Now that you’ve booked your car hire, the next step is settling your payment, and there are a few options available to you.
Rental car companies in the United Kingdom allow you to make payments for your hire car using a variety of methods including credit or debit cards. We outline the different types of payments accepted by our car rental partners when you book with VroomVroomVroom.
There are a series of straightforward steps involved in booking and paying for a rental car in the UK.
As a part of booking your hire car through VroomVroomVroom, you will need to pay a deposit which secures the vehicle for you.
Upon arrival to collect the hire car, in most cases the person who was nominated as the driver must be the one who pays for the car.
When you collect your hire car, the car rental company will ask for your credit card or debit card to preauthorized payment (pending) for the estimated total rental charge cost plus any applicable security deposit. Very few hire car providers in the UK accept cash.
When you return the rental car, the total rental charges will be charged to your credit card. This includes the cost to rent the car, any extras such as GPS, booster seats, additional drivers or excess reduction products plus any tolls, fines or damage costs incurred during your rental period.
When you make a booking on the VroomVroomVroom website, you will need to pay a deposit to secure your rental vehicle, and settle the remainder of the rental car cost at the counter along with a security deposit to the supplier. For example, if your total rental cost is £200, you will be asked to pay us a deposit of say £20 when you book with us, and the remaining £180 will need to be settled plus the security deposit at the depot upon pick up of your hire car.
Remember that any optional extras such as child seats or a GPS, additional drivers, and other similar charges that you arrange at the time of pickup all need to be paid for at the car rental counter.
Generally speaking, the person who has been nominated as the driver in the rental car booking is the one who needs to pay for the hire car. The renter must be present to sign the Rental Agreement and provide their credit or debit card when collecting the car. If you wish to pay for the hire car, but intend on someone else driving it, you can rent the vehicle in your name and add them as an additional driver. However, the individual must meet all the age and licence requirements. They’ll also need to present their licence at the car rental counter with the primary renter.
In almost all cases, yet. Paying for a hire car with a credit card is the most popular means of payment in the United Kingdom. There are though, a few points to keep in mind.
Visa and Mastercard are accepted by the United Kingdom’s major car rental brands including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt, and Thrifty, while American Express and Diners Club cards are accepted only by some. We recommend you check beforehand with the hire car provider if you need to pay with American Express or Diners Club. If you are using a foreign credit card it may attract an international transaction fee from your financial institution.
Regardless of the card you plan to use, you’ll need to present your credit card when you collect your rental car and sign your rental agreement. You may also need a second credit card depending on the type of vehicle you select.
When paying for a hire car with a credit card, you must have enough credit on the card to cover your full rental charges at the time of rental, as a hold will be placed on your card for this amount. Additionally, the security bond for your vehicle will be held on your nominated credit card. It is highly advisable to use a credit card under the renter’s name, however some companies also accept credit cards from another person as long as they are present during the collection of the vehicle.
No. For security purposes, the credit card used must match the name of the driver on the booking. It is mandatory that the name, address, and signature on the credit card are reflective of the details printed on the driver’s licence. If the name on the credit card does not match, you may be refused a vehicle.
No. The physical credit card (along with your physical drivers licence) must be sighted by staff at the rental counter prior to the signing of your rental agreement. As you will be taking the rental car off site, this is a security measure that needs to take place.
Most major rental car companies in the United Kingdom allow customers to book a hire car using a debit card. However, it must be a Mastercard debit card or Visa debit card. They do not accept a normal Savings Account bank card, which is sometimes also referred to as a debit card, nor pre-paid cards. Luxury vehicles cannot be hired with a debit card.
When paying with a Mastercard debit card or Visa debit card, there may also be an adjusted amount for the security deposit. This is based on the Terms and Conditions of the car rental provider you are hiring with, and the amount may vary between depots. This is because the car rental company cannot guarantee you’ll have available funds on your debit card if the vehicle is damaged or lost. The bond will be refunded at the conclusion of the rental although the funds can take up to 21 days to be returned to your card, depending on the bank that issued your card. There may also be a card surcharge that differs to typical credit card surcharges.
For further details on paying with a debit card, click the “Important Information” box that is displayed when you select a rental car using our search form. This information box will display what is required based on the payment option of your choice.
Cash is usually not accepted by major rental providers in the UK. However, cash deposits may be allowed at the discretion of the depot manager with a copy of your passport and airline ticket — please check with the hire car provider beforehand.
Important InformationWhen paying for your rental car...
Payment is required by credit card or debit card. Cash, cheque, and pre-paid credit cards are usually not accepted. We recommend you check which method of payment will work for you best by contacting your hire car provider directly. Note that third parties may pre-pay for a rental but the credit or debit card presented at the start of the rental must always be in the name of the main driver. If a third party pays for the rental online, the customer must indicate the name of the person who will be driving the vehicle where shown in the booking process.
