Drivalia
Provided a very nice, clean little car. Staff were helpful and professional. Location leaves a bit to be desired as it is offsite from the airport via a free bus transfer but that’s fine if you aren’t in a hurry!
Complete scam, our flight was delayed, when we got to the car hire desk they claimed that the economy car that I had hired was no longer available and an upgrade that was considerably more expensive was the only option available. This also happened to numerous other people whilst we were there one couple were forced to pay hundreds more as they had no other option.
Office was very busy and could have done with more staff, had to wait at least 30 minutes before being seen to. I took a video of all the scratches and marks before leaving the car park, when I returned the car I had to show the video to prove a scratch was on the car when I picked it up, and it hadn’t happened whilst in my possession.
We hired a car from Drivalia Belfast on 17th August with the maxiumum available coverage and waiver online for 8 days. We had a collision on 18th August, noone got injured, but the car was badly damaged and we had a terrible shock. We lost all our accommodation as we were not porovided by a replacement car. There was no roadside assistance and the company was not picking up the 24 hr helpline. since then I received a charge of 230 GBP, which I queried but paid, and then now a c 15000 GBP charge which is payable within 10 days. 1. Excess Waiver Purchased At the time of booking I purchased the Full cover with Super Relax waiver, which I understood should remove my liability for repair costs beyond the agreed excess. See attached confirmation email. Drivalia already charged me £230 (labelled as £150 excess + £80 admin fee). That should represent the maximum liability under the cover purchased. On 29th August 2025, during a telephone conversation I was informed that no further claim would be made beyond this amount. I also hold a screenshot from your system (see attached) confirming that £150 is the maximum excess applicable, consistent with the Super Relax cover I purchased. 2. No Evidence of Negligence I was not fined or prosecuted by police for any such conduct, and therefore I see no evidence to void the waiver. Drivalia assessed internally that I was found with gross negligence. There is no independent assessment on this available. 3. No Breakdown of Costs & Scrapping Admission They demand for £14,900, providings no repair invoices, cost breakdown, or supporting documentation. The state without dopcumentation that this is coming from their Balance Sheet (internal Finance document). 4. Concerns of Administrative Error Given that I purchased Super Relax, that I was charged £230, and that your own system confirms £150 as the maximum excess, I am concerned that the correct cover may not have been applied when the car was collected. If so, this would represent an internal administrative error on Drivalia’s part. I cannot accept liability for the consequences of such an error. 5. Lack of Transparency & Consumer Impact Throughout this matter there has been a lack of clarity and transparency in the information provided: • The website and protection documents are confusing and inconsistent, and key terms are not clearly explained. • The rental contract is not retrievable on your own portal, which prevents customers from verifying their coverage. We never received the original signed contract at the time of the collection, 17th August, only post dated documents. • Communication from your team has been fragmented, contradictory, and often unhelpful. • Furthermore, I was presented with “new” contracts showing my electronic signature and future dates, which I never signed nor authorised. This raises serious concerns about the integrity of your documentation. These failures have created unnecessary stress and confusion for me as a consumer, and your inability to provide clear documentation and support has had a direct negative impact. 6. Concerns About the Demand In light of the above, I do not believe this demand has been substantiated or that it reflects the cover purchased. l escalated my complaint to the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) and my credit card provider for a formal dispute of charges.
Excellent value- we hired an electric car for a fortnight and it was great! The company personnel were friendly and helpful.
The vehicle was not clean when I picked it up. It felt like the last to use it had just left a moment before I collected it. No one explained anything to me, there was no safety equipment with the vehicle as required by Italian law - Hi-viz jackets, first aid kit etc. I later found that there was a defective front headlight and the rear wiper blade was perished. The vehicle was given to me with barely any fuel a policy that needs to change to tank full to tank full. I will not use them again.
Used them for the last 3 years and would use again no hassle with them great vans
The car was dirty and not been valeted The petrol tank was only quater full
Excellent service received both on collection and return. Lovely brand new vehicle. Thank you
Very easy check in / out, car very nice, possibly best experience with a car hire firm ever
I got penalty charge notice for dartford crossing of 2,5 pounds - ive paid it immediately and send them confirmation. They took 50 pounds of admin fee that is not possible to get back - they call it admin fee for sending an e-mail i guess. This is just a scam to get additional money for missing payment that can happen when you visit a different country. No emails with confirmation from transport department that it's paid and closed helped. Avoid those sneaky basterds - they give low charges for rental but leech on additional payments.
Car was a Ford Focus (as booked) with 57,000 km on the clock, dented on the front, one side badly, and virtually every corner damaged. I was charged an unexpected extra for being over 75. I was also told I would have to pay €250 if the car needed breakdown assistance.
The desk staff were friendly and tried to be helpful, however their computer system did not work efficiently. On arrival we asked for an extra driver to be added to the rental. We presented all the necessary documents and means of payment but their system would not respond to the driver details. We waited an hour in the 30 degree heat for them to sort this out. We had ordered a fiat estate to accommodate four adults and luggage. They gave us a DR7 large chinese suv with the turning circle of an oil tanker. It was dirty and covered in small scratches and dents and unsuitable for the twisty roads of Tuscany. They could not provide a copy of the damage status in English, just Italian and sent by email. Consequently it was difficult to know what we were being asked to sign. After returning we were sent an invoice for an additional 80 euros plus tax, again in Italian, with no explanation what it was for..
They are con merchants. They quoted £225 for 2 weeks hire. When the car was collected by my customer they demanded a further £375 for excess cover. DO NOT USE THEM. USE A PROPER COMPANY INSTEAD.
The staff were friendly, explained everything clearly and quickly got me on the road
TERRIBLE/ DISSHONEST AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THEIR STRANDED CUSTOMERS
Efficient, effective and I cruelly got a better car than I expected
Excellent team that went above and beyond. I hope to use Drivalia Newcastle again as they were superb.