Rental Conditions in United Kingdom

To drive our vehicles, you - and all of your drivers - need to be at least 23 years old and have held a full, valid driving licence for at least 1 year at the start of your rental and 2 years for vans. 

In Northern Ireland, you must hold a full, valid licence for at least 3 years. A higher minimum age limit may apply to certain vehicles. 

In Northern Ireland, the people carrier and premium / executive cars have a minimum age of 30.

If you - or any of your drivers - are under 25 when you pick up the vehicle, you will each have to pay a young driver surcharge. The cost for this will be GBP 40.00 per day, for each driver.

If you rent the vehicle for more than 10 days, you'll only be charged for a maximum of 10 days and get cover for the duration of your rental, up to 28 days.

Some of our locations have a maximum age restriction on their insurance policy. Anyone over the age of 75 you will need to contact us to make your booking. The maximum age limit in Jersey is 80 years old. In the Shetlands and Isle of Man the maximum age is 78.

If you or any of your drivers – are over 75 on the day you return your vehicle, you will need to advise us prior to picking up your vehicle. At some locations, we will seek approval to rent from our insurer.

In Northern Ireland, for any customers that are aged 75 years and over, we would require the following: 

✓Confirmation that you drive on a regular basis;
✓Provision of a letter from your insurance company to confirm that you have an up-to-date insurance policy, and have not had any accidents in the past 5 years; 
✓Provision of a letter from your doctor confirming that you are in good health and fit to drive; and
✓A driving assessment carried out in terms of your Avis rental agreement by a member of our staff sitting with you in the vehicle.

Budget accept:

✓American Express
✓Diners Card
✓MasterCard
✓Visa.

Please note that the credit card must have the renter's name and numbers embossed on it.

Physical credit cards that are not close to their expiration date must be presented; otherwise, delivery of the vehicle may be refused.

We are not able to accept cash.

If the customer prepay in advance, there will be no refund if the final cost of the rental is lower (for example, for unused days or if you decide to return the vehicle early).

All drivers must bring all parts of their valid driving licence with them. They must bring both their driving licence and either an international driving licence if:

✓ a driving licence was issued in a non-European country, and you are renting outside that country. Except for customers from the following countries who can rent with their national driver’s licence and passport: Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand,South Africa and United States

✓ a driving licence was issued in a non-roman alphabet like Arabic, Greek, Russian, Hebrew or Japanese.

We do not accept digital driving licenses.

All drivers must have held their licences for at least 1 year for cars and 2 years for vans.

We charge a fee for every Additional Driver we allow to drive the vehicle. 
The price is GBP 13.99 per day, per driver.

If you rent the vehicle for more than 10 days, you'll only be charged for a maximum of 10 days and get cover for the duration of your rental, up to 28 days.

All additional drivers must meet our age, driving licence and ID requirements.

If any additional driver is outside of our age restrictions, we will also charge a driver surcharge.

The amount of the pre-authorisation taken on pick-up of the rental vehicle is calculated as follows:
(The vehicle rental price* + GBP 300**) MINUS (Any sum you have already paid when making a booking) 

* The "vehicle rental price" includes the vehicle rental cost and all optional extras you’ve requested, calculated at the start of the rental based on the intended length of the rental. For the avoidance of any doubt, any “Pay at Location” amount you owe in relation to the vehicle rental (including any optional extras) will be included as part of the pre-authorisation and will be charged to you at the end of the rental (using the card provided for the purposes of the pre-authorisation, unless agreed otherwise).

** If you buy our “Fuel Up Front” product, we will reduce the GBP 300 by the amount we charge you for the “Fuel Up Front” product.

