The car rental company InterRent has clearly decided that foreign-based business people with flexible plans are a danger to be avoided and any non-UK resident who tries to book a rental car with this company without proof of an onward ticket will have the reservation cancelled.
The right to cancel a rental contract, clearly without warning, is provided on page 3 of their contract on a page of dense text, as shown below.
I have used InterRent previously, as recently as June 2016, when hiring a car at Edinburgh airport, and also September 2016 at Manchester airport. On neither occasion was I asked to provide evidence of a return flight nor was I subject to an Equifax check. So, the fact that I am a UK citizen living in another EU Member State, a holder of a UK-based credit card and have used this company’s services twice this year, with no adverse consequences for the company, accounted for nought when I tried to rent one of their cars in November 2016 in Luton.
As a result of the enforced cancellation, I had to seek quotes from other companies, all of whom were bemused –to say the least- at the requirement for a non-resident to provide proof of a ticket leaving the UK. How my paying, say, £20 or £30 for a ‘fake’ onward journey would provide succour to InterRent beggars belief; I would have thought that the fact that I have been a customer twice in the last five months would carry rather more weight, but clearly not.
I have rented a car about six times so far this year and, it goes without saying, that InterRent has lost access to all future revenues from me. However, as I am clearly a foreigner who is not to be trusted, I am sure that they feel comfortable with this decision.
