Your vacation ends, the trip is coming to an end, and you will be returning your rental car shortly. So that the return is, as in most cases, a simple formality to accomplish, we will give you some tips and 5 valuable tips to follow.
Before returning a rental car: some precautions
First of all, take your rental contract. You will be asked by the agency when returning the rental car, even before carrying out the usual checks. So keep this precious document handy!
Where to return the rental vehicle? You have the right to return the car to the agency where you lent it, or to someone else. In all cases, this is indicated in the contract and therefore stipulated before the rental.
Be punctual! The return of your rental car must be done on time! If you are late or do not honor the appointment, you risk penalties. Be aware that you generally have a delay tolerance of 59 minutes. Remember to allow a little room in your planning to fill up with fuel.
Our Advice: If you have an unexpected event and think you are late for the vehicle’s return, do not hesitate to contact the rental agency.
Please note: The car remains under your responsibility until it is returned. The return is official once the keys have been handed over to the renter and the inventory has been carried out.
Five tips for returning a rental vehicle, in good and due form
1) Vehicle condition
You must return the vehicle without damage. Use the notes and any photos taken when the keys are handed over. This will avoid any dispute with the lessor.
2) Cleanliness of the interior of the vehicle
Be sure to return the rental car in the same state of interior cleanliness as when you collected the keys. This will avoid any possible cleaning costs.
Tip: before returning the vehicle, make a hook by an automatic car wash station to quickly vacuum the cabin (especially if you bring some sand from your vacation).
3) Fuel
You must return the vehicle in the same condition as it was loaned to you, and this also applies to the fuel gauge. You will be charged additional costs if you return the car without having refueled. They correspond to the fuel necessary to reach the initial level, which is often added to a package called filling.
4) Mileage
Check that the kilometers traveled correspond to those included in your contract. If you have driven beyond the planned mileage, additional invoicing for km will be applied.
5) Return of additional equipment
These include the radio, GPS, child car seat, or booster seat. So remember to return the rental vehicle with all the equipment loaned or rented by the agency.
And at the same time, don’t forget to collect your own things!
Returning a rental car is a relatively quick and easy step. It will be all the more so if you prepare it by checking these 5 points well and taking a little margin on your arrival schedule.
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