Frequently Asked Questions.

When a booking is placed on our website and the car rental supplier has confirmed that a vehicle is available, the rental cost including fees for top-up insurance and cancellation protection will be debited immediately.

Any fees for additional extras such as child seats or any out of hours fees will be payable to the car rental supplier in local currency upon collection of the vehicle.

Cancellation Protection can only be purchased when making a booking. When added to your booking, this entitles you to cancel your booking and receive a full refund, minus the charge for the Cancellation Protection.

The only exception to this is in the event of a no-show, where no money will be refunded.

If you must cancel your booking within 48 hours of the booking being placed, the cost of the cancellation protection will also be refunded.

Cancellation Protection costs £0.50 per rental day with a minimum charge of £2.50 and a maximum charge of £10.00 per booking.

As soon as your booking is confirmed by the car rental provider, we will take full payment and issue you with a pre-paid voucher. You must present this to the car rental provider when collecting the vehicle.

When getting a quote on our website, if the car rental provider has a desk in the airport and/or the vehicle is to be collected at the airport, this information is displayed on the search results page next to each vehicle under the heading Collection info.

Once you have made a booking and this has been confirmed, the full details of the collection procedure will be provided on your pre-paid car hire voucher.

If you have any further questions regarding collection information, please contact us.

Nobody can match our prices on a like for like basis.

Our prices always include collision damage waiver with zero excess liability, a fair fuel policy and no credit card fees. We also offer lots of deals with a free additional driver included.

If you feel that you have found a more competitive car hire quote elsewhere, please call us on 0333 336 1554 to discuss this with our helpful Reservations Team.

Alternatively, please contact us and we will compare your quote on a like for like basis to ensure that you are getting the best deal.

A call to an 0333 number costs the same as a call to a normal home or business landline.

Unlike 08 numbers, 03 numbers cost the same to call as geographic landline numbers (starting 01 and 02), even from a mobile phone.

When viewing a quotation, the collection information for each vehicle is displayed on the search results page under the heading Collection info.

If the vehicle can be collected at the airport, it will either state: Desk and vehicle at airport or Meet and greet, vehicle at airport.

Full collection instructions will be displayed on your pre-paid car hire voucher.

Due to limited availability we are not able to accept online bookings for this vehicle, please call us on 0333 336 1554 or +44 (0)1362 852288 from outside the UK with your quote reference so we can check availability and book this vehicle.

We do not offer discounts for booking multiple vehicles.

We do however offer a loyalty discount scheme whereby 2 loyalty points are received for each rental day booked. Once 100 points has been reached, you are entitled to a 5% discount from our standard prices and free cancellation protection on future bookings.

Unlike many other car hire brokers, we request confirmation for every car hire booking. This makes sure that your booking exists in the car rental provider’s system and prevents any potential problems when you collect the vehicle. Confirmation can take up to 48 hours, but in most cases bookings are confirmed within 1-2 hours. You can login to My Account to check the status of your booking.

The car rental providers which we operate with require vehicles booked to have their own reference number and rental agreement so each vehicle required must be booked separately.

To ensure that two bookings are placed with the same car rental provider, please check the company logos displayed on the search results pages.

Alternatively, please contact us with your requirements.

We are unable to issue VAT receipts. Your booking voucher is your receipt of purchase.

Car rental companies often try to sell additional insurance locally. This covers damage to items which are not included in their standard insurance such wheels, tyres and glass. Taking this insurance is entirely at your discretion.

Although top-up insurance purchased through Zest Car Rental provides extensive cover it is not associated with the car rental provider. It is a reimbursement policy requiring you to pay the cost of damage to the car rental company, then submit a claim upon your return home.

If you have already purchased top-up insurance before travelling, you do not need to buy additional insurance offered by the car rental provider upon collection.

Yes, all damage must be reported to the car rental provider. If the correct procedures are not followed then you will be liable for the cost of repair.

As soon as you are aware of the damage, you will need to contact the police to obtain a police report and the supplier advising of the damage. They will then assess whether a charge will be applied.

In the first instance, raise this issue with the car rental supplier immediately and request an alternative. If the matter is not resolved, contact us and we can discuss the issue with the car rental supplier and try to arrange a suitable substitute.

If you are involved in an accident you must obtain a police report and contact the car rental provider to advise them of the accident immediately.

They will need you to fill out a damage report for insurance purposes. Depending on how the accident occurred, for example due to negligence, you may be liable for the costs involved; however, this is assessed on a case by case basis by the car rental provider.

Should you wish to discuss any issues that occurred during your rental, please contact us to allow us to investigate the matter.

Our cancellation charges are as follows:

Within 48 hours of placing the booking there is no charge (unless within 48 hours of the rental taking place).

