Renting a car for business reasons is a convenient way to have access to a vehicle during the time you need it without having to worry about all that tends to come with purchasing a car for ownership. New-car delivery times can take over six months. But, you can usually hire car rentals quite fast, and at a low price too. If your work requires you to travel, renting a car in the UK minimizes expected wear and tear on your own vehicle. This is always a plus.
The question is: how exactly are you meant to find the best car rentals for business-related excursions? What sort of car is best to rent for business trips, anyway? We like Kia’s new electric car, the Kia EV6 Hatchback because its chic look and large size make it ideal for business travel — but the choice is completely up to you! Luckily, we’ve put together this guide in hopes of making this process just a little bit easier.
Rent With a High-Rated Car Rental Company
When it comes to renting a car for business-related travel, you’ll want to make sure to do your research! Naturally, you need to be able to trust that the car you rent will hold up just fine while on the road. It’s also a good idea to rent with a company that has stellar customer reviews, like Enterprise — the most popular car rental company in the UK. Reviewers praise Enterprise for being straightforward in their communication and letting them know how much they’ll be expected to pay when they rent with them. Excellent customer service really can make all the difference!
Document Any Pre-existing Damage Done to the Car
This is something you’ll want to do before you hop into the rental car and drive off into the sunset. Examine the car to ensure that any scratches or other types of damage are already marked on the rental sheet. Take pictures of the damage for documentation purposes so that the car rental company doesn’t accidentally charge you for something you didn’t do. For example, if there are already scratches on the boot of the car, take a picture of the boot before and after your business trip. If the pictures match, then you should be in the clear.
Read the Fine Print
Fully reading (not just skimming) a car rental contract doesn’t exactly sound like a hoot and a half. But you will definitely thank yourself for doing so. Unfortunately, if you don’t read the fine print, you’re more likely to end up with unexpected charges from the car rental company. These unexpected charges are usually for things like late returns, cleaning fees, and minor scratches. When reading your contract, make sure to check the mileage allowance. If you’re traveling a long way, you might want to consider getting an unlimited mileage plan.
Be Wary of “Pressure Selling” When it Comes to Insurance
Renting a car can be a relatively stressful process for a lot of people. And many car rental providers, unfortunately, capitalize on this by attempting to sell you excess insurance. This is especially something to watch out for if you’re a young person renting a car for the first time. You’re understandably worried about getting stuck with a large bill for something as small as scratched paint or a scuff on the boot, and some car rental providers won’t hesitate to manipulate you into buying unnecessarily expensive insurance to supposedly cover it.
Be Flexible with Pick-up Times and Locations
This entirely depends on how the company is charging you. If you’re not sure, don’t hesitate to ask them! It might be better to return your car at a similar time of day to when you picked it up in the first place. Rental companies might charge you by the day instead of by the hour. So if you happen to use the rental car for, say, two or three hours over the 24-hour mark, you risk getting charged for two days even though you only used the car for 26 or 27 hours. If you can drop the rental car off at any location, that could also work in your favor!
Final Thoughts
Now that you have this list of tips and tricks to refer to, renting a car for business reasons should be a total piece of cake. Make sure to plan effectively when renting a car. You will definitely thank yourself for it as you’re cruising through the countryside!