The GBP 300 is included as part of the pre-authorisation in case we have to charge you at the end of the rental for any of the following: 

✓costs to refuel the vehicle (where relevant); 
✓additional rental charges in circumstances where you fail to return the vehicle or any optional extras at the end of the agreed rental period [or 
to the agreed return location]; 

✓any additional charges or fines you incur relating to your use of the vehicle (which we have been notified of prior to you returning the vehicle, which will include, for example, charges relating to traffic violations); and/or 
✓costs incurred as a result of exceeding any relevant mileage restrictions. 
Where the pre-authorisation we take does not cover the charges you incur, we will request you make a further payment for the additional amounts owed.

You are responsible for all fines and charges issued as a result of you or your additional drivers using the vehicle. Fines and charges could include:

✓ All parking fines or charges
✓ Toll charges
✓ Towing charges
✓ Clamping costs
✓ Traffic fines or charges
✓ Speeding fines
✓ And any other charges or fines

If a fine or charge is sent to us because you haven't paid a charge or complied with the law, we will take payment for:

✓ Our administration fee of GBP 30.00 for each fine or charge issued in the United Kingdom to cover our costs of dealing with the fine or charge, or
✓ Our administration fee of between EUR 24.00 and EUR 45.00 for each fine or charge issued in any other country, which will be charged in the currency of the country where the fine occurred
✓ Plus the fine or charge - if we have to pay it.

If you have Damage Waiver (CDW) and the vehicle, keys, any accessories or any vehicle documents are damaged, the amount you have to pay for the damage will be reduced to no more than the excess stated on your rental agreement meaning you'll pay for the cost of repair or replacement or the excess, whichever is less, for each separate incident of damage, plus a damage processing fee of GBP 33.00 and loss of use of the vehicle.

In most cases, Damage Waiver is provided with the vehicle as standard. If it's included, it will be stated on your rental agreement and in your booking confirmation email. 

Third Party Liability (TPL) cover is provided with the vehicle as standard.
This means that if you have an accident in our vehicle and you injure someone, including any of your passengers, or you damage anything which belongs to them, you will not have to pay any of their costs. 

Third Party Liability cover does not cover any death or injury suffered by the driver of our vehicle or any damage to personal items in our vehicle.
 

If you have Theft Protection waiver (TP) and the vehicle is stolen, the amount you have to pay will be reduced to no more than the excess stated on your rental agreement meaning you'll pay for the cost of repair or replacement or the excess, whichever is less. 

If you can show the damage was not in any way your fault or due to your negligence, we will refund these costs to you. If you can show the loss or theft was not in any way your fault or due to your negligence, we will refund these costs to you.

In most cases, Theft Protection waiver is provided with the vehicle as standard. 
If it is included, it will be stated on your rental agreement.

Super Damage Waiver (SCDW) is an excess reduction product which reduces your excess to zero.

The price depends on the vehicle and location.
 

Super Theft Protection (STP) is an excess reduction product which reduces your excess to zero. 
 

The price depends on the vehicle and location.
 

Windscreen Protection reduces the amount you have to pay if the windscreen is damaged to zero. Having windscreen protection also means you won't pay an admin fee.

If you've bought Windscreen Protection, it will be stated on your rental agreement. 

The price depends on the vehicle you're renting and the place you're renting it from but, you can expect it to cost between GBP 3,59 and GBP 6.50 a day.

The vehicle will normally be supplied with a full tank of fuel. 
You must return it to us with the same amount of fuel it had in it when you picked it up - usually a full tank - as shown on the factory-installed fuel gauge. 
We recommend you fill up as close to the return location as you can on the return date, and keep the receipt to show us. If you don't return the vehicle with a full tank - and you can't show us a receipt for fuel - we will charge you.

In Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man we have different requirements regarding fuel.

In Jersey and Guernsey, you must return the vehicle to us with the same amount of fuel it had in it when you picked it up, which is usually a quarter full tank. 

In the Isle of Man, the vehicle will usually be provided with sufficient fuel to reach a fuelling station, you should return the vehicle with an similar amount of fuel in the tank.
We will charge you where the fuel tank of the vehicle, as shown on the factory-installed fuel gauge, is less than these amounts.