When cancelling after 48 hours of making the booking and up to 48 hours before the rental takes place a £15 charge is applied.

When cancelling within 48 hours of the rental taking place, the charge is 50% of the rental price, subject to a minimum £15 charge.

Credit card fees are non-refundable.

The 50% fee overrides the other cancellation terms should a new booking be made with a collection time within 48 hours’ time.

If you need to cancel your booking you will need to contact us via telephone or email and a member of the Reservations Team will explain the cancellation procedure with you and any charges incurred as a result.

To amend your booking you must contact us directly by email or telephone. We do not charge an administration fee for amendments. All changes require confirmation from the supplier before we can issue a new pre-paid voucher.

It is your responsibility to ensure that we have the correct flight information. The car rental provider uses this information to check incoming flights and can tell if your flight is delayed or cancelled.

If your flight number has changed, or you have given us the incorrect flight information, please contact us as soon as possible.

No. Should you return the hire vehicle earlier than originally arranged, as per our terms and conditions we are unable to provide a refund for the unused days.

If you wish to keep your hire car for a longer period than you have originally booked, once you have collected the vehicle, contact us and we can liaise with the car rental provider to find out if this is possible.

It may be necessary to return to the car rental provider’s local office to sign a new rental agreement should this be agreed by them.

Please contact us to discuss further options on 0333 336 1554 or +44 1362 852288 from outside the UK.

Our Reservations Team will advise you about alternative vehicles and can check availability of specialist vehicles by telephone. If you are not happy with the alternative choices, you have the option to cancel your request. Payment will have been pre-authorised at this stage, but no payment will have been taken from your account.

If you have a UK driving licence and are renting a car in a location outside of the UK and Ireland, you do not need to obtain a DVLA code.

When hiring outside of the UK and Ireland, you need either the photocard part of your UK licence or the older style UK paper licence. More information regarding this can be found throughout the booking process by viewing the information icon (i) displayed next to the heading Licence Requirements.

If you are hiring a car in the UK or Ireland, you will need to obtain a code to share your driving licence details which is available from the DVLA website. To obtain this, you will need your driving licence number, National Insurance number and the postcode on your driving licence. The code is valid for 21 days.

When collecting a car in the UK or Ireland, car rental providers usually require your passport and additional proof of address. Please check the information icon (i) displayed next to the heading Licence Requirements during the booking process or the pre-paid car hire voucher for more information before collecting your hire car.

The UK paper counterpart driving licence has been scrapped and is no longer issued by the DVLA. This has been replaced by a unique code which is valid for 21 days. This is available from the DVLA website.

You only need to obtain this code if you have a UK driving licence (excluding Northern Ireland) and are collecting a vehicle within the UK or Ireland. When renting a car in the UK or Ireland, you will also need your passport and additional proof of address. More information regarding this can be found throughout the booking process by clicking on the information icon (i) displayed next to the heading Licence Requirements. Full details are also displayed on your pre-paid car hire voucher.

If you are hiring a car abroad, you just need the photocard part of the UK licence or the older style UK paper licence to collect the vehicle.

Many car rental providers in Europe will only accept licences that have been issued within the European Union. All other licences must be presented alongside an International Driver's Permit. Other car rental providers outside of Europe generally accept licences that are displayed in English or in the Roman alphabet.

However, you can check a car rental providers exact driving licence requirements throughout the booking process by viewing the information icon (i) displayed next to the heading Licence Requirements.

Yes. The old-style UK paper driving licence is still accepted within the European Community; however, this must be presented along with photographic ID such as a passport or an International Driving Permit.

If you have a UK driving licence and are renting a car in the UK or Ireland, you must obtain a DVLA code to share your driving licence details.

To obtain this from the DVLA website, you will need your driving licence number, National Insurance number and the postcode on your driving licence. The code is valid for 21 days.

When collecting a car in the UK or Ireland, car rental providers usually require your passport and additional proof of address. Please check the information icon (i) displayed next to the heading Licence Requirements during the booking process or the pre-paid car hire voucher for more information before collecting your hire car.

The main driver must present their full original driving licence including all counterparts upon collection of the vehicle. If you do not have your original driving licence, some car rental providers may accept a DVLA Certificate of Entitlement for licences issued within the UK, which must be faxed directly from the DVLA to the supplier's office. Please contact us and a member of the Reservations Team can check which companies will accept the DVLA certificate.

Many car rental providers may also accept a faxed copy of your UK driving licence from the DVLA. You will need to check with us first if this is acceptable. The DVLA will need the fax number of the car rental provider. The DVLA charge £5 for this service and can be contacted on 0300 790 6801 or from outside the UK on +44 1792 782341.

No. None of the car rental providers that we operate with will accept a provisional driving licence. You must have held a full driving licence for the car rental providers minimum required years.

