Book ahead to reduce car rental stress

Customers requiring a rental car during the busy Easter and Summer Holiday periods need to book in advance if they want to avoid disappointment, the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) has warned.

The hire car shortage experienced last summer is likely to be repeated this year, particularly in tourist hotspots and at airports. Rental companies have reduced their fleet sizes since the recession hit and have fewer vehicles with which to meet any bottlenecks in demand.

The industry is also hampered by government red tape and tax issues which can make it difficult for rental companies to move vehicles around Europe.

“Rental companies always try to look ahead and estimate demand for peak periods, but with finance in short supply and new vehicle prices rising, they can ill afford to have cars sitting around idle,” said John Lewis, chief executive of the BVRLA.

“This means that there will be periods when demand outstrips supply. You wouldn’t go to an airport and expect to buy a ticket on the day you want to travel, and the same should apply to renting a car.

“Cars are expensive assets and you can’t turn the supply on and off like an ice-cream machine or printing presses.”

The BVRLA has a range of other tips for customers wanting to make their car rental experience a less stressful one. It has published a Guide to renting a car which can be downloaded from bvrla.co.uk.