Let's be honest, some rental companies reputations aren't exactly squeaky clean, so if you're concerned about hidden fees and T&Cs then stay tuned.

Now, we're not saying that every rental company is trying to rip you off, far from it! But, it's always best to know what tricks some companies try to use. The most common one is the company claiming that you've damaged the car during your rental, making you responsible for paying to repair it.
To avoid this, you might want to watch our video on what to check when you pick up the car.

Another crummy thing is being charged inflated prices for fuel. When you hire a car, it will have a 'fuel policy', the most common of these is 'full to full'; this means that you pick the car up with a full tank and you'll take it back with a full tank. There are other options available, but with other choices, for example a "Pre-purchase" policy, you pay for fuel in advance but have no obligation to return the car with a full tank. However, if you don't use all the fuel you've paid for during your rental, you essentially hand it back to the rental company when the car back. So it's worth thinking about how many miles you plan to travel and pick the right fuel policy for you.

Whilst you're thinking about how far you plan on going in your hire car, you might want to check your deal doesn't come with limited mileage. If it does, you'll be required to pay a charge for every additional mile if you go over your allowance. Deals with limited mileage tend to be a bit cheaper, but the limit can be as low as 15 miles per day on some cars. So figure out what you're going to use the car for, how far you're travelling and if you can save a few pennies by choosing a limited mileage option when you book.

Last but not least, before you even get behind the wheel, you might encounter the hard sell.
From additional insurance and toll passes to a bigger or fancier car, it's likely that when you're at the desk, the staff will try to sell you some form of upgrade and in some situations, be quite persistent. You'll obviously know what requirements you have for your hire car, so the choice to buy these options is totally up to you. The best thing you can do is do a bit of research before you go to get the car, so you know if it's worthwhile getting a toll pass, buying additional insurance or upgrading the car.

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