Apart from being the capital city of the United Kingdom, London is the regions largest city. Some of the biggest attractions in London include the Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, and Trafalgar Square, River Thames, among others. It is no wonder that London receives a total of around 30 million tourists annually. While getting around London could be easy and cheap, having your own wheels would be far more convenient. For instance, you will be able to stop over and take in the city’s splendid views as well as reach areas you wouldn’t have reached with public transport. In this post, we discuss the various London car hire options available to you including how you can find a peer to peer car rental in London.
Renting from top car rental companies
London is home to traditional car rental companies including Budget, Hertz, Avis, and the leading peer to peer car rental UK Company, Drivy UK. All you need to do is to have a valid driving license. Peer-to-peer car rentals are different from traditional car renting agencies in that the vehicles are owned by private individuals. Hence, the rental company which rents them out only acts as an intermediary and does not maintain them nor pay for the gas. Most car rental and private car hire London agencies require you to be present during the check-in and the check-out. While you cannot use the rented car for commercial reasons such as taxi driving, you can use it to carpool. All you have to do is compare car rental prices from about five companies and choose the one with the most agreeable rates. The best way to find a rental car is by visiting some of the websites that compare prices from multiple agencies. You can choose your preferred car based on such factors as its fuel economy, space, and make. Once you specify how long you want it and where you want to pick it up, you will be asked to fill in your payment details. You can then pick it up at the set time.
Factors affecting car rental prices in London
London car hire prices are influenced by any of the following factors:
The current demand
Just like any business, car rental business is seasonal. There is normally a surge in demand in April which reduces in September. Should you plan your holiday around autumn, you will pay significantly less.
The car’s brand and its age
Luxurious cars such as convertibles, SUVs, and trucks are bound to be quite expensive. So are minivans, vans, and spacious vehicles such as camper vans. Newer cars are also bound to be quite expensive.
The car pick-up and drop-off station
While picking up and your rented car from the train station or airport could be pretty convenient, rental companies charge an extra fee. To avoid the extra charge, consider renting one from a car rental business in town.
London’s congestion charge
If you plan on hiring a car in London, it is imperative that you factor in the congestion charge which is applicable in some parts of the CBD. The fee is charged from Monday to Friday between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm. It does not apply on bank holidays or weekends. You can avoid the charge by staying off central London.
A different drop-off location
In most instances, it makes perfect sense to drop off the car in a place that’s different from where you picked it up. This saves you unnecessary backtracking, but most rental agencies charge an extra fee.
Other things that could make the price hike are hiring a driver and children car seats.
