Car Hire Terms & Conditions

Click here for the Satellite Navigation Terms & Conditions

For Dollar Style Series, please see additional terms and conditions - click here

Please read this in conjunction with our Car Hire Frequently Asked Questions as these form part of the terms and conditions.

RENTAL REQUIREMENTS:

Alamo, Dollar, Thrifty and Budget
Drivers must be at least 21 years old to drive. Drivers age 21-24 are subject to a local fee of approx $20 - $25 per day upon collection of the car. If you choose the Young Driver's Package we offer with Alamo and Budget then the first young driver will be exempt from this charge.

CALIFORNIA TOURISM TAX

For all California locations there is a "California Tourism Surcharge" levied on collection of the car. This is a small fee amounting to 2.5% of the rental cost of the car.

AVAILABILITY OF CARS:
The rental companies have a large Fleet of cars, however, cars can be reserved only by car category and not by specific make, model, size or specific features. Seating capacity will be as per your category booked and car sizes can vary across categories. If for any reason the car reserved is unavailable, the rental company will provide a similar car at no extra cost.

Free upgrades offered by Budget are subject to availability on arrival.

UPGRADING THE CAR:
It is important to reserve the right car for your party, however, upgrading to a larger car can be done at the time of rental, subject to availability. The cost of the upgrade will be shown separately on the rental agreement and will be charged at local rates which are usually very expensive. If you agree to upgrade your car on collection, you can not seek a refund for this on your return. Make sure you are clear exactly how much you are paying. Taxes and surcharges will be applicable on any upgrades charged.

If the rental company advise you the car booked is not large enough for your party and luggage, then you have a right to attempt to use the car as booked provided you do not have more people than the car is designed to carry. Upgrade costs for taking a larger car than booked can not be refunded by us under any circumstances.

If prior to collection you decide to upgrade to a larger car, you can request this through us, provided we have 4 business days notice. You will be charged the difference between the car at the price originally booked, and the car type you are upgrading to at current prices. This will work out significantly cheaper than upgrading on arrival. No admin fee will be charged for upgrading your car through us prior to rental.

CAR CATEGORIES
Cars are booked by category. As we work with several suppliers that each have varying names for their car categories, the category names we use may occasionally differ to those used by a particular rental company. For example, our 7 Seater Minivan might be referred to as a Standard Minivan by one supplier, a Luxury Minivan by another supplier and Premium MPV by another supplier. On your voucher the category is usually stated using the category name and code as used by the supplier.

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS:
Additional drivers must meet all rental requirements and pay the appropriate fee where applicable. Note, the 'Silver Inclusive' package allows 2 drivers. The 'Gold Inclusive' package allows unlimited drivers with Dollar, Thrifty and 4 drivers with Alamo and Budget - all drivers must show a valid driving license and photo ID on collection of the car.

INFANT SEATS:
Children under 3 years of age must be properly secured in a child passenger restraint. Children and 4+ must wear a safety belt.

IMPORTANT: Parents / Guardians will be asked to install these restraints themselves.
Infant seats are payable on collection of the car at approx $7 - $10 per day per seat.

Fuel Policy:
Dollar, Thrifty, Alamo: The vehicle will be issued with a full tank of petrol and a charge made upon return of your vehicle (except Gold Inclusive where the initial tank of fuel is included), based on the average full service pump price for mid-grade petrol, as stated by the American Automobile Association, plus a re-fuelling fee. This can equate to over double the regular pump price. The client should return the vehicle empty, as there will be no refunds for unused petrol.

Budget: The vehicle will be issued with a full tank of petrol and should be returned full (except Gold Inclusive where the initial tank of fuel is included). When you return the car, it is essential that the car is re-fuelled fully, and as close to the airport as you can get. Filling up the tank 20 - 30 miles from the return depot will show as a full tank on the fuel gauge but doing this will result in a re-fuelling charge from Budget. Budget will top-up every car that is returned even when showing full. If they can get more than around a gallon of fuel in to the tank then you will be charged for the fuel at very high rate.

ONE WAY RENTALS:
There are no charges for one way rentals within participating locations inthe States of Florida and California. All other one way rentals are subject to a drop charge and must be requested in advance.

With Dollar there are no 1-way charges for rentals between locations within California, Nevada and Arizona.

In areas where 1-way rental charges apply, this is a charge made by the rental company, not by us. We can advise you, on request in advance, of current 1-way fees, but please note these are subject to change. We have no control over the rate charge and are not notified in advance of any changes. The free 1-way rentals as stated above are guaranteed and not subject to local changes.

DRIVING AREAS:
Cars may be driven into any State in mainland USA. Some cars may be driven into Canada, but must be returned to the rental location in the USA. Check with the rental company on collection of the car.