FUEL OPTIONS
 

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Unfortunately we do not offer any electronic toll charging devices at this time.

One Way rentals offer you the flexibility to pick up a vehicle from one rental location and return it to another. 

If you request a One Way rental during booking, the fee will be included in the rental price. However, if you didn't request it but decide to return the vehicle to a different office than the starting one, a One Way fee will be charged based on the prices available on the day of return.

International One way is not permitted.

If you want to extend the rental please contact us as soon as possible. 

At the latest, this should be before the end date and time on your rental agreement. Extra days will be charged at 'pay at location' prices.

If you fail to extend your rental and are late returning the vehicle, we will charge you for an extra day's rental plus a late return administration fee for each day or part of a day until the vehicle is returned.

If you fail to extend your rental and are late returning the vehicle, we will on the third day after your agreed return date pre-authorise payment for an additional 10 days if you are using a credit card, at "pay at location' prices. 

If you return the vehicle within those 10 days, you will only be charged for your actual rental days, plus any other charges you owe us.

If you fail to return your vehicle as agreed, we will also charge you a late return administration fee for each day or part of a day until the vehicle is returned.

The late return administration fee is GBP 15.00 per day.

Budget does not offer a delivery and collection service.

You are only allowed to use the vehicle in the following countries:

✓ England
✓ Scotland
✓ Wales
✓ Northern Ireland

If you wish to drive the car into the Republic of Ireland your rental will be subject to a cross border coverage fee of GBP 23.00. This fee covers cross border vehicle retrieval in case of breakdown. 

Budget cars may not be taken outside Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

With effect from 14th July 2022 we have stopped selling continental cover, meaning that it’s no longer possible to take our vehicles outside of the UK except to the Republic of Ireland. 

Certain areas, such as the centre of London, have congestion charging zones meaning you need to pay a fee if you wish to drive in certain areas, on certain days and during certain times. 
In addition, there are toll roads and toll bridges which require you to pay a fee if you wish to use them. 
If you do not pay these charges before you enter such areas or use such roads or bridges, you will incur a fine.

We recommend you check the Internet to find out about any restricted areas before you travel. Websites such as Urbana Access provide useful information. 
If the rental location is in or near a restricted area, we will tell you about it when you pick up the vehicle. We are unable to tell you about any other restricted areas.

We offer hand controls which are suitable if you have good use of your upper body, including hands and fingers.  Hand controls include a hand- operated brake, accelerator controls, a steering ball and panoramic mirrors are also available.  If you need them, they’re completely free of charge.

To use hand controls, you will need to book an automatic vehicle. 

Please give us at least 48 hours’ notice if you hand controls or panoramic mirrors fitted to the vehicle. Once you have made your reservation, please contact our partners at Lynx Controls via 0844 824 3900 or Lynx controls providing the following information: driver name, driver contact number, reservation number, pick up date and time and branch location, drop off date and time and branch location.

This provides a GPS, Wi-Fi with unlimited data per day, as well as other useful features you may need when travelling.

The fee for renting is GBP 14.99 a day.

If you rent the vehicle for more than 10 days, you'll only be charged for a maximum of 10 days and get to use the TCT for the duration of your rental, up to 28 days.

A charge of GBP 175.00 + VAT will apply if you rent a TCT unit and do not return it when you check-in your rental vehicle. This charge will be in addition to the charge for the use of the TCT unit. 

If the Travel Companion Tablet is damaged, lost or stolen, you’ll have to pay for a replacement. This is likely to cost from GBP 300 on top of the hire fee. If you can show the damage or loss was not in any way your fault or due to your negligence, we will refund this cost to you. 

If any Travel Companion Tablet accessories are damaged, lost or stolen, you’ll have to pay for a replacement. This is likely to cost from GBP 2.00 to GBP 10.00 on top of the hire fee. If you can show the damage or loss was not in any way your fault or due to your negligence, we will refund this cost to you.