Can I Return My Car Early? Is There A Penalty?
If you’ve booked your rental vehicle and suddenly find that you don’t need it for as long as you thought, don’t panic! In most situations it’s fine to return your car early, although the rules are different with each supplier.
If your rental has been booked to pay on arrival, then the rental cost is only charged at the end of the rental once you return the car – when you collect the car the supplier will hold the estimated rental cost, and then charge the actual total when you return the car. This means that if you have a rental which is paid on arrival and you need to return the car earlier than planned, the supplier will only charge you for the time you had the car – so instead of being charged for the full rental, if you return the car earlier you will only be charged for the days that you had the vehicle.
If you prepay your booking and need to return the car early, however, you will still be charged for the full duration of your rental. This is because you usually receive a discounted rate when you prepay your rental, so these suppliers do not usually allow refunds if you don’t keep the car for the full duration.
These rules differ between various suppliers, so if you need to return your rental earlier and have any questions then don’t hesitate to get in touch and we will be able to advise you.