Europcar and Avis charge Brits MORE than other nationalities – how to beat the rip-off price hike
Brits hiring a Holden Spark car in New Zealand for five days from Europcar would be charged £124 while drivers from Afghanistan, India or Australia pay £95
TWO of the biggest global car rental companies have been accused of hiking prices depending on what country the driver is from.
Europcar and Avis charge drivers "rip-off rates" depending on what country they booked the rental from, even if they are hiring the same car in the same place for the same amount of time, according to an investigation.
A British driver hiring a Holden Spark car in New Zealand for five days from Europcar would be charged more than customers in Afghanistan, India or Australia.
The investigation by consumer group revealed British drivers would be charged £124, while a driver living in Afghanistan, India or Australia would pay £95, with currency adjusted.
Drivers in Germany would be charged more than Brits, at £125 for the same time period - and drivers based in America would pay £119.
But Avis were caught charging Afghanistan, Germany and India drivers £98 Toyota Yaris in New Zealand for five days, while Brits were left forking out £150.
Europcar puts the price difference down to "dynamic pricing [which] means that rates are never static".
Nic McBride, from A Spokesman Said, added: "This is an absolute rip-off, no two ways about it.
"Why should someone's country determine the price they pay for the exact same product?
"As for "dynamic pricing" - we conducted multiple quotes over various days and the difference between countries was present each time.
"Consumers are left unaware of price variations because they have to use the .com website to reveal them.
"Instead, most people are directed to a country specific site like .co.uk, where the prices appear the same regardless of what country you put as your residence."
The difference in price stems from the fact that the websites can see what country you're in when you're searching online and automatically adjusting the prices.
There is a section on both websites that asks drivers where they are from but it only appears when using a browser in "incognito" mode.
Brits visiting the USA would pay cheaper rates than those from Germany, who would be charged £258.
Drivers booking from Australia and India would both be charged £283, and motorists booking from Japan would pay £285, if they visited Washington DC for five days and hired a Toyota Yaris from Europcar.
And international visitors to the UK found themselves facing the same varying prices.
Car hire rip-offs and how to avoid them
GOING on holiday soon? Follow these tips to make sure you don't get caught by a car hire trick:
- Car hire excess insurance: Buy a standalone policy rather than one at the rental desk, and save around £15-20 a day
- To avoid any unexpected extra charges, document any scratches or dents in the vehicle with pictures and make sure the staff take a note of everything - otherwise you could face a higher-than-expected bill once you're back home
- Bring your own child car seats, or face having to pay £50 for the rental firm's ones. Some airlines, such as Monarch allow parents to bring car seats free of charge
- Keep an eye on your credit card statement to check that the firm hasn't added on any excess charges
- If you have a complaint about a car rental firm, you need to tell them directly first. If they don't address the problem within 14 days, it may be possible to use a free service provided by The European Car Conciliation Service (ECRCS) which helps resolve complaints about charges from vehicle rentals in Europe.
Someone booking a Fiat 500 from Europcar for five days, collecting and returning it to Heathrow, would fork out £161 if they booked from America.
Drivers booking from Australia would be able to hire the same car for £130, and someone booking from India, Japan, and Afghanistan would be charged £134.
But those booking from Germany, Italy, France and Spain would be charged £125 for the five days with Europcar.
Renting a Fiat 500 from Avis for five days would cost someone choosing Germany, Italy, or France as their location £99.
Someone arranging it from America would be charged the least, at £73, while somoene from Australia would pay £79.
Those booking from India, Japan, and Afghanistan would pay the highest rates of £128.
Avis was also caught charging different rates for international travellers coming to the UK.
Hiring a Fiat 500 for five days would cost someone booking from America £73 and someone booking from Australia £79.
But those booking from Germany, Italy, and France would have to pay £99.
Once again, those booking from India, Japan, and Afghanistan would pay the highest rates of £128.
A spokesman for Europcar said: "The price may be different, even if it's just a few minutes between each search because Europcar's dynamic pricing means that rates are never static.
"The other point is that all bookings are quoted in the local currency of the country which will also change the price."
The company offered no explanation as to why the local currency of each country would affect the overall price once adjusted.
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A spokesman for Avis said: "Similar to airline and hotel pricing, car rental pricing is market-driven and very dynamic.
"Many factors determine price, including level of demand, cost of service and currency exchange rates.
"Travel companies may offer promotional rates to take advantage of growing markets or other fluctuations in demand, or simply to respond to competitive pricing."
Earlier this month we revealed that more than a quarter of customers booking with car hire firm Budget were left waiting at the rental desk for more than half an hour before picking up their car, according to new research.
Car hire firm Green Motion has also been banned from comparison website Holiday Autos due to a spike in customer complaints.
In March, this newspaper revealed how Hertz is charging holidaymakers £375 for 12 minute drive at one airport.
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