Car rental: Hiring a car for your holiday comes with real risks, says consumer watchdog

Gráinne Griffin of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission said 'consumers are being hit with long delays, unexpected costs, and stressful disputes.' Picture: iStock 

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has warned holidaymakers to be aware of “real and potentially expensive” risks when hiring a car this summer, as it revealed 40% of renters had an issue last year.

Hidden fees, long waits, and cars not being what was promised when booking were among the issues encountered.

“This reflects really poorly on the sector, and while the CCPC has tackled and will continue to tackle individual traders, consumers planning on booking a car this summer need to be aware of the real, and potentially expensive, risks,” the CCPC’s director of communications Gráinne Griffin said.

A summer holiday should be a time for rest and relaxation. Instead, consumers are being hit with long delays, unexpected costs, and stressful disputes. 

Its survey, launched as many consumers look forward to a holiday abroad in the coming weeks, found that 31% of people paid more than they originally expected when renting a car, with toll charges and fuel charges adding extra to their final bill.

In some cases, extra charges also included collection charges such as from an airport or disputed damage assessments.

One in six respondents said they faced a long wait time to pick up their car, while 10% said the car didn’t match the description of what they’d paid for.

Others had issues with the terms and conditions, while poor communication from the car rental company was also cited.

“Renting a car abroad can be stressful at the best of times,” Ms Griffin said. “You may be stuck for time, communicating in a different language, or collecting the car in the dark or in bad weather.

“Still, you must take steps to protect yourself when picking up the car. Make sure any existing damage is noted by the company. Take your own clear photos and videos of the interior and the exterior. If you’re not happy with the car’s condition or it’s not what you paid for, return it immediately.”

Hidden car hire fees among complaints

So far this year, the CCPC said that it has received 78 contacts from the public regarding car rental, mostly with unexpected or excessive charges.

In one case, a consumer said they went to collect the car only to be told they don’t accept debit cards and had their booking cancelled.

In another case, a customer was charged an additional €274.40 for insurance which they said they hadn’t been made aware of beforehand.

“I made the mistake of not taking a video and now they are charging me €2,000 for damages that I didn’t make,” another said.

The watchdog added that it has taken part in strengthening consumer protection in this area in the past, with an EU-wide sweep of third-party car rental websites in 2022.

It said this has led to “meaningful improvements” to consumer information and contract transparency.

• The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission's website for consumers is at ccpc.ie/consumers