Holiday makers can spend an unnecessary £2,028 on hidden charges
Young driver fees cost holidaymakers £637 per trip
Brits are wasting £10 a day on GPS unit charge
LONDON, July 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Last year, 77% of Brits travelled to Europe, with many planning to do so again this summer in their hire cars – but they are likely to be wasting over £2,028 on unnecessary additional fees, according to new information. Recent comparison carried out by ReduceMyExcess reveals the most common hidden costs and advises travellers on how they can avoid having to pay them. The following top ten charges are based on a two-week holiday to Spain, including car rental. The prices have been obtained from Goldcar as a comparison:
|
Common car hire fee |
Price inc car rental (€) |
Price inc car rental (£) |
|
1. Damage charges |
Average costs: undercarriage damage: €1,448 Windscreen and windows: €1,111 Roof: €1,290 Lights: €1,345 Tyres: €899
|
Average costs: undercarriage damage: £1,224 Windscreen and windows: £939 Roof: £1,090 Lights: £1,136 Tyres £759
|
|
2. Unnecessary extras |
€1127 |
£952 |
|
3. Insurance charges |
€893 |
£754 |
|
4. Mileage charges |
€792 |
£669 (based on driving 28km per day) |
|
5. Cleaning fees |
€784 |
£662 |
|
6. Young driver charge |
€754 |
£637 |
|
7. Admin fees |
€50 if involved in an accident |
£578 |
|
8. Fuel charges |
€50 |
£578 |
|
9. Upgrade charges |
€651 |
£550 |
|
10. Late fees |
€40 + 1 day rental |
£72 |
Jon Rebuck, co-founder of ReduceMyExcess, said: “We want to make sure that our customers have a stress-free and cost-effective car hire experience, no matter where they are hiring their car.” Jon shared his five top tips for saving money on additional costs:
Document everything
1. When collecting a hire car, videos should be taken as well as photos of the hire car. Take pictures of the roof, inside the car doors, undercarriage, inside the boot, the wheels, tyres, bumpers, lights, and windows. Charges for damages to the undercarriage and the lights alone, would cost approximately £1,288. Following this tip avoids paying for marks and damage that were already present.
Prevent surprise cleaning fees
2. Avoid unnecessary cleaning costs by treating a hire car, as you would your own and cleaning any sand or dirt before returning it. If the hire company is trying to charge a cleaning fee, use the same photos taken to document damages and contest any unwarranted cleaning charges, saving up to £150.
Bring your own extras
3. It can be tempting to see the car hire desk as a one-stop shop for any extras. Smart phones users have a range of free apps for directions during travels, such as Google Maps and Waze. To use a phone abroad a roaming plan is needed, charges and data allowances should be checked before heading off. Similarly, most airlines allow a pushchair and a car seat or booster as part of luggage for free, without affecting overall baggage limit. However, this can vary between airlines. Bringing a GPS system and car seat, can save up to £200.
Decline extra insurance
4. Keep things simple: Taking out a ReduceMyExcess policy means drivers don’t need to accept the car hire companies’ excess waiver or reimbursement insurance. This can save up to £250.
Be aware of mileage limits
5. Ensure rental agreements T&C’s are fully understood when it comes to mileage limits, some companies set a limit on the number of miles allowed to drive. For lots of long-distance drives during a holiday, unlimited mileage is likely preferable. This could save up to £140 in charges for going over stated miles.
By making consumers aware of these hidden fees, they will be well-equipped to navigate the process of hiring a car abroad and take proactive steps to avoid such charges.