Car rental - Car manual not automatic

Based on resolver’s experience to date, you rarely get exactly the model you were hoping for when renting a vehicle and rental companies are usually careful to include a clause in their terms and conditions stating that the car you have seen online or in a brochure is a guide only and that that exact make, model or colour may not be what you actually get. However, if you specifically requested a automatic vehicle, then the company, is obliged to provide you with one. If they cannot provide you with a suitable alternative, resolver recommends that you use a different company to hire the car you requested and claim any additional costs from the original rental company. If you paid by credit card, you can also try and claim from your credit card company under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. If you are forced to accept the manual drive vehicle because there were no other car-hire options open to you then you should write to the customer service department of your rental company and make a formal complaint. This may result in an apology or compensation, and hopefully should encourage the car rental company to do better next time.

If you are unhappy with the company’s response, resolver recommends that you contact one of the bodies that deal with car rental disputes. If you booked your car direct with a hire company, the European Car Rental Conciliation Service (ECRCS) provides a free service to deal with Europe-wide disputes. There is also the European Consumer Centres Network which will investigate any breaches of European contract law free of charge. For UK rentals, the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) provides free assistance with complaints about companies which adhere to its own code of conduct. resolver recommends that you submit your concern in writing to any of these organisations (see their websites for contact details) and resolver can assist you in submitting, recording and reminding you when and who to escalate to.

It can be extremely frustrating when the car you hired is a manual drive, not an automatic. resolver can help you resolve this issue quickly, free of charge and without the hassle. We can also help you with the next step of writing your complaint. Click on the link below to create your email.
You should know

Car rental companies have to give clear terms and conditions, transparent pricing info, and a full explanation of their liability and waiver cover. In fact, all charges should be made clear to you upfront.

You should always take a full inventory and get the car hire company to sign off on everything – even if the company tells you it isn’t necessary.

If you decide to take out extra cover, it’s best to make sure that the cover is in the same name as the lead driver. This could avoid a number of potential pitfalls in the future.

Car hire companies should invoice you for any charges incurred. In some cases, they may debit money directly from your account – they should make efforts to notify you beforehand.

If you do have to dispute a charge, you should always try to do it within 14 days.

We have 5,115 pages of rights advice for you covering 10,930 companies and organisations across 16 public & private sectors. Feel free to browse companies for this specific issue - they're all listed below - but the quickest way to find the best rights for you is by using our unique Rights Finder to access our extensive database of advice.

Start by telling us the name of the company or organisation you have an issue with.