Rental Terms & Conditions

1. About us and these terms

1.1 These terms apply to every vehicle rental from sixtrentcar, a trading name of SIXT RENT A CAR SL LTD, a company registered in England and Wales under company number 17561835, with its registered office at 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ ("we", "us", "our").

1.2 You can contact us on +44 7862 611228, by email at bookings@sixtrentcar.co.uk or by post at our registered office.

1.3 Your rental agreement is made up of these terms, the booking confirmation, the rental agreement you sign at pick-up (which records the vehicle, dates, condition and fuel level) and the policies these terms refer to. The booking confirmation records the price and services agreed before payment. Handover paperwork records the vehicle and its condition; it does not remove rights or add undisclosed charges. Any change to an agreed booking must be clearly explained and expressly agreed by you. Your statutory rights always apply.

1.4 Please read these terms carefully before you book. If you don't understand anything, please ask us.

2. Words we use

• "You" or the "hirer": the person named as the main driver on the booking, who signs the rental agreement.
• "Authorised driver": you, and any additional driver named on the rental agreement whom we have approved.
• "Vehicle": the car or van we rent to you, including its keys, documents, tyres, tools, accessories and any equipment we supply.
• "Rental period": the time from when you collect the vehicle (or we deliver it) until you return it and its keys in accordance with the agreed return instructions. A delayed inspection does not extend your rental or make you responsible for events after a proper return.
• "Rental day": each 24-hour period from the pick-up time.
• "Excess": the most you pay towards loss of or damage to the vehicle under the included cover, as set out in our Insurance & Protection policy.

3. Booking and when the contract starts

3.1 When you send a booking request through our website, by email, you are asking to rent a vehicle. Submitting a request does not reserve a vehicle or take payment. After checking availability and eligibility, we send you a written offer showing the total price, deposit, excess, collection arrangements and these terms. A contract is formed when you accept that offer and the agreed payment is received; we then send confirmation and a copy of the applicable terms by email for you to keep. If we cannot accept a payment already received, we refund it in full.

3.2 We confirm a vehicle category, not a particular make or model. If the category you booked isn't available, we will offer you a vehicle from the same or a higher category at no extra cost. If we can't, you can cancel for a full refund.

3.3 Please check your booking confirmation and tell us straight away if anything is wrong.

3.4 We may refuse a booking or a handover if the driver doesn't meet our Driver Requirements, can't produce the required documents, or appears to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If we refuse at handover for one of these reasons, our Cancellation & Refund Policy applies as if you had cancelled on the day.

4. Prices and payment

4.1 Prices are in pounds sterling and include all applicable taxes. The price shown on your booking confirmation is the price you pay for the vehicle, the rental period and the extras you chose.

4.2 The rental price includes third-party liability insurance, a collision damage waiver and theft protection (each subject to an excess), roadside breakdown assistance, and 250 miles per rental day.

4.3 You pay the full rental price when you book, by credit or debit card through our payment provider's secure payment page. We do not see or store your full card details.

4.4 Other charges can arise during or after your rental, for example for fuel, extra mileage, late return, damage, fines or cleaning. These are listed in the schedule of charges at the end of these terms. We will never charge you for anything not listed there or allowed under these terms, and we will always send you an itemised invoice explaining any charge.

4.5 A booking does not give us unlimited authority to charge your card. Any later card charge must be supported by your payment authorisation and the payment provider’s rules. We send an itemised explanation and supporting evidence before taking a disputed or damage-related payment, allow at least 14 days to respond, and pause collection of that charge while we review a timely dispute. We release any undisputed balance of the deposit promptly. See our Security Deposit & Damage Policy. You retain your rights to dispute a payment with your card issuer.

5. Security deposit

5.1 At pick-up we place a pre-authorisation for the security deposit for your vehicle category on a credit card in the main driver's name. The amount for each category is shown on our fleet page and in the Security Deposit & Damage Policy.

5.2 The deposit is not a payment. We release it after the vehicle has been returned and checked in, less any amounts you owe us under these terms, which we will explain to you in writing.

6. Who can drive

6.1 Only authorised drivers may drive the vehicle. Every authorised driver must meet our Driver Requirements, including the age limits (23–75) and holding a full, valid driving licence for at least 2 years.

