UKC

Hi,

I am trying to rent a car with an additional driver. Except it is practically impossible for him to be present when I collect the car.

Each rental agency I contact says the additional driver MUST be present when collecting the car.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get around this?

Thanks.

In reply to JuneBob:
Drop in at a different branch of the rental agency on your journey, and get him added then.

I did this once when I fell ill, admittedly it wasn't in England, but I know for certain that Hertz allow this, and I would expect others to as well. I assume we're talking about the UK - in the US I've had my wife and co-workers automatically added without them or their documentation being present.

In reply to JuneBob:

Rent it, collect your friend, return it and re-rent it for the pair of you? Buy a car or take your own?

Ask why they need to be present, do they sign have to something, does the licence need to be checked for validity, is there some visual/ID crosscheck required? Once you know what the problem is you may be better able to solve it.

jk

In reply to JuneBob:
Thanks for the replies.

We're not really in the most convenient location. He'll be in Saas Fee when I arrive in Geneva, then I drive to Saas Fee and meet him, and I go on randonnee tour to Zermatt while he drives to Zermatt. So, if we need to go to an office it's quite an extensive round trip.

I've emailed all the rental agencies and they all pressed reply template 13b or something. I'm following it up, but they're being quite stubborn.

In reply to JuneBob:

In the past I've got the extra driver to take his licence in to the branch a few days before. They could then check it and do what they need to before I collected the vehicle.

I would assume that he would have to appear in an office somehwere to sign/prove that he is who he says he is.

In reply to dsgarner:

Yeah, I'm asking that - so far that suggestion is met with a load of resistance...

In reply to JuneBob:

When I did it, I did it with a local company, wasn't a problem at all for them. Might be worth asking some of the smaller rental places, but then depends on where you are renting from/returning the car to?

In reply to JuneBob:

I had no problem doing this with eurocar in inverness, I simply presented the second drivers license along with mine. Both uk licenses in the uk might have made a difference though

In reply to JuneBob:

Well, it's in Switzerland, and rules are there to be followed at all costs with no exception. So, it's a bit tricky, especially as the online customer service is shocking.

In reply to JuneBob:

Take the train?