The car hire industry could be classified by the length of the rentals
. There are short term rentals which are priced daily, weekly and monthly. Then there are longer terms where rentals which are typically between 24 and 48 months.
The short term industry has multiple routes of entry and has many uses. Uses are varied and would include holiday rentals, use as a replacement vehicle and courtesy cars. Access to these can be found easily through the internet, over the phone or by simply walking into a one of many car rental offices.
In the case of short term hires it would be necessary to, as a minimum, provide identification in the form of a full driving licence. It is also possible that a credit search would be taken out and a form of deposit may be required as protection for the car hire firm. An insurance policy would be needed which can be provided by the hire firm. Ensure you are clear what the policy is covering you for and check the level of excess before signing up.
The cost of rentals will be more expensive on a daily basis than monthly or quarterly rentals. Try to plan how long you will need the vehicle for before you take to try to minimize the daily cost.
There is less options available for mid length rentals such as 12 month terms. The costs can be prohibitive for both the consumer and the providers.
Longer terms rentals tend to be 24 to 48 months but can sometimes be longer at 60 months. Again the longer rentals will be cheaper on a monthly basis than the shorter terms. It is worth considering carefully how long you are prepared to keep the same car as the escape costs from the contract can be costly.
The long term car rental will require a credit search and a larger initial payment of 3 months is often taken. Remember you will need to take out fully comprehensive insurance so you will need to factor this into the cost. Also consider maintenance costs, if you are doing a large number of miles it may be worth taking a maintenance contract.
Car hire in the UK is easily accessed provided you have the right identification and have a solid credit history. Shop around to find the best and most cost effective solution for your requirements.