Don't be Left Stranded by the New Car Hire Law

Marvel1

AdrianC wrote: »

Post 33, on page 2.

As I suspected, not a DVLA site then or number.

kwmlondon

Yep. Fine. It'll probably all be okay for most people. I expect that any issues will be sorted out fairly quickly and before too long everyone will have forgotten that there was ever a paper bit to the driving license.

However, I'm due to rent a car in August and I'll just give the hire company a quick call the day before I pick up the car to make sure that there's no problems with driving licences. It will only take me a minute, at most, and it can't do any harm.

I tend to book cars early to get the best deals so there's always a chance terms and conditions have changed from what's on the confirmation email. Puts my mind at rest and will only use up a minute on my call plan.

I always double check I've got my ID (couple of kinds and recent), licence and my glasses with me before I collect a hire car, I'll add this to my to-do list as well. Hardly a major faff but I always like to be prepared, especially when it's such an easy thing to do.

Nodding_Donkey

kwmlondon wrote: »

1. Can you use the hire company's computer? No. It's THEIR computer and you won't be allowed to come around the desk to try to get a code.

2. Yes, you can log on from your smart-phone to get a code as long as you can get a signal and the website is working etc.

If the website isn't working the code will be useless anyway

3. If there's an issue then you'll need to call the DVLA (who are only there in office hours and not Sundays)

I just got this from the page for DVLA Driver Licensing Enquiries
"phone 0913 232 9010

Calls cost £1.53p per call plus £1.53p per minute."

You do realise that number is from a scam site and not the officicial DVLA site don't you?

Please go to Hertz and try to get them to make a premium rate call from their phone. They will tell you to use your mobile or go to a payphone.

4. Now, at the moment British people will arrive with both parts of their license. The paper bit and the ID card. When they do away with the paper bit EVERYONE with a UK driving license will need to give a single-use code that will only be valid for 72 hours. I am going to make a prediction that many people will have problems with this and that many hire desks will be chaos.

No you won't, that is a scare tactic to get people to ring the scammy premium rate number you have quoted above

By all means, just leave it until you turn up and sort it out then. All I'm saying is that if you go online and organise it first and print out the screen you may end up saving a lot of time and hassle on the day.

You really think a hire company is going to rely on a screen print that the person may have edited?

Do whatever you want - it's your choice, all I want is for everyone to be aware of potential problems.

Wake up and smell the coffee lol

kwmlondon

Nodding_Donkey wrote: »

Wake up and smell the coffee lol

What coffee? Have you made coffee? No sugar, no milk, thanks, and it's instant you're fired.

amsquared

I've posted this on the Travel Car Hire thread as well -

I am travelling to Orlando later in the year and I sent this to Alamo -

I have made a reservation for car hire in Orlando via Holiday Autos in the UK. In June this year the UK government are removing the paper counterpart of the driving licence. From June 8th the paper counterpart is no longer valid and we only need a Photocard Driving Licence. The terms and conditions of your rental agreement state that I need my photocard and paper counterpart to present at your hire desk at MCO. Can you confirm what documentation is required. Thanks

This is Alamo's reply

After some extensive research, and hearing that we are starting to receive an influx of these questions, it appears that although we are aware of this upcoming change, our policies have yet to be updated. My immediate supervisor advised that you check back with us closer to your pick up date, as we do not want you to experience any problems at the time up your check in.

So Alamo don't appear to know what they are going to do and the change is less than 7 weeks away.

Iceweasel

This is what Alamo are currently saying regards licences:

Driving License requirement
Full and Valid Driver’s Licence from country of origin, Passport and credit card in renters name.

Identification required for rental
Documentation- all drivers must produce all parts of a valid driving license.

So from June this year all parts means only the Photocard - because that the only part that will be valid.

DVLA say to destroy the paper counterpart.

We'll then be like all the other EU countries that only have the one part.

DaybreakGirl

kwmlondon wrote: »

I think that most people are aware of the demise of the paper part of the driving license, yes? Well, it's going to be very complicated for people taking a rental car as this has been how the people at the desk check to see how many points you have. Now you need to get a code from the DVLA less than 72 hours before you pick up the car. The code is single-use and phone lines cost 51p a minute - seriously, do your homework before you get your car or it could be very, very expensive.

The last three times I have hired a car has all been emergencies, own car broke down, being repaired need to hire car, what happens then? You cannot give 72 hours notice then, they have not thought it through. Also my National Insurance Number is nothing to do with them and I would like to know how they got it as I certainly never gave it to them.

AdrianC

DaybreakGirl wrote: »

what happens then? You cannot give 72 hours notice then, they have not thought it through.

Are you serious?
It's 72hr maximum. I gave it a try this morning. Put my DL/NI/Postcode in, generated the code, then opened another browser tab and cut'n'pasted it over. Bingo. It worked. No 72hrs involved. Probably not even 72 seconds.

Also my National Insurance Number is nothing to do with them and I would like to know how they got it as I certainly never gave it to them.

Who? The government? I think you might find they gave it you in the first place...

!!!!!!, all the conspiracy theories over the tax disc changes were nowt but a warm-up for this, were they?

BeenThroughItAll

DaybreakGirl wrote: »

my National Insurance Number is nothing to do with them and I would like to know how they got it as I certainly never gave it to them.

Literally the funniest thing I've read today. Absolutely priceless.

AdrianC

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

Literally the funniest thing I've read today. Absolutely priceless.

Particularly when you look at...
https://www.gov.uk/apply-first-provisional-driving-licence

To get your first provisional driving licence online for a car, motorcycle or moped you must:
...
* have your National Insurance number if known