Start with one clear rental brief

Write down the driver’s age, licence country, collection and return times, locations, passenger count and luggage. Add essential requirements such as an automatic gearbox or a child seat. We recommend using this same brief for every quote so you can explain whether two offers actually meet the same need.

Keep this as a comparison record without passport numbers, licence numbers or card details. Those belong in the provider’s agreed booking process.

Check that the driver can collect the car

Read the collection conditions for the specific offer before recommending it. For example, Zest’s help page says its providers require a physical credit card held by the main driver. Treat that as a provider example, then check the payment-card, age and licence requirements for the rental you are selling.

For a UK licence holder driving abroad, GOV.UK explains how to check licence and international driving permit requirements. A hire company may also ask for driving licence information. Link the traveller to the relevant official guidance rather than copying a rule from another destination.

Our practical recommendation is to confirm collection eligibility first. Comparing upgrades is wasted work if a mandatory collection condition remains unresolved.

Separate price, deposit and excess

Use three labelled lines in your comparison: the rental cost, the security deposit and the damage or theft excess. Ask the supplier to explain any missing amount, currency or condition. This keeps a possible card hold separate from the amount paid for the rental.

The BVRLA’s rental guidance distinguishes a third-party excess insurance policy from the rental company’s own excess waiver. A reimbursement policy does not remove the excess owed to the rental company; a claim may follow a payment. The guidance also highlights exclusions. Check the actual wording rather than treating “covered” as a complete explanation.

If the customer needs advice about choosing insurance, use the appropriate authorised process. This checklist compares disclosed rental terms; it does not recommend an insurance policy.

Compare what is included and what is payable locally

For each offer, ask for the fuel policy, mileage allowance, additional-driver cost, requested extras and any location or out-of-hours charges. Record which costs are included, which are payable locally and which are still unknown. Give each unknown an owner so it does not disappear into a vague note.

A useful comparison line might read: “Additional driver: amount and currency; paid when; source checked on date.” This is a suggested record format, not a supplier quote. It makes the commercial difference easier to explain without inventing an all-inclusive total.

Use a worked comparison without hiding the trade-off

Illustrative figures only: quote A costs £210 and a required extra costs £30, making £240. Quote B costs £250 with that extra included. If all other conditions were equal, A would cost £10 less. A larger security deposit would still need a separate comparison; it is not added to the rental cost as though it were a fee.

In a real comparison, list the remaining differences beside the figures. We recommend showing the customer why an offer fits their brief, rather than choosing on headline price alone.

Keep a record through to collection

Before confirming, save the agreed offer, current conditions and supplier reference in your booking record. Check that the voucher repeats the correct driver, dates and collection instructions. Record the contact route for a late arrival or collection problem so the traveller knows where to start.

Use this final handover prompt: “Can the driver collect this vehicle, what must they bring, what may they pay and who should they contact?” If an essential answer is missing, resolve it before presenting the booking as ready.

For the website side, see our car hire supplier directory and car hire booking engine page. Ask to demonstrate the terms your chosen supplier actually returns.