Hidden Fees When Renting a Luxury Car in Dubai

Imagine, that you return the rented car to the company after a joyful ride. You’ve driven it with all the care in the world, thinking that the trip went smoothly. But afterwards you find out, that there is another bill to pay and that one may easily be twice more than the rental price.

In Dubai most renters are tourists and they prioritize their time, what leads to surprising facts from the signed T&C and unpleasant consequences. We understand that anyone barely wants to spend their limited vacation time on endless questions to the manager and reading papers, so we prepared the most popular hidden fees, that may appear in your final bill

Types of car rental hidden costs

Deposit deductions

Unfortunately, when you leave a deposit, by law the rental company can return it within 30 days. Until that time you may even not know, how many fees were applied to your rental and by the time you find out, there is a big chance you will be out of the country already.

If you don’t have a well-checked rental company, better choose the rental companies with no deposit option. In case any charges apply, you will have an opportunity to figure it out with manager and get fair terms.

Phantom Charges

These charges are largely invisible and are usually not that big, but may affect the cost significantly, if you don’t know about them

Typical examples are: admin fees to process your booking, paperwork, unrequested extra-services etc.

Don’t hesitate to ask the manager, what is included in the price to be sure, you didn’t order something unintentionally.

Rental Policy

Terms and Conditions vary depending on the company you choose, here are the key things to pay attention to:

Mileage Limits: daily limit and charge for extra-mileage
Fuel Policy: should the care be returned with full tank and what will be the fee for empty tank return
Car Usage: what is not allowed to do in the car, where the car can be driven

If you will not ensure the T&C in advance, you may face not only fines, but also conflicts with a rental company.

Damages Cost

Same as Terms and Conditions Damages Cost varies a lot. The most popular areas to risk are rims, front bumper, rear bumper and doors. Ask the manager to calculate the estimated cost of damage of the risk areas.

Some rentals, like Brook Drive, have their own Detailing Centers, that allows them to offer the best price of damage fix.

How to prevent hidden charges in Dubai car rentals

Like anywhere else, the key to preventing such charges is to be vigilant. Here’s how to avoid these traps while renting a car in Dubai:

Document everything

Take photos of the car before and after the rental. Take pics of the fuel gauge, odometer, and any scratches or dents.

Take itemized invoices

You need to ask for a breakdown of every single charge. If they hit you with any phantom charges like admin fees or cleaning charges, ask them to show it in their policy.

Most importantly

Want to avoid this hassle altogether? Choose the right rental car company in Dubai. Go for established names like Brook Drive and have peace of mind.