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How Long Do You Need To Have Your Licence To Rent A Car?

September 8, 2021 News, young driver Comments Off on How Long Do You Need To Have Your Licence To Rent A Car?
19 2015 YOUNG DRIVERS CAR HIRE

How long do you need to have your licence to rent a car?

So how long do you need to have your licence to rent a car? This question is not quite as easy to answer as you might expect – it actually varies quite heavily based on the supplier and the country of rental, as they all have varying terms. The vast majority though will require at least a year if not more, making it very difficult for someone who’s only recently just passed their test.

Thankfully we have managed to arrange a deal with a few suppliers to remove this limit, so as you long as you are 25+ and have received the full physical photocard then we can arrange this no matter how long you’ve held a licence for.

What locations can I rent from as a new driver?

Here’s a list of the countries that we can currently arrange rentals in for new drivers:

For each country we have branches nationwide, and the list is also continuously expanding, so feel free to ask us if you need to hire from somewhere else. For most other countries the minimum is just a year, so we can generally help anywhere at all if you’ve held it for a year.

Why are there restrictions in place at all?

It can certainly seem quite arbitrary sometimes – what’s really the difference between 11 months and 12? Well the simple answer is that it all comes down to insurance. Each supplier has separate insurance terms, so if you don’t fit these terms the insurance just won’t cover you. There are even a few countries that require more than a year, for example all rental supplier in Cyprus require at least 3 years on the licence. Thankfully this is becoming less common now and insurance terms are becoming more flexible.

If you have any specific enquiries feel free to contact us on +44 (0) 113 880 0748, or email us at sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk.

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London’s ULEZ Is Expanding & It Will Affect Millions Of People

August 19, 2021 London, News, UK Comments Off on London’s ULEZ Is Expanding & It Will Affect Millions Of People
LONDON’S ULEZ IS EXPANDING & IT WILL AFFECT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE

You may or may not have heard about the Congestion Charging Zone (CCZ) and London’s ULEZ (Ultra Low Emissions Zone) but unless you ever drove into central London then this will not have affected you.

What you may not be aware of is the planned expansion of the ULEZ which will, in October 2021, leave the constraints of the CCZ and expand massively into Greater London. The below maps will highlight the dramatic increase in area and how it will affect millions more drivers and business owners.

From 25 October 2021 London’s ULEZ boundary will be expanded from central London to create a single larger zone up to the North and South Circular Roads. The North and South Circular Roads are not in the expanded zone. Vehicles using these roads and not going into the ULEZ will not be charged. If you are driving any petrol or diesel vehicle within the expansion you will also need to meet the tighter emissions standards or pay a daily charge.

This daily charge is in addition to the CCZ charge for central London, it is not included.!! More information on this can be found on the Transport For London (TFL) website.

London’s ULEZ Charges

  • Cars, Motorcycles & Vans (upto and including 3.5 tonnes) will be charged £12.50 per day.
  • Heavier vehicles, including Lorries (over 3.5 tonnes) and Buses/Coaches (over 5 tonnes) will be charged £100.00 per day.

Signs at every entry point will tell you when you are entering the zone and advance information signs will be installed on surrounding major roads.

There are no barriers or toll booths. Instead, cameras will read your number plate as you drive within the zone and check it against our database. This will tell TFL automatically whether or not your vehicle meets the ULEZ emissions standards.

ULEZ Location Maps

Current CCZ & ULEZCurrent CCZ & ULEZ Area Map
New ULEZNew ULEZ Map Showing Ongoing CCZ

Who Will Have To Pay London’s ULEZ Charges?

The charges will apply to everyone who enters the zone (with very few exemptions) for personal or business purposes whose vehicle does not meet the minimum standards for free travel within London’s ULEZ. (Excluding the congestion charge zone)

Those standards are:

  • Euro 3 (NOx) for motorcycles, mopeds, motorised tricycles and quadricycles
  • Euro 4 (NOx) for petrol cars, vans and other specialist vehicles (up to and including 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight) and minibuses (up to and including 5 tonnes)
  • Euro 6 (NOx and PM) for diesel cars, vans and other specialist vehicles (up to and including 3.5 tonnes) and minibuses (up to and including 5 tonnes)

To avoid the ULEZ charge, petrol cars must meet Euro 4 emissions standards at the least. Most petrol cars produced on or after January 2006 will be Euro 4 compliant.

Only Euro 6-compliant diesel cars are exempt from ULEZ charges. Almost every diesel car produced since September 2015 meets the standard.

