Dosh dilemma – Sue’s car hire shock: how to avoid getting ripped off by a car hire company

Sue went on holiday on a tight budget. So when it came to renting a car, she chose the cheapest deal she could find.

But when she returned the car to the airport and saw the final bill, she was shocked that it was a lot more than she expected.

Sue asked the car hire desk to explain the big bill.

Here's what she found out:

Sat-nav fee: £15 a day!

Sue was shocked that she was charged £15 a day for a sat-nav that was already fitted in the car.

“I didn’t even use it!” she said, to which the clerk replied:

“But it was in the contract”.

Extra driver charge

Sue's partner, Phil, was added as a second driver.

But again, no one told her it would cost extra but it was in the small print.

Mileage limit

Sue didn’t realise there was a limit to how far she could drive the hire car and going over that limit came with a big fee.

Can Sue fight the charges?

Sadly, if the charges were in the contract, even the small print, then she probably won’t win an appeal.

But she shouldn’t give up just yet. If the company wasn’t clear or didn’t tell Sue about the charges properly, she can still make a complaint.

How to avoid a car hire rip-off

When hiring a car, always read the contract fully and ask for all costs to be confirmed at the hire desk.

Here’s what to ask and check:

Is the car at the airport?

Some cheaper deals are off-site and need a shuttle bus which is fine if you’re prepared but not great if you arrive tired with lots of bags.

Are there age charges?

Some companies add fees if you're under 25 or over 70. These can be hidden in the small print, so always ask.

What’s the fuel policy?

Avoid ‘full-empty’ deals, where you drive away full and return the car on empty as you’ll likely to pay more than the fuel is worth and it's almost impossible to return a car truly empty.

Is mileage limited?

Some companies cap how far you can drive and if you go over the limit, you’ll pay extra per mile. So always check if mileage is limited.

Extra drivers

Adding another driver can cost more than £75 a week. But some companies offer second drivers for free, so ask before booking!

How to complain if you’ve been overcharged

You should contact the car hire company first. Explain the issue and give them a chance to fix it.

If you’re still not happy, contact your national European Consumer Centre  (ECC). Their legal experts will look into the case and try to solve it.

We hope this helps Sue and the experience didn’t ruin your holiday.