Returning the car
The return decides what happens to the deposit. A drop-off with an agreed time, a witnessed inspection and paperwork in hand almost never turns into a charge you did not expect.
Articles in this section
1Returning a rental car at the airportThe return is the last chance to influence what happens to your deposit, and it is usually done under time pressure before a flight. Allowing enough time is most…
2Returning a rental car at nightNight returns are usually unattended, which means the condition of the car is recorded by you or not at all. That makes the photographs the entire record.
3Returning a rental car after hoursAn unattended return shifts the burden of proof onto you. The process itself is simple; the discipline around evidence is what protects you.
4What the return inspection checksThe return inspection compares the car against its condition at handover. Everything charged at this point traces back to whether the original condition was properly…
5Handing back the keysThe keys are the formal end of the rental. Until they are back with the supplier in the agreed way, the car — and the liability for it — is still yours.
6What happens to the deposit after you drop the car offReturning the car starts the deposit release; it does not complete it. Two separate parties are involved, and the slower one is usually your own bank.