All electric cars are exempt from ULEZ charges. Hybrid cars with a petrol engine must comply with Euro 4 regulations. Diesel hybrids are only ULEZ-exempt if they meet Euro 6 standards

To see which, if any charges you are liable for when entering the ULEZ or CCZ, you can enter your registration on the TFL website and it will list what you are expected to pay.

ULEZ Exemptions & Discounts

Some drivers and vehicles qualify for at least a temporary discount from the Ultra Low Emission Zone charge (ULEZ). Others are entirely exempt.

These can include but are not limited to residents of the area who have applied for a residential permit in time, disabled rivers or vehicles for disabled people, Taxis, Private Hire Vehicles, Historic Vehicles, Some Agricultural Vehicles, Military Vehicles, Community Minibuses, Non Road Going Vehicles and some types of mobile Cranes. You can find more information on ULEZ exemptions and discounts here.

What Does This Mean When Hiring A Car?

When hiring a car, you the driver or the person named on the rental agreement are responsible for paying all driving related tolls and charges. This includes, parking fines, congestions charges and the new expanded ULEZ.

One thing to bear in mind is that the majority of rental companies have a fleet of vehicles with a maximum ages of 2-3 years. This means that most rental vehicles (excluding large commercial vehicles) should meet the new standards and allow free travel within the ULEZ. However, it is your responsibility to ensure this is the case before you enter any such chargeable zone. Most suppliers will have more information on this but simply asking the question can put your mind at ease.

Our Advice For Driving Into London’s ULEZ

  • Before driving into the Central London Congestion Charge and ULEZ zone, ensure you have checked whether your vehicle is subject to the ULEZ charge.
  • Remember the ULEZ operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (excluding 25th December) and will also operate on days when the Congestion Charge may not be. When the Congestion Charge is in operation, you will be charged for both.
  • If you are going to London on a day-trip, check other alternatives such as train travel and tube travel, which may work out cheaper than ULEZ, Congestion Charge and parking options.
  • Plan your route – if you are crossing London from north to south, east to west or vice versa, you should set your sat-nav to avoid local charge/toll areas.
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What happens if you get a parking ticket in a rental car?

August 19, 2021 Motoring Law News, News, UK Comments Off on What happens if you get a parking ticket in a rental car?
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU GET A PARKING TICKET IN A RENTAL CAR

One of the most frequently asked questions that we get is What happens if you get a parking ticket in a rental car? It’s a relatively common issue, usually accidental, but thankfully the process is a lot more straightforward than it sounds.

What’s the process?

So as soon as you spot the parking notice on your windscreen, the authorities issue the fine to the actual rental company rather than yourself, such as Avis, Enterprise or Hertz etc. The supplier then sends you the parking fine directly to arrange payment. They will usually add an administration fee on top, this varies based on the exact supplier. This does sound a bit excessive at first glance, but the suppliers often have to employ entire teams dedicated to chasing up fines with customers, so it does make sense they would need a way to finance it.

How can I avoid / resolve the situation?

The only real way to avoid it is by paying close attention to where you park, but mistakes can and do happen and it’s easy to make a slip up without realising. The best way to resolve is to just pay the fine as soon as you get it to avoid any further issues. In most cases the fine is also reduced by 50% if you pay within 14 days. It’s a fairly similar situation with road toll charges too, though at least you can often rent a toll device to offset the admin fees.

If you have any further questions at all feel free to get in touch, you can chat with us online, call us on +44 (0)113 880 0748, or email us at sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk.

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Car Rental with Guaranteed Free GPS

June 27, 2021 News, UK Comments Off on Car Rental with Guaranteed Free GPS
Car hire with free GPS

Car Rental with Guaranteed Free GPS

We are pleased to announce we can now offer car rental with a guaranteed free GPS from most of our UK branches. It sounds very simple, but as I’m sure many people know it’s actually a lot harder to find than you imagine! A majority of the time you either add on a GPS beforehand, which can add a hefty amount to the price (often around £15 per day!), or you can take the risk and hope that the car you get has a GPS built in. Neither is ideal of course, which is why we’ve arranged this option with one of our suppliers to get guaranteed built in GPS, and for no extra cost.

Popular Locations

Here’s some of our most popular locations that we can arrange this option from below, though we can arrange it in pretty much all major towns, cities and airports.

