Car hire has strings attached

Customers hiring a vehicle from easyCar are finding they have to apply online afterwards to get their deposit back.

This is not the first time that the company's small print has thrown up unexpected rules.

A few weeks ago, Working Lunch explained how easyCar was holding on to customers' deposits for a month to ensure any outstanding fines and charges were covered.

The new rule says that not only do people have to wait 30 days for their deposit, they have to apply for it first by filling in an online form within three days of the hire period ending.

Under its new policies section, the company's website says the measure is "designed to ensure that those customers who incur them meet costs such as excess mileage and traffic violations".

'Obscure form'

One customer who is not impressed is Ben Cons, who got in touch with Working Lunch.

"It's one thing hanging on to deposits from customers who incur fines, but it's another to hold on to them because they haven't filled in an obscure form," he says.

"Ethically this stinks."

The website announces the changes

The Consumers' Association is also unimpressed.

It says information such as this should be made clear upfront at the time of the booking, not buried in the terms and conditions.

It believes there should be an automatic refund and also considers the 30-day period excessive.

But easyCar, part of entrepreneur Stelios Haji-Ioannou's easyGroup, says it keeps prices down by keeping its costs down - and that applies to these measures.

"Ninety-five per cent of easyCar customers book online and we also require our customers to declare the return of their vehicle online rather than to a site attendant which would put up the cost of car rental," says the company.

Declaration

"The most important aspect is the declaration of any accidents, or a positive confirmation they had none.

"All rental companies do it but do it manually; we do it online. This declaration needs to be made within three days of the end of the rental.

"easyCar can then check the declaration against any charges for traffic violations before refunding the deposit 30 days after the rental."

I don't think it's illegal but I must say it's highly unusual. Simon Calder

Simon Calder, travel editor of The Independent, says he doesn't object to paying a deposit for car hire.

"What I do have a problem with is that I have exactly 72 hours from the moment I take the car back to get my money back, otherwise easyCar gets to keep it," he says.

"I do think it's a little bit unfair on people who perhaps are dropping off a car and flying abroad that they have got to remember within three days to claim their money back.

"I think it should come back to them automatically after a month."

Weighted

This latest stipulation is in the company's terms and conditions, however, so customers must, as ever, read the small print.

But the Office of Fair Trading is aware of the issue; it's particularly concerned about whether the agreement is onerous in that the customer must actively fill in the online form.

If so, it could be argued that the contract is weighted too much in favour of the company.

"Stelios has turned the entire business on its head and said: 'I will give you a good deal but only if you abide by the rules I set,'" points out Simon Calder.

"I think as customers it's really up to us to decide whether we want to go along with those.

"I don't think it's illegal but I must say it's highly unusual."