DEPOSIT:
Drivers should possess a major credit card to show for deposit on collection of the car. A UK Visa Debit card is often accepted, but not Visa Electron nor Switch. The credit card will be 'swiped' typically for$250-$500 and charged in the case of returning the car late, or any other local charges you agree to such as child seats or personal insurance.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Renters in New York remain liable for the first $100.00 of damage.
• Renters in Alaska remain liable for the first $500.00 of damage
• All locations, Terms and Conditions are subject to change without notice.
• Vehicle availability may be restricted and vehicle specification may be subject to change without notice

Booking Amendments
No admin charge is made for amendments to bookings. In the event you amend your booking and the rental price therefore changes, we will either charge the the difference if greater, or refund the difference if a lesser amount. Note, we can not guarantee to be able to make an amendment within 2 business days of your pick-up date although we will endeavour to do so.

REFUNDS:
No partial refunds are available for bookings where vehicle is returned early.

DRIVING LICENSES:
All drivers must posses a full, valid driving license.

For rentals with Alamo, Thrifty and Budget, a full license must have been held for a minimum of 1 year at the time of collection of the vehicle.

For rentals with Dollar, there is no minimum time the license must have been held for.

For Budget, drivers age 21-24 must have held their license for 2 years, drivers age 25+ must have held their full license for 1 year.

Dollar, Thrifty, Alamo: Licenses can be accepted from any Country other then US and Canada

Budget: Licenses can be accepted from any Country other than USA and Canada. At Orlando International Airport (MCO) US and Canadian licenses are also accepted.

Only driving licences in the English language will be accepted, otherwise we recommend obtaining an International license in the English language from your licensing authority.

UK license holders must take both the paper and photo part of the license unless the license is the older paper-only type in which case you will also be required to show another form of photo ID such as your passport.

RENTAL AGREEMENT / COMPLAINTS
When you collect your car from the rental company, you will complete and sign a rental agreement and a copy will be given to you. In the unlikely event of a problem or complaint upon your return, we can only deal with your issue if you have this paperwork. Therefore it is important you keep the rental agreement paperwork safe after your rental. We can only deal with a complaint on your behalf if we are notified within 8 weeks of return of your car.

Note, when you collect your car, you will sign a rental agreement. There is a clear section showing any charges due. Before you sign, you must ensure that you are not signing for any items you have not agreed to. Once you sign and agree to this, there is no way to refund any charges.

LOCAL CHARGES

Customer Facility Charge (CFC) at MCO: Orlando International Airport only, there is a CFC payable on collection of the car. This is not a charge made by the rental company, but by the airport authority. The daily rate is $2.50 up to a maximum of 5 days ($12.50) in total plus tax. The fee is payable regardless of whether you book through www.uscarhire.co.uk, any other agent or directly with the rental company. This applies Alamo, Dollar and Thrifty as Budget have now included in their pre-paid rates.

Phoenix, Arizona: A CFC charge of approx $45 is payable at this location directly to the rental company who collect this on behalf of the airport.

General:Although our prices are fully inclusive of taxes, insurances and surcharges (except for the California Tourism Fee, Under age Surcharge and CFC at Orlando International Airport as stated above and Phoenix Arizona CFC charge), there can be local charges for other optional items such as child seats, 1-way fees, enhanced road side assistance, GPS systems, car upgrade or anything else you agree with the car rental company on collection of the car. Taxes and surcharges will be levied on the cost of any local charges you have agreed to. You must agree and sign for any such items on collection of the car, as part of the rental contract. It is your responsibility to check the paperwork supplied before you sign the contract as any extras you agree to can not be refunded after that time. If you see any charges on the paperwork that you have not agreed to, then ask a staff member to remove the charge.

NATURE OF CONTRACT
Our Suppliers will issue a Pre-Paid Voucher after receipt of full payment for your rental. On arrival at the location you will exchange the Pre-Paid Voucher and sign a binding contract which will form between the rental company and the customer. This contract is only available in English. By signing this contract on arrival you agree to be bound by its terms and conditions and your contact with our Suppliers ends. Please note our Suppliers can only take payment during normal UK business hours.

PRICING
These prices are subject to variation until such time as your booking is made. Once you have made a payment (either deposit or balance) the price quoted will be fixed. Therefore you will receive no refund if our prices drop nor will you be require to pay extra if our prices increase. In the event of a misquote, we reserve the right to cancel your order before your voucher is issued.

BALANCE PAYMENTS
If placing an order in advance of 8 weeks prior to collection of your car, we only require a £25 deposit. 8 weeks prior to your rental our supplier will take your balance automatically from the same card used for your deposit, after which your voucher will be issued. You are welcome to amend your card before we take your balance. In the event our supplier is unable to take your balance payment, you will be notified and asked to provide new payment details. Our supplier may periodically re-try payment from your card in the event it is declined until such time as payment is approved by your card company or new payment details are provided. Bookings not paid for by the working day prior to collection may be cancelled by our supplier.

