Deposit & Cancellation
How we handle your security deposit, charges after a rental, and cancellations. These terms are part of our full Terms & Conditions.
Your security deposit
To cover possible damage, missing fuel, fines and similar charges, we secure a deposit at the start of every rental. How this works depends on the card you use.
If you pay with a credit card (recommended)
We place a pre-authorization (a temporary hold) on your credit card. This is not a payment: the amount is reserved and unavailable for other purchases while the hold is active, but no money is taken.
- The hold can remain in place for up to 30 days. "Up to 30 days" is the maximum, not a guarantee — your bank may release it sooner.
- We release the hold once the car is returned and checked (see "Releasing your deposit" below).
- After we release it, your own bank decides exactly when the funds become available again. This is outside our control and usually takes a few days.
If you pay with a debit card
Debit cards do not support a reliable hold for this purpose, so no deposit hold is placed. Instead, a rental on a debit card requires a paid insurance package that covers the same risks the deposit would. We show you the package and its price before you confirm your booking.
Additional safeguards (all rentals)
Alongside the deposit, every rental also uses:
- Card on file — your card is securely stored so it can be charged for legitimate post-rental costs (explained below).
- Your consent in the rental agreement — you authorize these charges in writing when you sign the agreement. Nothing is charged without that consent.
- Photo documentation — we take photos of the vehicle at handover and at return. This is mandatory and protects both sides as a shared record of the car's condition.
Charges after the rental ends
By signing the rental agreement, you authorize us to charge your card on file for legitimate costs arising from your rental, with supporting documentation. Under our Terms (Article 39), we retain this right for up to six months after the rental ends. Such charges may include:
- Damage to the vehicle
- Missing fuel (returned with less fuel than at handover)
- Traffic fines and penalties, plus an administration fee for processing them
- Late return of the vehicle
- Cleaning, where the car is returned excessively dirty
- Missing or damaged accessories (for example child seats or equipment)
- Drop-off / one-way charges, where applicable
We charge only what is justified, and we keep the documentation (photos, invoices, fine notices) that supports each charge.
Cancellation & refunds
Our cancellation terms (Article 40 of the Terms) depend on how far in advance you cancel, measured before your rental start date. The 15% booking deposit is non-refundable in all cases. For a fully paid reservation, the following applies:
| When you cancel | Charge |
|---|---|
| 16 or more days before pick-up | No charge |
| 15–8 days before pick-up | 40% of total reservation value |
| 7–2 days before pick-up | 50% of total reservation value |
| 1 day before pick-up | 80% of total reservation value |
| No-show | 100% of total reservation value |
Early returns are only refundable if we are able to rent out the early-returned car again within the early-return period.
Releasing your deposit
For a credit-card deposit hold:
- You return the car, and we check it against the handover photos.
- If there are no outstanding issues, we release the pre-authorization hold, or it expires automatically.
- Your bank then posts the released amount back to your available balance. This step is handled by your bank and typically takes a few days.
There is no separate "deposit refund" payment, because the deposit was never charged — releasing the hold simply frees up the reserved amount.