Central London Birmingham Leeds
Cardiff Southampton Edinburgh
Sheffield Manchester Exeter
Nottingham Newcastle Glasgow
Swansea Norwich Reading
Aberdeen Bristol Peterborough
Leicester Inverness Liverpool
Oxford Wolverhampton Dundee

 

We can also arrange this outside of the UK and Ireland, including many European countries such as France, Germany and Spain, and also the US and Canada. Just let us know if you’re inquiring about any other countries too as this list is far from exhaustive!

Other deals available

Here are some of the other offers we have in conjunction with this:

New Driver Car Hire – There is no required amount of time needed, as long as you have the physical photocard then we can arrange that.

Car Hire with Points and Convictions – As long as it’s just one major conviction (multiple small ones would be fine) then we can arrange this for you.

Debit Card Car Hire – A debit card is perfectly fine for both payment and deposit, you may just need to provide some extra ID.

Young / Senior Driver Car Hire – There is no max age limit, and we can also rent to young drivers aged 23 – 24 with an extra fee.

 

If you wish to arrange this then just contact us on 0113 880 0748 or sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk.

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Long Term Car Rental for Under 25’s

June 25, 2021 News, young driver Comments Off on Long Term Car Rental for Under 25’s
CAR RENTAL FOR UNDER 25’S

Long Term Car Rental for Under 25’s

We are pleased to announce that we can now offer long term car rental and leases for under 25’s – something that was previously limited to 25+. So if you’re under 25 and struggling to deal with extortionate insurance rates or excessive young driver fees then look no further – Indigo Car Hire is the place for you!

What are the requirements?

The requirements for our leasing options are very lax compared to most suppliers, and there are very few differences if you are under 25. Here are the main requirements below:

  • Your licence must be clean, though exceptions can be made with minor speeding points etc.
  • You need to have held a licence for at least a year.
  • You need to be in employment for at least 2 years.
  • Your credit doesn’t affect anything – there are no credit checks.

There can also be exceptions made in certain circumstances, so feel free to contact us with any queries.

Common FAQ’s

Here are some of the most common FAQ’s we get below:

What are the rates and types of car available?

You can find most of the models we have and their rates on our leasing page here. We mostly work with VW and Skoda suppliers, however if you have any other specific requests feel free to check with us directly.

How long can I rent for?

The minimum lease period is 3 months, and then this can be extended indefinitely beyond this.

Is there a mileage limit?

Mileage is limited to 2000 miles per month.

Is there a credit check?

There are no credit checks, just straightforward address checks, which just checks if all of your details are linked to the same address.

What’s the minimum age?

The minimum age is 21, so anything above that is fine.

Is insurance included in the rental? 

Fully comprehensive insurance is included in the rental and is built into the rate. If you are looking for something without insurance though we may have other options available.

If you have any further questions at all, or want to take advantage of this offer, then just contact us directly on 0113 880 0748, or email us to sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk.

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People Carrier Hire for Under 30’s

June 11, 2021 News Comments Off on People Carrier Hire for Under 30’s
people carrier hire for under 30

People Carrier Hire for Under 30’s

We are pleased to announce that we are now able to offer people carrier hire for under 30’s, including the larger full-size 7-seaters and even 9-seat minibuses. Up until now this has just been limited to the smaller 5+2 models, such as the Vauxhall Zafira or Grand Picasso for example. Thankfully this is no longer the case, as long as you are over 25 and have held a licence for more than a year you can drive the largest passenger vehicles we offer, even including premium models such as the Mercedes Vito and V-Class.

Popular Pickup Locations

Here is a list of some our most popular locations in the UK that we have this service available, though it is by no means exhaustive.

London Heathrow Airport Edinburgh Manchester
Bristol Newcastle Birmingham
Southampton Glasgow Cardiff
Leeds Liverpool Derby
Nottingham Aberdeen London Gatwick Airport
London City Reading Inverness
Leicester Sheffield Cambridge

 

As you can see we have nationwide coverage, and as mentioned there are many more locations too, so just contact us directly for the nearest branch to you.

Other Services

We have quite a few other services we can offer in conjunction with this option:

Debit Card Car Hire – All vehicles are available to rent with just a debit card, so no credit card needed at any point.

Low Deposit Car Hire – This does depend on the exact vehicle but for the most part we can offer this service with a deposit as low as £300.

Delivery / Collection – Delivery and collection is available on all vehicles for a very small extra cost.

Senior Car Hire – No age limit or extra costs up to the age of 99.

Rent a car with a tow bar – We can offer tow bar rentals on most models from select locations too.

Just call us on 01138800748 or email us to sales@indigocarhire and we’ll be happy to help!

