Rental car firms treble prices over festive season

CAR-HIRE firms are jacking up their Christmas prices by as much as three times the standard rates, consumer watchdogs revealed last night.

Researchers asked four car-hire firms their prices for the first two weeks in December and then a two-week period covering Christmas and the new year.

They found prices at four hire firms increased by as much as €496 between early December and Christmas for tourists wanting to hire the same model car for a fortnight.