As liveaboards have you had problems hiring cars in the UK?

Nostrodamus

Nostrodamus

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www.cygnus3.com
We are full time liveaboards currently in Sicily.
If we have ever had to hire a car abroad we have never had a problem.
The other year I booked a hire car online and flew back to the UK.
When we went to pick up the car they would not let us have it even though we had UK bank accounts, passports and a driving licence. The reason given was that we did not have a UK address and there for they could not verify us. They wanted to do it through the address on our driving licence but we had sold the house a couple of years previously.
Has anyone else had this problem?
 
What address do you use for banking? Using a family member or friend as your Uk address for everything including driving licence solves all sorts of practical and legal problems.
 
PlanB said:
What address do you use for banking? Using a family member or friend as your Uk address for everything including driving licence solves all sorts of practical and legal problems.
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I do agree with you but I also wanted to make others aware in case they are in the same position. I still have the paper licence and I will change it after we try to hire a car. I did contact Alamo who said they would hire us a car but we would be treated as overseas visitors and they would hold £1,000 to cover the insurance excess!
It is actually easier for an overseas visitor to hire a car than for us.
Oh, When they refused us last time they also wanted two very recent bills and one was a utility bill.
 
This doesn't help the OP with his hire car problem, but regarding change of address on driving licence:
if you notify the DVLC of a new address which is 'invalid' (i.e. in another country), they'll simply send you licence back to you, unchanged (I know because I've done it). This doesn't mean your licence details are correct, but it does mean you have satisfied their requirement to notify change of address. The licence is still usable. Obviously keep copies of the DVLC correspondence with your licence when driving in the UK.
Of course that's not much help when it comes to renewal, when the simplest course, as suggested, is an address of convenience. If there's no attempt to defraud, I can't see that being illegal. (Although using the address for, say, an EHIC to which you're not entitled and then using it for treatment could be construed as fraud.)
 
Don't get me onto the EHIC card debate. Although I have paid full stamp all my life and still pay tax in the UK because I have been out of the country it technically does not cover me. We sailed with another couple for a while who left the UK when they were 2 years old. They bought a boat in the UK and applied for a EHIC card having never paid a penny to the system. It was granted and they used it in three countries I know of to get all their problems sorted out.
 
Carmel2 said:
What doc's do the car rentals in the UK want? Beyond driving license and passport?
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We were told they would do a voters check on the address on the driving licence. Also asked for recent bills from the house which of course we could not provide. Some companies do an experian check on the address.
 
If you intend to stay in Italian waters, you might find it easier to swap your Brit one for an Italian one ( you can always swap back if needs be), you have marina bills, maybe ask for your water and lecy bills to be on separate invoices. We swapped ours in France, and the good thing about them is they don't have an expiry date.
 
Carmel2 said:
What doc's do the car rentals in the UK want? Beyond driving license and passport?
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We hired a car for a few days in October at Liverpool airport (my MOT had run out). No documents except license required but they did insist that excess deposit was paid by credit card, wouldn't accept cash.

Not having a UK address has many drawbacks, try opening a new bank account without one, ISAs not allowed if not resident, I had car insurers refuse to renew when they found we were out of the country more then 6 months. A friend found she had been crossed off GP's list and told she would have to be resident for 6 months before NH treatment would be available again! Illegal immigrants get better treatment than those who have contributed all their working lives.
 
All you need to preserve access to UK based services is a UK address. We use a relatives address for banks, tax, pensions, GP, driving licence etc etc. Never had a problem renting cars, simply give the UK address when booking on the Internet and pick up the car no problem.

For cheap car hire, you'll always be asked for an authorisation against your card for the insurance excess, unless you want to pay the extortionate extra cost for the hire company's waiver insurance. We have a £70 a year policy which covers us for the excess should we have a prang. The only downside is having the authorisation affecting the spending limit on your card.
 
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I have heard....though only a rumour......that if you decide to go to Turkey and stay longer than three months and have to become "a resident" (in Turkish eyes)...then your entitlement to UK free NHS services is compromised even though you might still have a residence in the UK. Can anyone authoritatively confirm or deny? If so.....What else is put in jeopardy?
Pensions? or pension increases?
 
NOHOH said:
I have heard....though only a rumour......that if you decide to go to Turkey and stay longer than three months and have to become "a resident" (in Turkish eyes)...then your entitlement to UK free NHS services is compromised even though you might still have a residence in the UK. Can anyone authoritatively confirm or deny? If so.....What else is put in jeopardy?
Pensions? or pension increases?
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Suspect that's 2+2=5.
Yes, you can lose medical entitlement by extended absences from the UK, but I think the prospects of the Turkish administration passing on the identities of residents to other countries is slim to non-existent. Besides, the mere possession of Turkish residence says nothing inherent about your presence in Turkey (and thus about your absence from anywhere else).
As for its affecting pensions and pensions increases (presumably you mean state pension?): can't see that. It certainly doesn't apply to me (but mine's a Manx pension).
 
NOHOH said:
I have heard....though only a rumour......that if you decide to go to Turkey and stay longer than three months and have to become "a resident" (in Turkish eyes)...then your entitlement to UK free NHS services is compromised even though you might still have a residence in the UK. Can anyone authoritatively confirm or deny? If so.....What else is put in jeopardy?
Pensions? or pension increases?
Click to expand...

The theoretical loss of access to NHS following lengthy absence has been the case for many years, but usually avoidable by maintaining a GP registration in the UK. Pensions much more complex. The new rules require minimum contributions to qualify for pensions so you need to keep up NI while you are working age. Payment of increases depends on which country you are resident in when you draw your pension. All points towards maintaining residence in UK if you want to benefit from all services.
 
NOHOH said:
I have heard....though only a rumour......that if you decide to go to Turkey and stay longer than three months and have to become "a resident" (in Turkish eyes)...then your entitlement to UK free NHS services is compromised even though you might still have a residence in the UK. Can anyone authoritatively confirm or deny? If so.....What else is put in jeopardy?
Pensions? or pension increases?
Click to expand...

If known to be resident outside the EC, my understanding is that state pensions are frozen at current levels with no future annual increases or heating allowance. Within the EC, I think they remain the same as if in UK.

Those who don't retain UK address somewhere and be on the electoral role may well find serious problems if they return needing medical treatment or to retire here when old(er).
 
duncan99210 said:
All you need to preserve access to UK based services is a UK address. We use a relatives address for banks, tax, pensions, GP, driving licence etc etc. Never had a problem renting cars, simply give the UK address when booking on the Internet and pick up the car no problem.

For cheap car hire, you'll always be asked for an authorisation against your card for the insurance excess, unless you want to pay the extortionate extra cost for the hire company's waiver insurance. We have a £70 a year policy which covers us for the excess should we have a prang. The only downside is having the authorisation affecting the spending limit on your card.
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We do the same and have rented cars quite a few times over the past 16 years without a problem in that regard.

Although the hire insurance is a bit pricey, we always do that too. Stemming from an incident a few years ago that was a very slow PITA to resolve.

Now I can crash the car as much as I like, as I always point out to the Hire Staff as we leave...

Also saves hassle at handback time, 'Here, the dented wreck is yours again, Ta'
 
john_q said:
We just buy a £300 car on arrival and sell or get it scrapped when we leave (Last one was a Saab 9000 2.3T and cost us £140 for 2 months excluding fuel)
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I do the same. But you need a UK address, licence. to get insurance. Bying the car is easy finding insurance not so easy and extreemly expensive if you are not a Uk resident.
 
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