 

 

 

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Can I Drive a Tow Bar Vehicle on a Standard UK Licence?

June 7, 2021 News Comments Off on Can I Drive a Tow Bar Vehicle on a Standard UK Licence?
Best towing vehicles available to hire

Can I drive a tow bar vehicle on a standard UK licence?

A question we often get here when renting out tow bar vehicles is if they can drive a tow bar vehicle on just a standard UK licence. While the answer is generally yes, it’s quite a bit more nuanced that that as it depends generally on both the weight of the vehicle as well as the weight of whatever it is that you’re towing. This is then complicated further in how the licence was changed back in 1997, meaning there may be a different answer depending on when you passed.

Differences between Licences

In 1997, with the introduction of the photocard licence that we all know today, a significant number of changes were made to the standard licence. If you passed before 1997, your licence automatically gives you the ability to drive categories B+E, C1, C1E and D1E in addition to the standard category B – but if you passed after 1997 however this will only give you the B category. So with a newer licence you are still fine to tow vehicles as long as the total MAM (maximum authorised mass – basically a fancy way of saying weight!) is under 3500kg (3.5 tonnes), or the vehicles MAM is under 3500kg and the trailer’s is under 750kg. Anything larger however may prove a problem – here’s a breakdown of the categories below:

Licence Category Description
B You can driver vehicles up to 3500kg MAM with up to 8 passenger seats, with a trailer up to 750kg. You can tow heavier trailers though if the total weight does not excess 3500kg MAM.
BE You can drive a vehicle with a MAM of 3500kg with any size trailer
C1 You can drive a vehicle up to 7500kg MAM with a trailer up to 750kg.
C1E Same as C1 except the trailer can be over 750kg, as long as the combined MAM is under 12000kg.
D1E You can drive minibuses up to 16 seats, with a trailer as long as the combined MAM is under 12000kg.

 

Of course if you have any doubts or questions just feel free to contact us on +44 (0) 113 880 0748 or email us to sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk. Feel free to take a look at our rent a van with tow bar page for more info too!

 

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Premium and Luxury Car Hire with a Debit Card

May 4, 2021 News Comments Off on Premium and Luxury Car Hire with a Debit Card
LUXURY CAR HIRE

Premium and Luxury Car Hire with a Debit Card

We have offered car hire with a debit card at Indigo for a long time now, however this has always been limited to standard vehicles – we could never arrange premium or luxury car hire with a debit card. Thankfully though this is now no longer the case as we have arranged a deal with a premium supplier that can also accept debit cards too, allowing you to have a first-class experience without the hassle.

We currently have four branches for it at the moment, though of course always looking to expand! These are:

  • Leeds
  • Birmingham
  • Livingston
  • Welwyn Garden City

We can also arrange deliveries on rentals that are 5+ days and within a reasonable distance, so we can also cover London / Edinburgh for example with that.

What Cars Are Available?

There’s a huge selection of luxury cars that we have available, here’s just a small sample of our most popular models:

Car Group Example Model
Premium Compact Audi A3, Mercedes A Class
Premium Saloon Audi A4 Saloon, Mercedes C Class
Premium Estate Audi A4 Avant, Volvo V60
Premium Plus Saloon Audi A6 Saloon, BMW 5-Series Touring
Elite Saloon Mercedes S Class, Audi A8
Premium Compact 4×4 Audi Q3, VW Tiguan
Premium Medium 4×4 Audi Q5, Mercedes GLC
Premium Large 4×4 Audi Q7, Volvo XC90
Elite 4×4 Porsche Cayenne Diesel, Range Rover Sport SDV6
Ultimate 4×4 Range Rover Sport SVR, Range Rover Vogue
Premium 9-Seater Mercedes Vito
Premium Pickup Ford Ranger Wildtrak, Toyota Hilux Invincible

 

As mentioned, this list is far from exhaustive, we also have a wide range of performance cars, electric cars (including Tesla’s!), and even some extremely exclusive supercars. We are also able to guarantee specific models, so if you have a certain request then let us know.

What are the terms/conditions?

There are very few restrictions on this offer – on most of the premium cars, you need to be over 30 to rent, with a clean licence held for more than 2 years. ID is also very straightforward – you just need your photocard licenses and two proofs of your current address, along with your debit card for the deposit.

If you have any questions at all, or interested in this offer just contact us at sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk, or give us a call on 01138800748, and we’ll be more than happy to help!

