RULES FAIL TO END HIRE CAR SHOCKS
It’s three months since the introduction of rules that should mean motorists don’t get caught out by hefty hidden costs when hiring a car.
Since January 1, car hire comparison and broker websites have had to show a clear :drive away” price to people to comply with Competition and Markets Authority regulations.
But according to Zest Car Rental there are still some unexpected extras you may have to face when you collect and drop off.
Rory Sexton, managing director, said: “Mandatory charges like young driver surcharges, one-way rental charges and fuel policy charges should be displayed from the very outset.
“These are not optional extras and will be added to the customer’s bill at some point.
“These types of shady practices give the car industry a bad name, and the CMA regulations were an excellent opportunity for the industry to clean up its act.
“I’m afraid what we’ve seen in the few months since they came into force is some firms still trying to trick consumers with headline prices that are simply too good to be true.” Here are some of the extras you need to be wary of if you are jetting off on a fly-drive holiday this Easter: Younger driver surcharge Under 25s should double check the small print to see whether they’ll be charged a daily younger driver surcharge and be forced to take out local insurance. Could cost: ¤5 to ¤10 per day (£4.32 to £8.64) Driving licence supplement Most firms won’t even let you hire a car if you have fewer than two years on your licence. If you’ve held a driving licence for under fours year you could be landed with a daily supplement. Could cost: ¤5 per day (£4.32) Out of hour collection/ drop off If you need to pick a vehicle up out of office hours this could cost you dearly. Could cost: ¤15 to ¤75 (£12.96 to £64.80) Airport collection It may be convenient but it can be expensive. Could cost: ¤5 to ¤10 per day (£4.32 to £8.64) Loss of vehicle documents Keep them safe and make sure you have them when you return the car, or you’ll be hit by a hefty charge. Could cost: ¤35 to ¤300 in Italy (£30.25 to £259.29)