· Returning outside business hours (not advisable anyway)
· Child seat
· Crossing a border to another country
· Second driver
· Airport charge
· Fuel costs
· Additional kilometres to the travel limit, if there is one.
Prices are likely to vary depending on what type of cover you purchase for damage. Many different types of damge cover exist, from ‘theft waiver’ to ‘super car damage waiver’ to ‘all damage waiver’. Customers should always consider these when comparing prices.
Written by F.H