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Switzerland Car and Van Hire with a Maestro Card

April 28, 2021 Debit Card Car Hire News, News, Switzerland Comments Off on Switzerland Car and Van Hire with a Maestro Card
Switzerland Car and Van Hire with a Maestro Card

Switzerland Car/Van Hire with a Maestro Card

Hiring in Switzerland with a debit card is notoriously difficult, especially if your debit card is a Maestro card. Maestro cards are a type of debit card issued mainly in central Europe, and the reason they are so rarely accepted for renting is that they lack the 3 digit CVV code that is generally needed for payment deposits. Luckily we have arranged a deal with a major supplier that is able to circumvent this issue, and you are now able to have the deposit held on just a Maestro card – no strings attached.

Where and what in Switzerland can I hire?

We have many branches across the country with this deal available, here are our main branches below:

Zurich City Zurich Airport Basel Airport
Basel Train Station Lucerne Zug
Schlieren Schaffhausen Geneva Airport
Geneva City Altenrhein Airport Bern Airport
Lausanne Gstaad Lugano

 

With such a long-reaching network I’m sure we’ll have somewhere that’s convenient for you!

We have a wide array of vehicle groups available, the only exclusions are sport and luxury cars. This also includes vans from small Berlingo size vans to large Luton vans. Here are all the groups below:

  • Mini – small city cars such as the Fiat 500 / Kia Picanto / Ford Ka etc.
  • Economy – small hatchbacks such as the Ford Fiesta / VW Polo / Opel Corsa.
  • Compact – larger family size hatchbacks such as the Ford Focus / Peugeot 308 / VW Golf.
  • Intermediate – large saloon cars such as Ford Mondeo / Opel Insignia and also premium versions such as BMW 2-series and Mercedes B Class.
  • Estate – large station wagons such as a Ford Focus Estate / VW Golf Estate
  • 7-Seaters – MPVS’s such as the Ford Galaxy / VW Sharan
  • 9-Seaters – and lastly 9-seat minibuses like the Mercedes Vito or Ford Tourneo.

And for vans we have:

  • Small vans – such as the Citreon Berlingo / VW Caddy
  • SWB vans – such as the Ford Transit / VW Transporter
  • LWB vans – such as the Renault Master Van / Mercedes Sprinter
  • Luton vans with a tail lift

So as you can see you’re really not hindered at all by using a Maestro Card, and we even have a lot of other offers in conjuction with this one.

Other deals / services

Here are some of the other services we have available in Switzerland, all available while using just a Maestro Card:

If you have any other questions at all or just wish to take advantage of Switzerland car/van hire with a Maestro then please give us a call on +44 (0) 113 880 0748, or alternatively, email us at sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk.

 

 

 

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Hiring a Car with a new EU licence

April 20, 2021 Europe, News Comments Off on Hiring a Car with a new EU licence
Hiring a Car with a new EU licence

Hiring a car with a new EU licence

Brexit brought with it a huge swathe of changes to how we travel – particularly when it comes to how EU licences work in the UK and the issues with renting a car on a new EU licence. By the end of 2021, all ex-pats living in the EU will be required to change their licence to an EU one. Up until this year, changing your licence from a UK one to a different country was a fairly straightforward process, and vice versa. In general, everything carried over, including the initial issue date. Unfortunately though this is no longer the case – when swapping to an EU licence in 2021 this is treated as a brand new licence with a new issue date.

Why is this an issue?

The main problem is that most suppliers have a minimum requirement of at least 1 year on the licence. This means that newly changed licences will no longer be accepted due to the new issue date. This happens no matter what proof you have of previous licences – seems unnecessary but it’s just how the insurance clauses work for the car hire suppliers.

Luckily here at Indigo, we have been working with a partner for some time now to arrange car hire for new drivers or drivers on new licences. The only requirements are that the driver is over 25 and either has a credit card or are flying in/out of the UK. It’s not just the UK either! We have quite a few locations for new licence holders:

  • UK – all airports and major towns/cities.
  • Ireland – most cities and all airports.
  • Spain – most cities and all major airports.
  • USA – most cities and all major airports.
  • Canada – most cities and all major airports.
  • New Zealand – all major airports.
  • Germany – most cities and all major airports.
  • Austria – most cities and all major airports.
  • Croatia – most cities and all major airports.

This list is not exhaustive and continues to expand so just ask if it’s somewhere else you need! You are also fine to continue using your UK one currently, though it must be changed over by the end of the year. If you have any other Brexit related issues just let us know and hopefully we can shed some light! Just give us a call on +44 (0)113 880 0748 if you need anything or email us at sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk.

 

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