- 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.
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content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/car-hire-excess-insurance-expert-reducemyexcess-reveals-tricks-to-save-on-holiday-fees-this-summer-302189649.html