No one wants the vacation period to ever end but it eventually does. And when it is over you have to return to your same old routine life and work. However, after a good vacationing period you probably don’t want pesky issues with rental car services to ruin your overall experience.
When you are on your vacations abroad, you hire car services from rental car service providers. This enables you to commute within your travel destination at ease. Everything is simple and fine as long as you are not charged for the little scratch you forgot to notice while returning your car. It can cost you several bucks.
Can’t remember how in the world your car got that scratch? Well to keep yourself from all these troubles and annoyance at the end of a memorable trip here are few tips for you to keep in mind.
1. Take Pictures, lots of them!
It is a standard rule. Take pictures before leaving the pick-up station as well as at the drop-off station. Trust is the key to business loyalty but in case you face any unlikely circumstances, you need to be prepared. Be sure that you have returned the car in exact condition as you received it.
2. Be Clear About the Company Policies
If you are planning on dropping your hired car to a location other than your pick-up location, then it is best that you should be well versed with the company policies. Clearly ask them about the conditions for returning the rental car. Make sure you inform your pick-up location after returning your car.
3. Get in Writing about the Condition of Your Ride
Before you leave the premises of your drop off location, always get in writing from the shift in-charge about the condition of your car. Keep a copy of the form in which the dealer has marked damages to the car.
4. Return on Time!
You can be late for your wedding and not be charged for it, but you can never be late in returning your rental car. Different rental car companies have different penalties in this regard. Some rental services may give you the leverage up to 30 minutes, if you return within that time you will not be charged late fee. But if you return after that you probably have to pay charges for the whole day.
5. Avoid Early Return
Returning on time is good, but if you return earlier than you have committed then you might be charged with a late fee. Make sure that you are dropping off your ride only a couple of hours earlier. If you return it like a day early, you probably have to pay the early-return-fee.
6. Don’t Forget to Refuel
Make sure that you take a quick detour to the fuel station before you head back to your rental dealer. If it wasn’t in your signed contract, don’t even think about paying for the refuel on your return. The car rental stations will charge you for the refueling on a price that probably will be higher than the fuel stations.
7. Check Your Bill, Real Close
When you are about to pay your bill make sure that you check the bill carefully. Check if you have been charged extra on any of the services or in case you have been fined. Never hesitate to inquire about any extra charges on your bill that you don’t recognize.
Keep the above-mentioned points in mind before returning your ride to the car rental service and you will be good to go.
