[tspill]

Originally Posted by dreamcatcher

Hi

Never done car hire before so need a bit of help please.

Looked for a car via skyscanners-Argus car Rental-Alamo and in print its telling me to ensure enough on card to cover a deposit once there?

Is this normal?
Do they actually take the money or just swipe the card?
How much would it be?

Please help don't want to book and then have a costly bill. Thanks in advance and sorry if posted in wrong place.xx

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Some companies put a "hold" on a sum on the card and some don't. It also seems to depend on whether you pay up front or when you arrive.
With Alamo, if you pay up front when you book, there is nothing held against the card and the swipe is only for identification. But if you choose to pay when you collect the car they "hold" and extra couple of hundred dollars (not sure exactly sure how much).
This "hold" is not a charge and you wont have to pay it as such; but what it does mean is that for the period of the "hold" it reduces the limit on the card by that amount - so you can't spend it.