You are able to view this information during the booking process by viewing the information icon (i) displayed next to the heading Licence Requirements.

Yes. The majority of the car rental providers with which we operate with will accept a US/Canadian driving licence.

However, many car rental providers in Europe will only accept the licence if it is presented alongside an International Driver's Permit. This can be obtained from the automotive association in the country the licence was issued. Please note that anyone holding a US/ Canadian driving licence is not eligible to hire a vehicle in the USA or Canada.

All rentals include either full collision damage waiver and full theft waiver with no insurance excess or excess reimbursement insurance which provides a refund for any charges made in the event of collision damage or theft.

For more information, click on the information icon (i) displayed next to the text Collision Damage Waiver with zero excess liability on the search results page. Here it will display whether the price includes no insurance excess or excess reimbursement insurance.

With all rentals, the main driver will need a credit card to enable to the car rental provider to authorise a security deposit upon collection. The amount of this is displayed next to the heading Security Deposit shown beside each vehicle.

All rentals include either full collision damage waiver and full theft waiver with no insurance excess or excess reimbursement insurance which provides a refund for any charges made in the event of collision damage or theft.

For more information, click on the information icon (i) displayed next to the text Collision Damage Waiver with zero excess liability on the search results page. Here it will display whether the price includes no insurance excess or excess reimbursement insurance. This information is also shown during the booking process and on the pre-paid car hire voucher.

Damage to vehicle parts such as the wheels, glass-parts, underside and roof are not covered by collision damage and theft waiver. Damage to these items can be covered by purchasing our top-up insurance which costs £3 per rental day. More information about this can be found on step 2 of the booking process.

All rentals include public liability cover and third party liability cover for the driver(s). For more details about insurance, please read our terms and conditions.

Unlimited mileage ensures that you are not restricted to a specific mileage limit whilst the rental contract is in place. Some companies may impose a limit which means you can only drive 100 or 500 miles for the period you have rented the vehicle for.

Unlimited mileage (subject to fair usage) is included in our headline price at most locations worldwide with the majority of the car rental providers that we work with. This ensures that you’re free to drive for as long as you want.

Yes. All of the car rental providers that we operate with require the main driver to be in possession of a valid credit card to collect the vehicle. This cannot be a pre-paid credit card, debit card or AMEX.

A credit card is required to authorise a security deposit which covers parking or speeding fines, uninsured parts of the vehicle, if a claim is made when the insurance has been invalidated and to ensure the safe return of the vehicle. Failure to present a credit card upon collection may result in the car rental provider refusing to provide you with a vehicle.

When viewing a quotation, the amount of the security deposit will be displayed on each vehicle beside the heading, Security Deposit. This information is also displayed throughout the booking process.

Yes. We accept payment for bookings with a debit or credit card. There is no charge for paying with a debit or credit card.

If you make a payment on a debit card for the booking, the main driver must present a credit card in their name upon collection of the vehicle.

You need to be in possession of a valid credit card to collect the vehicle. This MUST be in the name of the main driver and CANNOT be a pre-paid credit card or a debit card and must have sufficient funds available.

This enables the car rental provider to authorise a security deposit, which covers any parking or speeding fines, uninsured parts of the vehicle, fuel charges if applicable, and in the unlikely event that a claim is made when the insurance has been invalidated.

We have negotiated with all of the car rental providers that we work with, so that a fair fuel policy is included in the headline price.

A Fair Fuel Policy offers better value than the traditional Full-Empty policy where you paid for a full tank of petrol upon collection and returned it empty.

• Full-Full – Collect the car with a full tank and return it full.

• Return with same amount – We recommend you take a photo of the fuel dial when you collect the car in case there’s confusion over the exact amount.

• Quarter to empty – This is mainly found in locations where you’d be unlikely to use a full tank of fuel e.g. Gibraltar.

More information relating to fuel policy can be found on the search results page, next to each vehicle underneath the heading Fuel Policy. It can also be found during the booking process and on your pre-paid car hire voucher.

All of our prices include a fair fuel policy. This means that you either collect the vehicle full of fuel and return full, return the vehicle with the same amount of fuel or collect the car with a quarter of a tank of fuel and return empty.

The fuel policy varies depending on the car rental provider. More information about this is displayed on the search results page next to each vehicle underneath the heading Fuel Policy. It can also be found during the booking process and on your pre-paid car hire voucher.

The cost of fuel is dependent on the car rental provider’s fuel policy which is stated at the time of booking. It is also dependent upon the type and size of vehicle you have requested. Please be aware that fuel rates fluctuate on a regular basis and due to refuelling logistics you will be charged at a higher rate per litre compared to the normal pump price.

