When hiring a car ALL car hire companies require a deposit. The amount of this can vary which we will come on to, but the sole reason for the deposit is to protect themselves against loss.

When I say loss it would be one of many reasons. If you return the vehicle late they can deduct the additional rental cost from your deposit before refunding it or if the vehicle is returned damaged they can deduct the amount of the insurance excess.

How Much Is The Deposit?

Generally the deposit for car hire in the UK can vary between £500 to £2000, sometimes even more than that. In very rare cases you might find a supplier who only charges a fuel deposit of lets say between £100 to £150. The amount of the deposit usually reflects the amount of the insurance excess on your agreement, the excess is the amount you are liable for in case the vehicle is damaged. You can read more about insurance excess here.

How Do I Pay The Deposit?

Most suppliers will block the deposit amount on your credit card, this means they are not actually taking anything but freezing an amount on the car until the need arises for them to take it. Much like checking into a hotel or setting up a tab in a fancy restaurant.

If you do not hold a credit card then there are suppliers who will allow you to hire a vehicle with a debit card, click here to see more. if you use a debit card, the supplier cannot freeze the money therefore it will leave your account and be refunded to you when the vehicle is returned, providing there is no need for them to charge you an amount of it.

When Will The Deposit Be Refunded?

The deposit should be refunded as soon as the agreement ends, obviously give them a little leeway for processing paperwork ect. This doesn’t mean that the amount will show back in your account immediately.

Sometimes banks can take time to process these transactions. A few days should be ample time but we have known it take up to 2 weeks. Be assured that it is on its way back to you, if you do require any clarification, the customer service team of any rental company will be able to tell you when the hold was released and your bank should be able to see that also.

Can You Avoid A High Deposit?

Yes, you have a couple of options here. As mentioned above there are suppliers who only take a fuel deposit for their cars. This basically means charging you for a full tank of fuel and returning it full. This deposit will then be returned to you.

Your other option with some suppliers is to reduce the amount of your excess liability. If you take their zero excess option which will incur a daily charge, they will not need a deposit to cover themselves because you wont have to pay should the vehicle be damaged. Obviously this is on the basis that you have stayed within the limitations of your terms and conditions.

If you have any questions regarding why car hire companies require a deposit or insurance excess then please contact our reservations and customer service team, we are here to help!

Call 0113 88 00 748

Email sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk

With more and more ‘low cost’ car hire brands launching each year it is becoming very confusing for a lot of people, just how do you get the best car hire prices? And once you have a good price, how do you know what else is added when you arrive to collect the car?

We at Indigo Car Hire strive to give you the best service possible and we know that most people have different circumstances. We like to tailor each rental to fit the needs of our customer, but what are your options when it comes to finding the very best car hire prices this year?

1. Do The Leg Work For The Best Car Hire Prices

You could contact every supplier at your chosen location and ask for a quote. Having up to 20 different suppliers in any given city or airport can make this an arduous task especially when each of them have different groups of vehicles, different rules for payment, different age restrictions and in some locations a very broken understanding of the English language.

2. Use A Price Comparison Site

Price comparison sites are big business these days for everything from energy bills, mobile phones, insurance policies and even car hire. I and others in the office use them regularly for purchasing a product a physical item I can hold in my hand and you can sometimes save a bundle but where they seem to fall down is when you are looking for a service.

Comparison sites don’t tend to inform you about the kind of service you will receive upfront, the after care and more importantly what is included in the package you are comparing. Specifically when it comes to car hire, there is generally limited information on how much the deposit is, how much the insurance excess is, how you can pay and what the age restrictions are.

For example, right now (25/04/2018) i can hire a car in at Malaga Airport for 4 days for £11.58, yes that is correct. However, to achieve this unbelievable price I have to meet certain requirements. I need to have a credit card in my name with an available credit limit of at least €1200. I need to be over 25 years old but under 70. I need to have held a clean driving licence for 2 years or more and I need to wait around for a shuttle bus to collect me from the airport terminal and take me off site to their collection location.

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3. Speak To An Expert

We at Indigo work in a similar way to a comparison site, we gather prices from hundreds of suppliers around the world and provide them to you in a simple and easy to understand way. We also have a great relationship with each supplier and understanding about how they work and what they offer. This means that when you contact us and explain your situation, we will have an immediate idea of which suppliers and what package will be a good fit for you.

• If you are looking for the cheapest vehicle possible for an unplanned trip, then we can get you booked for as little as £5 per day.
• If you don’t have a huge limit available on your credit card then we can arrange a rental with a low deposit which means you only have to leave the cost of a tank of fuel during the rental which is refunded on return.
• If you want peace of mind and do not want a large insurance excess hanging over you then we can advise of the cheapest way to reduce your liability or even take advantage of the ZERO excess rentals.

We are much more than a comparison site, we are not an automated system. Our experts are here to show you how to get the Best Car Hire Prices for your situation and the very best service from ourselves and the supplier when you collect and return the vehicle.

Call 0113 88 00 748

Email sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk

Questions

How do I get the best value car hire to meet my requirements?
Simply let us know your requirements and we can usually provide you with various options that will suit you. This is not always the cheapest option, rather the best option for your circumstances.

Why is it so expensive to reduce the excess?
It is not always very expensive but it can be with some suppliers, sometimes upwards of £25 per day. An alternative to this is ‘Excess Reimbursement‘ a much cheaper option that adds peace of mind.

Why does the price change so often?
Prices with most suppliers are calculated constantly based on many factors. Availability and demand is the main one. Like many companies in the travel industry prices increase at busy periods like Christmas and School Holidays ect. We don’t necessarily agree with it but until there is a big shake up, that’s just the way it is. The reason the above company can charge £11 for 4 days hire is because in the height of summer it could be ten or 20 times that. The busy summer and school holiday trade supplements the quiet times.

You can contact us by phone on +44 (0)113 880 0748, email on sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk or even chat with is online and we will aim to get you The Best Car Hire Prices This Year.