Hiring a car

Because of the way car hire charges are now levied, with local franchises and companies generating much of their income from additional charges, car hire can be one of the most stressful parts of your trip. Here are six key points to remember.

1 The paper counterpart to your driving licence is no longer valid. Information about endorsements is now held on the DVLA’s computers, which means that when you collect the car, the rental desk will need to access your details online. To allow this you need a code from the DVLA (see gov.uk/view-drivinglicence). You need your licence number, National Insurance number and postcode. The code can only be used for 72 hours, so you have to generate it just before you travel.

2 Make sure the rental voucher and credit card used are in the name of the lead driver, otherwise you may have to pay again.

3 If you reject the local CDW excess insurance – because you accept the risk, or have your own cover – make sure you have enough credit on your card for a deposit to cover the excess.

4 Read the contract and challenge anything which doesn’t make sense.

5 Inspect the car thoroughly and make sure every scratch is on the contract. Check alloys, hubs, the underside of bumpers and the edges of wing mirrors. Take photos.

6 When you return the car, keep the receipt from the petrol station where you filled up that day. Always try to get the vehicle signed back in. If this is not possible take a new set of photographs to prove it is undamaged.

See today’s Cars section for an investigation into the hire car industry