LIMIT OF OUR LIABILITY
We act as sales agents only for our car hire suppliers (our "Suppliers"). We do not handle your money at any time. This is done solely by our Suppliers. We do not accept liability for claims of any kind or for any reason. Your contract is with our Suppliers and not with Orlando Villas or US Car Hire.

RENTAL DURATION

Alamo and Budget:

• Maximum of 56 days in a single rental period throughout the USA

Dollar, Thrifty:

• Florida: Maximum of 56 days in a single rental period
• Other US States: Maximum of 28 days in a single rental period

U-Save:

• Maximum of 28 days in a single rental period.

If you book a car for a longer period than above, this is permitted, but you will be required to return to the depot at a point within your overall rental that would mean no single segment of the rental exceeds the maximum duration for the area in question.

Once you have placed your order, if you do not advise us otherwise, our supplier will choose a date and location. This can be amended if it is not suitable, up to the date of collection of the car.

Items NOT included in the car rental insurance coverage

In line with all suppliers, none of the rental companies cover the following items on their insurance / emergency road side assistance package, so you would need to cover these costs yourself.

• Flat Battery (if you leave your lights on. Covered if faulty battery)
• Damage caused by putting the wrong fuel type in the car (e.g. putting diesel in a petrol car)
• Broken Windows
• Tyre replacement (e.g. if damaged by hitting the curb. Covered if worn)
• Key replacement if you loose the key
• Roadside assistance if you lock yourself out of the car
• Damage to underside of vehicle if you are found to be driving 'off-road' which is not permitted
• Damage to the roof of the car if you place goods on the roof or drive under a low barrier etc.
• Damage to the interior (caused by spilling drinks, cigarette burns in seats etc)
  

In practice, often the rental companies will not charge you for the above but that is at their discretion. Costs incurred by the above may be claimed back from your travel insurance but ensure all receipts are retained.

Suppliers may offer you additional roadside assistance to cover the above eventualities, which is optional. They may ask for an additional daily fee for this. You do not have to take this, and by accepting it at the beginning of your rental will not be entitled to a refund.

Emergency roadside assistance is already included in your rental (for accidents and breakdowns).

Satellite Navigation (GPS Sat Nav) Terms & Conditions

1. Sat Nav Units are available to UK residents only and delivered by Royal Mail Parcel Force (insured). We can not deliver to Northern Ireland or Republic of Ireland.
2. Units will be delivered 1-2 working days prior to your rental start date (on a pre 13:00 delivery). You will be required to sign for the unit upon receipt.
3. You will be notified on the day of dispatch of the tracking number. In the event you are not able to take delivery of the unit you will be required to collect from your local sorting office. You may inform us of an alternative delivery address prior to the date of dispatch (we can deliver to you at home, or at work etc).
4. No refunds are available for units that Royal Mail are unable to deliver to you as a result of no one being at the agreed address to sign for it, and if you subsequently do not collect from the sorting office.
5. Units must be dispatched back to us by the working day following your return date, using the pre-paid docket provided (in the packaging used to send the unit to you). This can be done from any local post office.
6. Failure to return the unit to us by the date above will result in a further 1 week rental at the current rental rate. Each additional part week late thereafter will result in a further 1 week rental charge. For units not returned after 4 weeks from the due return date, we will claim back the full cost of the unit.
7. Availability of sat nav units is checked and confirmed once we receive your booking. We will not take payment until we have checked availability of a unit. In the event there is no availability, you will be notified and no payment will be taken.
8. A deposit of £25 is payable to secure your Sat Nav unit which will be taken as soon as availability has been confirmed. No refunds are given for cancellations once payment has been made.
9. Once a unit has been confirmed and paid for (or deposit paid), you may amend your booking dates subject to availability of a unit for your revised dates. No refunds will be given for cancellations due to our inability to supply a unit for your chosen amended dates.
10. In the event we are unable to supply your confirmed unit after payment has been made you will be entitled to a full refund.
11. A credit card 'swipe' will be made at the time of booking by way of a deposit. Payment will be taken from your card in the event of units not being returned to us on time. By agreeing to these Terms & Conditions you give us your consent to do this.
12. In the event a unit becomes faulty during your rental period, we will not be financially liable for any problems this may cause. The maximum limit of our liability is the cost of the rental of the unit.
13. The maps provided with our units are updated on a regular basis from the suppliers. In the event of any inaccuracies we are not liable for any problems this may incur.
14. You will be liable for loss or damage to the unit during the rental agreement. It is your responsibility to ensure your travel insurance covers loss or damage to such units to avoid personal loss on your behalf.
15. Prices are subject to variation until such time a booking is made. Once you have made a booking the quoted price is fixed. Therefore you will not be subject to an increased charge, nor will you be entitled to a rebate if our rental rates increase or reduce prior to your rental.

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