Car Hire - No credit card

[DisneyGirl86]

Hi
Can anyone advise us how it works if hiring a car but don't have a credit card? Car will be prepaid online, but no credit card available to use as a safety deposit once we pick it up.

Thanks

[ChrisS]

Hi DisneyGirl - I believe your debit card can be used as UK debit cards tend to hold the 'Visa' logo, other Dibbers who have done so will explain.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

As per Chris above. A Debit Card is fine as ours have the backing of Visa or MasterCard. The Americans have some like this but not all hence they tend to always use Credit Cards.

There is more likelihood of a hold being applied though to a Debit Card but even this is not definite and loads of Dibbers haven't had a hold applied.

[DisneyGirl86]

OK thanks guys.
If a hold is applied, does anyone know roughly how much?

[TEL N KEL]

If you use a debit card with the visa sign on it that will be fine, you do not even have to mention that it is not a credit card.
The card will just be verified as active by car hire and no funds will be held.

if you point out to car hire that it is a debit not credit card the car hire will get jumpy and place a hold on the card.
If A hold is placed on the card it will be around £100 per weeks hire.
If a cash payment is left as deposit, it will be refunded by means of cheque when you return to the UK can take upto 6 wks

[k100dmk]

Is it possible for another person in their party to use their credit card for the purpose of the security deposit? The reason i ask is my dad who will be our driver only has a debit card but when booking things such as this we like to use a card that is used for nothing else so i notice any transaction that goes onto it. I would prefer to use one of my cards i no longer use if possible, not a major problem if not, Just wondering.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by k100dmk

Is it possible for another person in their party to use their credit card for the purpose of the security deposit? The reason i ask is my dad who will be our driver only has a debit card but when booking things such as this we like to use a card that is used for nothing else so i notice any transaction that goes onto it. I would prefer to use one of my cards i no longer use if possible, not a major problem if not, Just wondering.

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Did this with my daughter's credit card for car hire and hotel 'security' in Orlando two years ago as I too have only a debit card. There was no problem. Thankfully, the car was returned with no damage!

[RM2016]

Originally Posted by TEL N KEL

If you use a debit card with the visa sign on it that will be fine, you do not even have to mention that it is not a credit card.
The card will just be verified as active by car hire and no funds will be held.

if you point out to car hire that it is a debit not credit card the car hire will get jumpy and place a hold on the card.
If A hold is placed on the card it will be around £100 per weeks hire.
If a cash payment is left as deposit, it will be refunded by means of cheque when you return to the UK can take upto 6 wks

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At Alamo in MCO we left a $300 cash deposit and got it back as soon as the car was returned.

[RobertWestwood]

Originally Posted by k100dmk

Is it possible for another person in their party to use their credit card for the purpose of the security deposit? The reason i ask is my dad who will be our driver only has a debit card but when booking things such as this we like to use a card that is used for nothing else so i notice any transaction that goes onto it. I would prefer to use one of my cards i no longer use if possible, not a major problem if not, Just wondering.

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for car hire, the card should be in the same name as the hirer. Is it possible to book it in your name as lead driver with your father as an additional driver ?

Sometimes they do not bother, but most of the car hire t&cs do say something about this

[RobertWestwood]

Originally Posted by TerryAFS

Did this with my daughter's credit card for car hire and hotel 'security' in Orlando two years ago as I too have only a debit card. There was no problem. Thankfully, the car was returned with no damage!

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There is no excess on American car hire if booked through a UK broker, so even if the car had been written off there would have been no charge on your card. The hold is to cover things like fuel costs, traffic violations and tolls