RENT A CAR

Polish consumers are very mobile, they travel to other European Union Member States, go on business trips and on holiday. The number of consumers, who rent cars for a couple of days during their stay abroad, keeps growing. This should make us aware of hazards and opportunities.

Whilstcomparing offers of car rental companies, the following should be carefully examined:

accurate contact data to the entrepreneur, licence registration number for running a business, opinions of a given company, e.g. from the Internet,
manner of presenting rental rates. Prior to concluding a contract, the consumer must be able to calculate accurately the rental costs, the rental rate should include additional charges, e.g. insurance,
rental period and easy way of extending the rental contract,
provide the car brand, model, equipment, year of production,
agree on the place and time of collecting the car,
possibility of obtaining a replacement car should any problems occur,
manner of determining and repair of the damage and costs of such repair,
what kind of car documents are required in a given country,
additional entrepreneurs' requirements,
way of concluding the contract, e.g.: reservation on the Internet,
term of the contract and promotional rules,
penalties for improper performance of the contract (e.g. failing to deliver the car on time, defects in the equipment) or earlier termination of a contract.

It is advisable to ask the entrepreneur additional questions, should we have any doubts.

If we reserve a car through the Internet, we must print the copy of our order and e-mail correspondence. In case of a reservation made through telephone, it is recommended that the arrangements be confirmed in writing. If we conclude the consumer has at least 7 working days to withdraw from the contract.

In course of car reservation, we should ask for a photo of a model that will be rented to us. In this way we shall be able to find out whether a given car meets our expectations.

We must demand that the car rental contract be in writing.A consumer should get one copy of the contract. Next, we should read the contract carefully. The contract should comprise all terms and conditions of car rent. If unexpectedly some oral arrangements are made upon collecting a car, they should be added in writing to the contract including the date of new provisions and additionally signed by the contracting parties.

It is recommended that the contract includes the billing of specific payment components, e.g.: payment of advanced money and the rules of its possible return. This provides at least some influence of the consumer on the performance of obligations by both parties at each stage. Occasionally, for security, the entrepreneur, requests to make out a blank document (e.g.: a cheque). We should avoid such situation or request the document back. The contract should also expressly indicate the fact.

Upon collecting the car the consumer should carefully inspect the car, report immediately to the entrepreneur any reservations in writing, specifically a noticeable damage to the car and its description. The requirement of approving by a consumer technical condition of the car is inappropriate because in most cases, a consumer is not able to determine such condition and in this way he deprives himself of his right to claim. It is the entrepreneurs responsibility to provide a car in good working order.

Additionally, collecting a car, we must remember the car documents. This enables us to check the last inspection date of the car.

If we have an accident when car is with us, it is recommendable to take the car to a garage to estimate the cost of damage. Then we are secure that the entrepreneur will also describe the actual damage. However, the car repair should be left to the car owner.

The delivery acceptance report should comprise a statement regarding the condition of the car upon its delivery to a car rental company (without outside damage, in good working order). The delivery acceptance report should be made in two copies, one for the consumer, and should carry the date and signatures of both parties.

Insurance

While renting a car abroad, the consumer should check the terms and conditions of the insurance and specifically what kind of damage it covers (material damage to a car, theft) as well as the regulations relating to driving in other countries. It may happen that the provisions of the contract of insurance set special conditions of driving the car within the European Union Member States and outside Europe. Sometimes, the consumer must take out additional insurance for going abroad. General terms and conditions of the insurance should also indicate the way of reporting the damage, e.g. within 48 hours.

In case of any problems, it is recommendable to resolve a dispute in an amicable way because the insurer is much better-off and the most "powerful market player". Similarly as in Poland, also other countries have specialised organisations for the conciliatory settlement of disputes regarding insurances.

More information REPORT Rent a Car in the European Union Member States

Report "Rent a car in European Union"

More about insuring the cars in the European Union legal acts:

