What happens if I get a parking or speeding fine in a hire car?

This is a question we occasionally get from private and commercial customers alike here at Intack Self Drive, and understandably so. Speeding tickets and parking fines can be enough of a hassle when you’re dealing with them in a personal capacity in your own car, so the idea of inadvertently adding even more red tape to that process is probably not one that appeals. Happily though, the process isn’t quite as complex as it might seem – so while paying the fine might not be a particularly exciting idea, at least you won’t have to worry about being undermined or tripped up by an irritating legal hurdle.

So before you hire a car and hop in behind the wheel, here’s what you need to know about any parking or speeding infractions.

What happens if I get a fine in a hire car?

The very short answer is: you’re responsible for paying it.

Now, it’s always worth reading the documentation whenever you hire a car (or indeed, make use of any kind of service), so that you know all your rights and obligations in advance. When you hire a van or car, one of the things you’re agreeing to is that you’re responsible for any traffic or parking violations that occur while you’re in possession of the car. (That’s why there are all the legal hoops to jump through in advance, such as providing proof of ID.)

Paying fines incurred while driving or parking is not something that a rental company (including us) will take responsibility for, so it’s worth double checking all the relevant rules in advance – including local regulations, parking restrictions, and byelaws across both your destination, and the route you’ll take to get there.

What’s the process for dealing with a speeding or parking fine?

It’s a fairly straightforward process, and one that can be summed up in a couple of simple steps.

1. The issuing authority (such as a local council) will send us the fine in the post, possibly accompanied by photographic evidence, with the number plate visible. It’ll lay out the details of the infraction, where it took place, the amount due, and the deadline – which is normally about 28 days.
2. Our team here at Intack Self Drive will then ‘make a representation’ to the local authority – in other words, submit a legal argument that the car was in an individual renter’s possession at the time of the breach, making them primarily responsible.
3. The renter / driver is then sent a new notification by the issuing authority. However, the timer for payment will be reset, ensuring that there’s plenty of time to organise payment, or potentially an appeal.

That’s more or less all there is to it! One particular element that we’d recommend checking particularly carefully relates to Low Emissions Zones, which have been increasingly catching drivers out in recent years. Bath, Bristol and London are all amongst the cities to have instituted their own versions of Low Emissions Zones, which restrict the types of vehicles that can travel within their limits. It can be annoyingly easy to end up crossing into the boundaries of some of these zones with a vehicle that doesn’t meet their emissions standards, which can lead to financial penalties – so make sure you don’t get caught out!

As long as you’re careful and you’ve done your homework though, you shouldn’t have much to worry about. Here at Intack, we’re proud to have over 50 years of experience in van, car and minibus hire.

Our extensive fleet comprises of more than 450 vehicles, including cars, vans, and minibuses. We offer both Flexi hire and daily hire options, so you can rent the vehicle for as long or as little as you need! Feel free to contact us at 01254 57811, and we would be more than happy to help you in any way we can!