Declined car hire because of Credit Check?

[Chicane-UK]

I've just had an infuriating experience. My Corrado is in pieces in my garage waiting on some parts from VW, so I decided to hire a car to get around in for a few days, and so I could pick up bits I needed.

I've almost always hired from Hertz and they've always been good to me but out of convenience decided to go with National / Europcar.

I booked the car online, on Saturday, and pre-paid on my credit card. I've just walked to their depot this morning in the drizzle only to be told that I failed a credit check, and that unless I go home and get a bank statement / bill they won't hire me a car. Trying to remain polite whilst ready to explode inside, I told them that I was unwilling to make a further 10 mile round trip walk to get paperwork and told them to cancel my booking.

Baffling for many reasons. My credit is in very good standing (immediately checked it when I got home!), and why not do this damn credit check online rather than wasting your time in this way? I'm absolutely livid. And needless to say I'll never waste my time with them again and will just stick with Hertz in future.

[panholio]

Is this something to do with the electoral roll?

AFAIK they can't do a full blown credit check without advising you first. They probably just did an info seacrh which isn't visible to others.

[Amused2death]

We used Enterprise a few weeks ago. Booked online and in their T's & C's it stated they wanted to see a household bill or bank statement. NO problem with that, I knew before I got there.

Did you read their online stuff to see what that says?

[Dr Interceptor]

Yup, rather than being a credit check, it will merely be an identity check, still often performed by people like Experian. Just to prevent you signing up for a car using a bogus address and stolen card, then never returning.

I had one done a while back as a company director when we signed up for a new card processing system on a contract, I could see the check being performed on my credit file, but it's not a search that would be visible to other institutions.

I personally would contact Experian, and ask what it is on your file that would make you fail such a check, and then take it from there.

[Engineer1]

So the OP is pissed off because a company won't lend him an expensive asset as they can't prove he is credit worthy enough. I assume they want to know that should the car come back trashed you could afford to pay for the repairs / replacement and if they can't prove this on-line they offer you an option to asist them in finding the info.

[Chicane-UK]

Engineer1 said:

So the OP is pissed off because a company won't lend him an expensive asset as they can't prove he is credit worthy enough. I assume they want to know that should the car come back trashed you could afford to pay for the repairs / replacement and if they can't prove this on-line they offer you an option to asist them in finding the info.

I'm pissed off because I'm confused that I failed the check. I've lived at that address for a couple of years, I am on the electoral roll, with the same address that's on my drivers license - and I don't understand why the credit check wasn't done online when they took the payment for the car from me.

Of course I understand they want to protect a valuable asset in case I trash it - I'm just pissed off at the inconvenience and time wasting I've had to go through, for nothing.

[rallycross]

They wont hire you a car unless they are confident you are who you say you are.
Their credit check may in fact just be an ID check, no footprint left on your credit report, and if you do not show up as per your driving licence address then more proof of ID required before you can drive off in their £10k car.

[surveyor]

Engineer1 said:

So the OP is pissed off because a company won't lend him an expensive asset as they can't prove he is credit worthy enough. I assume they want to know that should the car come back trashed you could afford to pay for the repairs / replacement and if they can't prove this on-line they offer you an option to asist them in finding the info.

Not this I suspect

rallycross said:

They wont hire you a car unless they are confident you are who you say you are.
Their credit check may in fact just be an ID check, no footprint left on your credit report, and if you do not show up as per your driving licence address then more proof of ID required before you can drive off in their £10k car.

But this I would suspect.

[GC8]

Chicane-UK said:

I'm pissed off because I'm confused that I failed the check. I've lived at that address for a couple of years, I am on the electoral roll, with the same address that's on my drivers license - and I don't understand why the credit check wasn't done online when they took the payment for the car from me.

Of course I understand they want to protect a valuable asset in case I trash it - I'm just pissed off at the inconvenience and time wasting I've had to go through, for nothing.

As others have said, its an identity check provided by a credit reference agency and it wont be recorded (a soft check). Because it isnt reviewed by a person the smallest discrepancy will cause this. Recently my christian name was misspelled on the new RoE with a ridiculous and obvious duplicated letter and the same happened.

Its been made worse by the employee who didnt understand his own procedure and incorrectly told you that you had failed a credit check.

[Chicane-UK]

GC8 said:

As others have said, its an identity check provided by a credit reference agency and it wont be recorded (a soft check). Because it isnt reviewed by a person the smallest discrepancy will cause this. Recently my christian name was misspelled on the new RoE with a ridiculous and obvious duplicated letter and the same happened.

Its been made worse by the employee who didnt understand his own procedure and incorrectly told you that you had failed a credit check.

That makes more sense - thanks for clarifying.

[Mxty]

If you don't find a solution a decent alternative is hiring with a debit card (means that you don't get a credit check) http://indigocarhire.co.uk are the company I used

[All that jazz]

Mxty with 1 post said:

If you don't find a solution a decent alternative is hiring with a debit card (means that you don't get a credit check) http://indigocarhire.co.uk are the company I used

[GC8]

Useful for some people though? I wasnt aware of any chains who accepted debit card only payment.

[Mxty]

I'm sorry "all that jazz" if you can't hire a car because of your credit then I was just stating there is an alternative option. Apologize for somehow offending you....

Edited by Mxty on Monday 23 September 15:10

[All that jazz]

Mxty said:

I'm sorry "all that jazz" if you can't hire a car because of your credit then I was just stating there is an alternative option. Apologize for somehow offending you....

Edited by Mxty on Monday 23 September 15:10

Are you also sorry for only joining here to promote your company and website even though you're fully aware it's against the site rules? No, thought not.

[Mxty]

I wasn't fully aware its against site rules, but I wasn't doing it as a part of promotion. Indigo genuinely help people with a low credit score when other car rental companies don't, if I can help Chicane-UK get the car he needs without being credit checked then whats the problem with that?

I see it as a helpful contribution to the post...

Unlike the use of a laughing smiley face...

[CYMR0]

Mxty said:

I wasn't fully aware its against site rules, but I wasn't doing it as a part of promotion. Indigo genuinely help people with a low credit score when other car rental companies don't, if I can help Chicane-UK get the car he needs without being credit checked then whats the problem with that?

I see it as a helpful contribution to the post...

... but it's not helpful to say that Indigo is the company you used, rather than the company you own/work for.

You're not giving the perspective of a customer, which is what you appear to be, but rather promoting something for your own direct benefit. That changes the credibility of the post and is against the rules for a good reason.

[Mxty]

CYMR0 said:

... but it's not helpful to say that Indigo is the company you used, rather than the company you own/work for.

You're not giving the perspective of a customer, which is what you appear to be, but rather promoting something for your own direct benefit. That changes the credibility of the post and is against the rules for a good reason.

I have booked with Indigo at Alicante airport but yes I also work for them, it's not for my own benefit? I just don't know of any other companies he would be able to get around this issue.... as most car hire companies do credit checks, he mentioned he will stick with Hertz but I think they also do credit checks... or at least im pretty sure

[Chicane-UK]

I've hired with Hertz multiple times this year and am even a member of their 'Gold' service - where you pretty much turn up and they give you the keys. So no issues dealing with them.

[Mxty]

My apologize then, but it is an alternative option in case you need it. Was only trying to help...