The UK European Consumer Centre - UK ECC is part of the European Consumer Centre Network (ECC-Net), which is made up of 29 centres (one in each EU country plus Iceland and Norway). Our aim is to give you the same confidence when you are shopping within Europe as you do at home.

The service provided by the UK ECC and the ECC-Net is advisory - they do not have any enforcement powers and cannot compel traders to take any action or accept their point of view.

They can provide advice, information, and support; if their actions do not provide a positive result, they will be able to provide guidance on further action. This further action could be an Alternative Dispute Resolution Scheme, if applicable, or possible action using the European Small Claims Procedure.

They cover the following topics:

Air Travel - Package Holiday - Timeshare & Holiday Clubs - International Mobile Roaming - Scams - Internet Auctions - Banking - Buying Goods and Services - Shopping on Line and....Car rental

Hiring a car in another country is a common occurrence for holidaymakers for practicality and convenience. Prices for hiring vary depending on the type and size of vehicle, the season (peak times or off peak) and the place.

Always shop around for a competitive quote. It is important to read the terms and conditions and check for any additional charges that may not be included in the advertised price.

Additional charges often include:

Hiring and returning the car to different places
Returning the vehicle outside of business hours (not advisable anyway)
Child seat
Crossing a border to another country
Second driver
Airport charge
Fuel costs
Additional kilometres to add to the travel limit, if there is one.

The kind of insurance cover you purchase can also affect the overall cost of hiring a vehicle, insurance options are:

ALI - Additional Liability Insurance
LIS - Liability Insurance Supplement
LDW - Loss Damage Waiver
CDW - Collision Damage Waiver
PAI - Personal Accident Insurance
PEP - Personal Effects Protection
PEC - Personal Effects Coverage
PERSPRO/CCP - Carefree Personal Protection
UMP - Uninsured Motorist Protection

Remember that you will be liable for any damage present on the vehicle that was not present prior to hiring. Always check the vehicle with a member of staff and log any damage in writing, retaining a copy for yourself as well the company.

When returning the vehicle try to do this during business hours and again check the condition of the vehicle with a member of staff, get confirmation of the lack of damage in writing, this should prevent any additional charges for damage being incurred.

Pay close attention to any fuel clauses as returning a vehicle without the correct amount of fuel can lead to high fuel costs being added, retain any receipts for fuel purchases in case the volume of fuel is disputed.

The UK European Consumer Centre - UK ECC has an excellent guide "Car hire across the EU - what you should know" which can be download, for your information and use, by using the link below

Fines For car hire damage trigger numerous complaints to EU watchdog August 2017

The BVRLA - (British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association) has created a 'Your Guide To Renting a Car' information leaflet, which can be download, for your information and use, by using the link below.