Call to end to car hire ’rip off’

British and Spanish consumer watchdogs have called on car hire companies to end unexpected charges and unfair fuel policies after a poll found almost three quarters of tourists believed they had been “ripped off”.

Which? said many tourists to Spain were getting a raw deal, and the Spanish group Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU) said unlawful practices by car hire companies were damaging the image of the country as a holiday destination.