Car hire: UK licence refused at desk (Economy Car Rentals)

noelrobx

I booked a car hire through Economy Car Rentals and when I arrived at Malaga airport the local firm refused me the car. They said that the T&Cs stipulated I must have an International Driving Licence. Actually, the T&Cs state that I must have an IDL if I am non-EU citizen. I am an Irish citizen with Irish passport. Then, when I complained, they said it was because my licence is UK. The T&Cs do not say this. I have complained to them without result. The car hire company in Malaga said that I could hire a car from them out of the contract with Economy Car Rentals, at a much increased cost. This caused a lot of anguish and cost on the night in Spain. How do I take this further? Is there an ombudsman for online car hire websites? 

eskbanker

You might want to try the European Car Rental Conciliation Service:

ECRCS Homepage

Hoenir

In what jurisdication is your driving licence issued? 

bagand96

Economy Car Rentals aren't a car hire company, they're just an agent.  You'd have accepted the T&C's of both Economy Car Rentals and the hire company (who was it?)

Rented a car in Malaga recently, some of the prices quoted were outrageously low at the airport companies starting at £4 a day.  A small amount of research and some of these bargain basement companies use dubious practices at the counter to extract more cash:

- Pressure selling the All Inclusive Insurance
- You need an IDP if you're on a UK licence - if you haven't got one you need to purchase the All inclusive Insurance
- Your name on your driving licence doesn't match the name on your credit card - we can't accept a deposit on that card, you'll need to purchase the All Inclusive Insurance
- Mysteriously the card machine "fails" to accept the credit card for a deposit - you'll need to pay the All Inclusive Insurance

On the IDP  for UK license holders- Spanish Law doesn't require it for short term visitors.  However the hire company can require this if they choose (and any other condition) - but obviously it must be notified in the T&C's.  You'd need to check through the hire T&Cs but if that's not what was said you may have a valid complaint.

NoodleDoodleMan

Hoenir said:

In what jurisdication is your driving licence issued? 

That could well be the issue - if the OP has a UK driving licence then the car rental staff may have automtaically assumed he was a non EU national.

The Irish passport should have resolved that though - and if its a Republic of Ireland driving licence then the rental firm is at fault.

Flugelhorn

Why didn't you use an Irish driving licence?

noelrobx

Ok, will try the ECRCS.
My driver's licence is UK. I do not have an Irish licence as I live in UK, where I took my test.
I checked the T&Cs well before the hire and there is no mention of needing an IDP for EU citizens.

noelrobx

The ECRCS does not help unless it's a big car hire company.

I don't have an Irish licence as I live in UK, but am an Irish citizen.

eskbanker

noelrobx said:

The ECRCS does not help unless it's a big car hire company.

You still haven't said which company Economy used here?

Hoenir

noelrobx said:

The ECRCS does not help unless it's a big car hire company.

I don't have an Irish licence as I live in UK, but am an Irish citizen.

Appears you've attempted to mix and match. Never going to be acceptable. 

NoodleDoodleMan

"I checked the T&Cs well before the hire and there is no mention of needing an IDP for EU citizens"

The bureaucratic administrative mindset  presumably being that EU citizens will hold a driving licence issued in an EU country ?

Another "benefit" of the lunacy that was Brexit.