Get the instructions in writing
Before the return day, ask the supplier for the exact procedure by email: the location, the bay, the key box position and any code required.
A written instruction protects you if the car is later said to have been left in the wrong place.
The evidence set
- Every exterior panel and all four wheels.
- The interior, including the boot.
- The fuel gauge and odometer with the ignition on.
- A wide shot showing the car in its bay with signage visible.
- The keys being placed in the drop box.
What can go wrong
Damage after you leave
Anything that happens before the supplier inspects can be attributed to your rental. Timestamped photographs are the counter-evidence.
A delayed inspection
If the car is not checked for a day or two, the return time on file may differ from when you actually left it. Your photographs establish the real time.
Charges appearing later
Fuel, cleaning or damage charges may be raised without you present to contest them. Keep everything until the deposit clears.
When to avoid it
If the rental was expensive, the deposit is large or the car already had disputed damage, an attended return during opening hours is worth rearranging your schedule for.
The cost of an extra taxi is small against the cost of an unresolvable dispute.