If you are hiring a car from an airport and your flight is delayed, you need to contact your provider as soon as you are aware.

There will be a direct contact number on your booking confirmation for the location in question. Call this number and let them know the details. If your delay means you get there late but still within the office opening hours then there should be no real problem. They will hold the vehicle for you. But, only if they are aware of the delay.

However, if your delay means you are now arriving outside of the normal operating hours then one of a few different possibilities will occur. Most suppliers will give the local office the power to make their own decisions in these situations. This will be based on staffing levels, costs ect.

1. If your delay means you will be arriving very late, they may suggest that you collect the vehicle the next morning when they are due to open. Depending on the opening times, this could mean a long stay in a boring airport or even checking into a hotel for the night.

2. They may offer to keep the office open until your expected arrival time to enable you to continue your journey without much more disruption. This more often than not would come at an extra cost of around £25/£30 charged as an out of hours fee.

3. They may offer to keep the office open and not levy a charge. This is wholly down the suppliers discretion and isn’t always the same every time.

Top Tips To Avoid Problems If Your Flight Is Delayed

Supply your flight number when booking your vehicle, this way they are aware of delays (most of the time)

Call the supplier to let them know of any delays as soon as you are aware of them, even if you have provided your flight number

Book your hire car for a time that you expect to get to the desk, after clearing customs and baggage claim. If you book your car for the time your flight is due to arrive then you are going to be late, even without a flight delay.

Check the suppliers closing time, if your flight is due to arrive 5 minutes before they close, realistically you are not going to make it.

NEVER blame the rental company for the flight being delayed. You may have booked via the airline but they are very separate companies. The rental assistant didn’t make your flight arrive late. The additional costs if indeed there are any, are to pay the wages of the employee who stayed after work to wait for you.

If you do have a problem with having to pay extra, the airline should be the target for your claim if your flight is delayed. If you are unsure about any of the above information then please contact us. We are happy to help.

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.

A question that is being asked more and more is, Can I Take My Dog In A Hire Car?

In short the answer is YES, I think a lot of people are concerned that they will be charged extra at the time of booking if they inform the supplier that they intend to carry a dog in the car.

There is no additional charge but ALL car hire suppliers will have a section in their terms and conditions about charges for excessive cleaning. Basically meaning if a car is returned covered in dog hair, they may issue a surcharge.

To cover yourself against any such charges, clean the car before you return it. Take it to a roadside car wash for a valet or a DIY job on the driveway will suffice. They don’t inspect the interior with a black light and magnifying glass but if you have cleaned any evidence of a dog (or any pet for that matter) being present then there will be no questions asked.

Top Tips When Carrying Pets In A Hire Car

• Use some form of seat protector or a blanket to stop hair, fur and dribble getting everywhere.
• Keep your pets in travel crates where possible.
• Lay a blanket or protective mat over the bottom of the boot when getting pets in and out to avoid damagaing the paintwork.
• Thoroughly clean and vacuum the hire car after the last trip with a pet.
• Ensure the car smells fresh for the next user, a cheap air freshener is about 99p.
• Treat your hire car as you would treat any new car and always take care when travelling with pets.

If you follow the above tips then you can take your dog or any pet in your hire car without worrying about surcharges. If you have any questions, please let us know.

Autumn can be a very busy time, with the children going back to school and memories of summer receding into the murky past. So many of the cyclical tasks that greet us in September, however, can be made that much easier with a car rental.

The great thing about the fall is that prices are down on all tourist-related services including vehicle hires. That means renting a car in this time of transition is both affordable and eminently practical. Here are our recommended vehicles to hire this fall:

1. Autumn Adventuring
With the changing colours, lack of tourists, and cheap prices on accommodation, many people take to the road in the Fall for a bit of off-road adventuring. Hiring a 4X4 will take you to all of those out-of-the-way places where you can admire nature’s brilliant hues as you throw another log on the campfire.

2. Organising the Kids
Despite the many trips you made last year (and the one before) there always seems to be a heap of things to buy, sort, order and collect when the kids are going back to school. If you rent an MPV, you can load in the children and still have room for all the stuff you’ll be dragging home at the end of the day.

3. Moving Your Student
If you’ve finally got one leaving the nest, renting a van is the most economical and practical way to get all of their gear to their student lodgings. You’ll be able to get everything moved in one shot and have money left over to fill their fridge.

4. Test Drives
With all the new models coming onto the market, there are great deals to be had for car buyers on last year’s remaining stock. If you’re not sure what you want, rent a vehicle and find out. All the most popular makes and models are available for hire, and you’ll have a real feel for the vehicle before you take the plunge.

5. A Romantic Retreat
Some may call Spring the season of love, but there’s nothing more romantic than curling up beside the fire in a country cottage after a day of strolling through the hills. Make your time away extra-special by renting a premium vehicle that will take you to your romantic retreat in comfort and affordable luxury.

These are just some of the recommended vehicles to hire this fall, and there are any number of other reasons why you may want to consider renting a vehicle in autumn. Just remember that they’re cheap, plentiful and amazingly useful at this time of year.

Estate cars offer the best of many worlds. They’re based on regular road cars so don’t suffer the extra fuel penalty that crossovers and SUVs do – they’ll also handle better as they have a lower centre of gravity. But, thanks to the sizeable boot, estates are still much more practical than their saloon siblings.

There’s a bewildering choice of estate cars on sale, so we’ve picked out our top 5. Whether it’s for the weekly shop, for a little DIY at the weekends or you just need space to keep the kids and pets happy, our list has something for everyone.

5. Volvo XC70

No estate car top five would be complete without at least one Volvo. Estates are what the Swedish brand does best, and the XC70 is our pick of their range. Based on the V70, already a spacious and refined car, the XC70 gains a subtly raised ride height and chunkier tyres to offer a more off-road biased appearance. Best of all though, those changes contribute towards excellent ride comfort. Factor in the strong, economical diesel engines and Volvo’s reputation for safety and the XC70 makes a huge amount of sense.

4. Mazda 6 Estate

The Mazda 6 is the stylish option in our top five, but that doesn’t mean that it lacks substance. It’s one of the most engagaing cars to drive in its class, while the petrol and diesel engines return excellent real-world fuel economy. At 525 litres, some rivals fare slightly better in the load-lugging department, but few are as nice from the driver’s seat.

3. Mercedes C-Class Estate

Those looking for the prestige of a small executive car with a little added practicality should look no further than the Mercedes C-Class Estate. At 490 litres, the boot isn’t significantly bigger than the saloon’s, but the square shape and low, wide opening make it much more usable. The added bonus is that the C-Class is quite the looker inside and out and is relaxing from behind the wheel.

2. BMW 5 Series Touring

If the budget is able to stretch for the BMW 5 Series Touring, you’ll be buying one of the best all-rounders on sale today. The beautiful interior sits ahead of a 560-litre boot and the whole car oozes quality and handles fantastically. BMW’s petrol and diesel engines offer a blend of performance and efficiency very few cars can compete with. Just be careful you don’t go overboard choosing options, the price can start to get a little silly if you get too excited.

1. Skoda Superb Estate

In its current form, the Superb won’t be with us for much longer, its replacement is due in September, with an estate version following soon afterwards. In the mean time, however, the current estate is still more than capable of scooping our top spot. The boot totals 630 litres – or a whopping 1,865 when the rear seats are folded away – yet the Superb maintains limo-like levels of space for rear seat passengers.