Car hire websites ordered to help make charges clear

The large list of surprise extras that holidaymakers need to pay when hiring a car develop into something in history after comparison websites were ordered to completely clean up their act.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has told the serious rental-car websites that they have to have a “transparent drive-away price C including every mandatory charge as well as any options they choose” to buyers before they agree a package.

Currently, holidaymakers looking to hire a car are lured by ultra-cheap deals, only to find how the cost can potentially double once other fees and charges are thrown in.

The CMA identified seven regions of concern, for example the “full to empty” petrol charge. This practice, particularly popular vacation, infuriates drivers who pay an inflated price for the petrol on arrival then frequently have to hand the automobile back which has a half-full tank.

Other add-ons which will be under CMA scrutiny include:

• Excesses along with the value of reducing them C where car hire company attempts to make drivers buy expensive insurance.
• Pre-authorisations or deposits C where 1,000 or even more is blocked originating from a visa or mastercard if the driver declines insurance.
• Collision damage waiver exclusions C which include harm to tyres where drivers need to pay even though they purchased the actual.
• Young driver surcharges.
• One-way fees.
• Warnings around the require for snow chains (the best requirement in many countries in winter).

In correspondence brought to big car hire comparison sites, the CMA says: “If you abide by these changes the CMA is more unlikely to prioritise enforcement action against you.”

The industry has become given until early January 2017 to create changes recommended to their selling processes.

Action begun this past year, co-ordinated across EU countries, has recently resulted in five leading EU hire car companies securing helping the way they deal with customers.

James Macbeth, CMA project director, said: “The changes that is generated by car hire companies a few months ago already are possessing a positive impact for holidaymakers hiring a car in the united kingdom and abroad. However, we realize that any lot of economic is performed through comparison websites and we are certain that by working with them we can easily ensure a better service for motorists.

“[This] can certainly make it simpler to shop around, compare different providers to get the great offer. We welcome the willingness to boost practices we have now already seen from the industry and expect that to continue.”

? Everything you need to be aware of renting a car this season C ought to see this weekend’s Guardian Money