6.2 You are responsible for making sure that only authorised drivers drive the vehicle. Allowing an unauthorised driver may result in liability for losses caused by that breach. This does not limit compulsory third-party insurance rights under applicable law.

7. Collection, delivery and handover

7.1 You can collect the vehicle from our branch during opening hours, or we can deliver it to an address in Greater London (inside the M25) for the delivery charge shown when you book.

7.2 At handover we will inspect the vehicle with you, record its condition, mileage and fuel or charge level on the rental agreement, and take date-stamped photographs. Please point out any damage we haven't recorded before you drive away.

7.3 We supply the vehicle roadworthy, clean, with a valid MOT (where needed), road tax and insurance, and serviced to the manufacturer's schedule.

7.4 Our Collection & Return Policy has more detail on collection, delivery and returns.

8. Using the vehicle

8.1 You must look after the vehicle, keep it locked when you're not using it, keep the keys safe, and use it only on public roads in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), unless we have agreed otherwise in writing.

8.2 You and every authorised driver must not:

• drive under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any substance that affects your ability to drive;
• use the vehicle for hire or reward (for example as a taxi, for ride-hailing or for paid deliveries), unless we have agreed to this in writing for a business account;
• use the vehicle for any illegal purpose, for racing, rallying, speed tests or off-road driving, or to give driving lessons;
• tow anything, or carry more passengers or a heavier load than the vehicle is designed for;
• carry dangerous, flammable or illegal goods;
• smoke or vape in the vehicle, or carry animals other than assistance dogs, unless agreed in advance;
• take the vehicle outside the UK, onto a ferry or through the Channel Tunnel without our prior written permission;
• make any changes to the vehicle, or let anyone else repair it, without our permission;
• sublet the vehicle or let anyone else take possession of it.

8.3 You must check the vehicle's warning lights, and keep the tyres at the correct pressure, during the rental. If a warning light comes on, stop as soon as it is safe and use the assistance contact details supplied with your rental agreement.

9. Insurance and excess

9.1 The vehicle is insured for third-party liability as required by the Road Traffic Act 1988. The rental price also includes a collision damage waiver and theft protection. These limit what you pay if the vehicle is damaged or stolen to the excess for your vehicle category, as long as you have kept to these terms.

9.2 Some types of loss or damage are not covered, and you will be liable for their full cost. Our Insurance & Protection policy explains the cover, the excess, the exclusions and the optional Excess Reduction.

10. Accidents, breakdown and theft

10.1 If there is an accident, make sure everyone is safe, call the emergency services if anyone is hurt or the road is blocked, and use the accident-assistance contact details supplied with your rental agreement.

10.2 Don't admit liability. Collect the names, addresses, vehicle registrations and insurance details of everyone involved and any witnesses. Take photos if it's safe to do so. Report the accident to us in writing within 24 hours, and to the police where the law requires it.

10.3 If the vehicle breaks down, use the assistance contact details supplied with your rental agreement. Don't arrange repairs yourself. If the breakdown isn't caused by you, we will repair or replace the vehicle as soon as reasonably possible, or refund the unused rental days.

10.4 If the vehicle or its keys are lost or stolen, report it to the police straight away, get a crime reference number and tell us within 24 hours.

11. Fuel, charging, mileage and cleanliness

11.1 Return the vehicle with at least the same fuel or charge level recorded at pick-up. Use only the correct fuel for the vehicle.

11.2 Each rental day includes 250 miles, added up over the whole rental period. We charge £0.20 per mile above the total allowance.

11.3 Return the vehicle in a reasonably clean condition. Normal use is fine. We charge a valeting fee only if the vehicle needs specialist cleaning.

11.4 Our Collection & Return Policy sets out the related charges.

12. Congestion Charge, tolls and fines

12.1 During the rental period you are responsible for paying, on time, the London Congestion Charge, the Dartford Crossing charge, any other road user or toll charges, parking charges, and any fines or penalties incurred while the vehicle is in your care.

12.2 If we receive a penalty charge notice or fine, we may transfer liability to you as the hirer where the law allows it, and give your details to the issuing authority. Where we have to pay it, we will recharge you the amount paid plus an administration fee of £30 per notice.