Directives 92/49/EEC of June 18th, 1992 on the co-ordination of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to direct insurance other than life insurance and amending Council Directive 73/239/EEC and Council Directive 88/357/EEC (third non-life insurance Directive - published in the EC Official Journal L 228 of 11.8.1992),
Directives 2000/26/EC of 16th May 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to insurance against civil liability in respect of the use of motor vehicles and amending Council Directives 73/239/EEC and 88/357/EEC (fourth motor insurance Directive - published in the Official Journal L 181, of 20.07.2000),
Directives 2001/17/EC March 19th, 2001 on the reorganisation and winding-up of insurance undertakings (Official Journal EC L 110 of 20.04.2001),
Directives 2002/83/EC of 5th November 2002 concerning life assurance (Official Journal EC L 345 of 19.12.2002).
Data regarding the announcement of European Union legal acts included in this act, on the day of Poland's accession to the European Union - concern the announcement of these acts in the European Union Official Journal special issue. (152)
2)Amendments to the act were published in the Official Journal of 2000 No. 86, L 958 and No. 114, L 1193, of 2001 No. 49, L 509, No. 67, L 679, No. 102, L 1115 and No. 147, L 1643, z 2002 No. 1, L 2, No. 115, L. 995 and No. 130, L 1112, and of 2003 No. 86, L 789.
3)Amendments of the unified text of the act referred to were published in the Official Journal of 2002 No. 126, L 1070, No. 141, L 1178, No. 144, L 1208, No. 153, L 1271, No. 169, L 1385 and 1387, and No. 241, L 2074, of 2003 No. 50, L 424, No. 60, L 535, No. 65, L 594, No. 228, L 2260 and No. 229, L 2276, of 2004 No. 64, L 594, No. 68, L 623, No. 91, L 870, No. 96, L 959, No. 121, L. 1264, No.146, L 1546 and No. 173, L 1808, and of 2005 No. 83, L 719 and No. 85, L 727.
4)Amendments of the unified text of the act referred to were published in the Official Journal of 2002 No. 19, L 185, No. 74, L 676, No. 81, L 731, No. 113, L 984, No. 115, L 996, No. 153, L 1271, No. 176, L 1457 and No. 200, L 1688, and of 2003 No. 90, L 844 and No. 113, L 1070.
5)Amendments to the act were published in the Official Journal of 2001 No. 63, L 641, of 2002 No. 25, L 253, No. 32, L 299, No. 41, L 365, No. 74, L 676, No. 89, L 804, No. 141, L 1178, No. 144, L 1204, No. 169, L 1385, and No. 180, L 1500, and of 2003 No. 65, L 597.
6)Amendments to the act were published in the Official Journal of 1992 No. 63, L 315, of 1994 No. 121, L 591, of 1995 No. 138, L 682, of 1996 No. 24, L 110, of 1997 No. 104, L 661, No. 121, L 769, and No. 158, L 1041, of 1998 No. 106, L 668, No. 117, L 756 and No. 162, L 1115, of 1999 No. 28, L 255 and 256 and No. 84, L 935, of 2000 No. 3, L 28, No. 12, L 136, No. 43, L 489, No. 84, L 948, No. 114, L 1193 and No. 120, L 1268, of 2001 No. 5, L 45, No. 88, L 961, No. 100, L 1083, No. 111, L 1193, No. 113, L 1207, No. 126, L 1382, 1383 and 1384 and No. 128, L 1407, of 2002 No. 113, L 984 and of 2003 No. 45, L 391.
7)Amendments to the act were published in the Official Journal of 1971 No. 27, L 252, of 1976 No. 19, L 122, of 1982 No. 11, L 81, No. 19, L 147, and No. 30, L 210, of 1984 No. 45, L 242, of 1985 No. 22, L 99, of 1989 No. 3, L 11, of 1990 No. 34, L 198, No. 55, L 321 and No. 79, L 464, of 1991 No. 107, L 464 and No. 115, L 496, of 1993 No. 17, L 78, of 1994 No. 27, L 96, No. 85, L 388 and No. 105, L 509, of 1995 r. No. 83, L 417, of 1996 No. 114, L 542, No. 139, L 646, and No. 149, L 703, of 1997 No. 43, L 272, No. 115, L 741, No. 117, L 751 and No. 157, L 1040, of 1998 No. 106, L 668, and No. 117, L 758, of 1999. No. 52, L 532, of 2000 r. No. 22, L 271, No. 74, L 855 and 857, No. 88, L 983 and No. 114, L 1191, of 2001 No. 11, L 91, No. 71, L 733, No. 130, L 1450 and No. 145, L 1638, of 2002 No. 113, L 984, and No. 141, L 1176, and of 2003 No. 49, L 408, No. 60, L 535 and No. 64, L 592.
8)Amendments to the act were published in the Official Journal of 1992 No. 63, L 315, of 1994 No. 121, L 591, of 1995 No. 138, L 682, of 1996 No. 24, L 110, of 1997 No. 104, L 661, No. 121, L 769, and No. 158, L 1041, of 1998 No. 106, L 668, No. 117, L 756, and No. 162, L 1115, of 1999 No. 28, L 255, and 256 and No. 84, L 935, of 2000 No. 3, L 28, No. 12, L 136, No. 43, L 489, No. 84, L 948, No. 114, L 1193 and No. 120, L 1268, of 2001 No. 5, L 45, No. 88, L 961, No. 100, L 1083, No. 111, L 1193, No. 113, L 1207, No. 126, L 1382, 1383 and 1384 and No. 128, L 1407, of 2002 No. 113, L 984, and of 2003 No. 45, L 391.

The project financed by the European Commission and the Office of Competition and Consumers' Protection