This will depend upon the fuel policy of the car rental provider.

Fuel information is displayed on the search results page, next to each vehicle underneath the heading Fuel Policy. It can also be found during the booking process and on your pre-paid car hire voucher.

Some card issuers charge for international transactions, so it is advisable to check the terms and conditions of your credit card before travelling.

We have negotiated with all of the car rental providers that we work with, so that a fair fuel policy is included in the headline price.

More information relating to fuel policy can be found on the search results page, next to each vehicle underneath the heading Fuel Policy. It can also be found during the booking process and on your pre-paid car hire voucher.

REMEMBER: As we work with a number of car rental providers at each location, it is advisable to check more than one vehicle to find the most favourable option for you, or contact us to find the most suitable.

When getting a quote on our website, the collection procedure is displayed next to the vehicle under the heading Collection Information on the search results page.

Once you have made a booking and this has been confirmed, the full details of this will be provided on your pre-paid car hire voucher.

If you have any questions regarding collection information, please contact us.

Yes. Once you have entered your requirements on the quote form and clicked the Find a car button, all available vehicles and car rental provider logos will be displayed on the search results page. If you have any questions or require further assistance regarding this, please contact us.

When obtaining a quote on our website, you must enter the correct dates and times that you wish to collect and return the vehicle. If any additional local fees are applicable, such as out of hours fees, these will be displayed on the search results. Simply click the information icon (i) displayed next to the heading Additional local charges for more information.

If the car rental providers office is not open for your requested dates and times, we will advise you of the next applicable opening times so you can amend your dates and times if necessary.

If you have already placed a booking, the car rental provider’s operating hours can be found on the pre-paid car hire voucher.

Once you have placed a booking, the contact details will be provided on your pre-paid car hire voucher.

Yes. We offer the facility to hire child seats and booster seats. They must be requested when booking and are paid for in local currency to the car rental provider when collecting the vehicle.

On step one of the booking process, you will be advised of the cost to hire a child seat. You can also select the number required here.

The charges for these are stated when booking and vary depending upon the chosen car rental provider. Child seats and booster seats must be fitted by a parent or guardian.

Additional charges may be applied when collecting the vehicle for any chosen optional extras such as child seats, booster seats and winter equipment.

Any additional charges are paid directly to the car rental provider in local currency when collecting the vehicle. A full breakdown of fees can be found by clicking on the information icon (i) displayed next to Additional Local Charges on the search results page. The cost for any selected optional extras will also be displayed throughout the booking process.

Yes, you can select GPS (Sat Nav) hire as an additional option when booking car hire at some locations. It must be requested when booking and paid for in local currency to the car rental provider when collecting the vehicle.

On step one of the booking process, an option to select a Sat Nav and associated costs will be displayed where available.

Sometimes the Sat Nav is included in the headline price. If so, this will be shown next to applicable vehicles on the search results page. USA is the most common place that you will see this.

Yes. In some locations winter tyres can be selected as an additional option when booking car hire. During the winter season, in certain locations it is mandatory to have winter tyres.

Car rental providers that include the cost of winter tyres in their price will have Winter Tyres Included next to the vehicle description on the search results page.

Where winter tyres are not included, they must be requested when booking and paid for in local currency to the car rental provider when collecting the vehicle.

On step one of the booking process, an option to select winter tyres and associated costs will be displayed where available.

As a UK based car hire broker, we operate with a number of car rental providers at each location, each with their own terms and conditions and charges in place for additional extras and fees.

On a search result, the vehicles displayed as available will be with different car hire companies. Each provider's terms and conditions are displayed next to each individual vehicle. Any applicable local charges can be found by clicking on the information icon (i) displayed next to Additional Local Charges on the search results page.

The cost for any selected optional extras will also be displayed throughout the booking process.

Yes, in certain locations snow chains can be selected as an additional option when booking car hire. They must be requested when booking and paid for in local currency to the car rental provider when collecting the vehicle.

On step one of the booking process, an option to select snow chains and associated costs will be displayed where available.

No, we do not offer the ability to request a roof rack at any location.

Yes. You can select Ski Rack hire as an option when booking car hire at some locations. It must be requested when booking and paid for in local currency to the car rental provider when collecting the vehicle.

On step one of the booking process, an option to select a ski rack and associated costs will be displayed where available.

Some car rental providers will allow you to take the vehicle across the border into a different country. However, some countries are restricted and some companies do not allow their vehicles across any borders. You can check if a car rental provider allows a vehicle into a particular country and if there is a charge for this on step one of the booking process.

REMEMBER: As we work with a number of car rental providers at each location, cross border charges and countries in which you are permitted to travel can vary for each vehicle. It is advisable to check more than one vehicle to find the most favourable option for you, or contact us to find the most suitable.