12.3 Check the actual vehicle registration against the relevant charging-zone rules before travel. We will provide the registration and any known applicable vehicle charges before handover; no fleet-wide exemption is promised.

13. Returning the vehicle

13.1 Return the vehicle, with its keys and everything we supplied, to the agreed place by the date and time on your rental agreement. We will inspect it with you, if you are there, and take date-stamped photographs.

13.2 There is a 59-minute grace period. After that, we charge one extra rental day at your booking's daily rate for each rental day, or part of a day, that you are late. If you need to keep the vehicle longer, contact us before the end of your rental. We will extend it if the vehicle is available.

13.3 If you don't return the vehicle and don't contact us, we will try to reach you. After 24 hours we may report the vehicle to the police as stolen and recover it. You will be liable for our reasonable recovery costs.

14. Cancellation and changes

14.1 Our Cancellation & Refund Policy sets out how you can change or cancel a booking, and what refund you get.

14.2 Under regulation 28(1)(h) of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, the 14-day cancellation period does not apply to vehicle rental for specific dates. Our cancellation policy gives you a free cancellation right instead.

14.3 If we have to cancel your booking for a reason within our control, we will refund everything you have paid in full.

15. Damage and charges after the rental

15.1 You are responsible for loss of or damage to the vehicle during the rental period, up to the excess, or in full where an exclusion applies. Fair wear and tear is not damage.

15.2 Our Security Deposit & Damage Policy explains how we assess damage, provide evidence and estimates, take payment, and how you can challenge a charge.

16. Our responsibilities to you

16.1 We will provide our services with reasonable care and skill, as the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires.

16.2 We are responsible for loss or damage you suffer that is a foreseeable result of our breaking these terms or failing to use reasonable care and skill. We are not responsible for loss or damage that is not foreseeable, or for business losses (such as loss of profit) where you rent as a consumer.

16.3 Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud, or for anything else that cannot be limited by law. Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights.

16.4 We are not responsible for personal belongings left in the vehicle, unless the loss is caused by our negligence.

17. Your responsibilities

17.1 You are responsible for the vehicle during the rental period and for complying with these terms. You are also responsible for the acts of any authorised driver as if they were your own.

17.2 If you break these terms you will be responsible for our reasonable, foreseeable losses that result, subject to the agreed waiver and excess limits. We must take reasonable steps to minimise loss, deduct costs saved and third-party recoveries, and cannot recover twice for the same loss. A breach unrelated to the loss does not automatically remove your protection.

18. Ending the agreement early

18.1 We may end the rental and take the vehicle back if you seriously break these terms. This includes driving under the influence, allowing an unauthorised person to drive, or using the vehicle for an illegal purpose. We will refund unused rental days, less any amounts you owe us.

18.2 If you return the vehicle early, we will refund unused full rental days if we are able to re-rent the vehicle for those days. We also deduct costs saved from any amount retained and will not retain more than our reasonable net loss. This does not restrict remedies where we are at fault.

19. Your personal data

19.1 We use your personal data as described in our Privacy Policy, including to check driving licences, prevent fraud, and deal with accidents, claims and penalty notices.

20. Complaints

20.1 If you're unhappy with anything, please tell us. Our Complaints Procedure explains how we handle complaints and the options you have if we can't resolve yours.

21. General

21.1 We may transfer our rights and obligations only if your contractual rights and guarantees are not reduced, and will tell you beforehand. If a transfer would materially disadvantage you, you may cancel the unperformed part for a refund. You may not transfer your rights or obligations without our written consent.

21.2 If a court decides that any part of these terms is invalid, the rest will still apply.

21.3 If we don't enforce a right straight away, we can still enforce it later.

21.4 Only you and we have rights under these terms. Nobody else can enforce them under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.

21.5 We may update these terms from time to time. The version supplied with and accepted for your booking applies throughout that rental. Later website changes do not retrospectively change your agreement.

22. Governing law

22.1 These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales. You can bring legal proceedings in the courts of England and Wales. If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you can also bring proceedings there.

Schedule of charges

All amounts include applicable taxes. Daily rates, deposits and excess for each vehicle category are shown in the table at the end of this schedule.