The easiest time to resolve a question about a rental car is while you and the rental representative are standing beside it. A few minutes spent checking the car at pickup can make the return much clearer for both sides.
Use the checklist below with any rental company and keep copies of the documents you sign.
Before you drive away
- Check the vehicle named in your booking. Confirm the model or agreed category, registration plate and any requested equipment, such as a child seat. If something differs from the booking, ask before signing.
- Walk around the car together. Look at the bumpers, doors, roof, wheels, glass and lights. Photograph any existing marks, including small ones. Check the cabin too.
- Record the starting mileage and fuel level. Photograph the dashboard with the odometer and fuel gauge visible. Ask which fuel the car takes and what level is required at return.
- Read the handover record. Make sure the documented condition matches what you see. Add missing marks before signing and keep a copy or photograph of the signed document.
- Check the practical details. Confirm where and when to return the car, what to do if you are delayed and which number to call after a breakdown or incident.
While you have the car
Keep the rental agreement and handover record accessible. If a warning light appears or the car is damaged, contact the rental company promptly using the number in your agreement. Follow the procedure in that agreement and document the situation. Do not assume that every type of damage is covered by the same insurance; ask for the exact terms before the rental starts.
If another person may drive, have that person’s eligibility and registration confirmed by the rental company first. The rules for adding a driver should be part of your written booking terms.
At return
Allow enough time to refuel if your agreement requires it. Remove personal belongings and check the agreed return location. Photograph the car from the same angles as at pickup, then photograph the odometer and fuel gauge again.
Where possible, return the car to a representative and inspect it together. Ask for a signed return record showing the vehicle’s condition, mileage and fuel level. If the representative identifies a new charge, request the reason and supporting record in writing before you leave.
The timing and method for returning a deposit should be stated in your agreement. Ask for these details in writing before you collect the car.
A checklist you can save
Pickup: booking and plate · existing marks · interior · mileage · fuel · equipment · signed record · emergency contact.
Return: fuel · belongings · repeat photographs · mileage · joint inspection · signed return record · written explanation of any charge.
Pickup and return with Family Car
Our representative meets you at the agreed place and time: the airport, your hotel or your address. Bring your original passport or ID card and a valid driving licence. You inspect the car together with our staff member, and any existing damage is recorded in the handover report and documented with photos. You then sign the rental agreement and receive your own copy. The formalities usually take 10–15 minutes.
Before the return, the car must be washed and refuelled to a full tank. Our representative inspects it for new damage and records the mileage, and you sign the return report. To request a car, use our booking form.
