A recent experience left me and my wife stranded at Toulouse airport, frustrated and in tears as our prepaid booking with Goldcar was not being honored due to her paper driving license being deemed “not a valid document.” This was a surprising development for us, as other car rental companies like Hertz, Budget, Alamo, and Enterprise had no qualms about accepting it, despite having no cars available to rent. Finally, after paying additional charges, we managed to rent a car from Avis. However, we later found out from a Consumer Champions column that Goldcar actually accepts a paper driving license as long as it’s presented with another form of picture ID, such as a passport.
When I contacted Goldcar about this issue, the call handler I spoke to held the same opinion as the agent at the airport, indicating that the company policy hasn’t been communicated to its staff. As a result, I ended up almost £350 out of pocket, with no clear resolution in sight.
Fortunately, my letter seeking help was answered, and the company issued a refund of €425 (£366), which covered the difference in cost between our original booking and the Avis hire, along with a small goodwill gesture.
This is not the first time that Goldcar has been singled out as one of the worst car rental companies in Which?’s annual survey. Therefore, it’s perhaps not surprising that the company’s staff failed to consider the acceptable validity of a UK paper license in France. Goldcar has since promised to review its staff training to ensure that customers have a positive rental experience.
In an increasingly expensive business such as car rental, it’s always advisable to study a rental company’s ID conditions pre-travel. However, as can be seen from our experience, doing so doesn’t always guarantee a hassle-free experience. Therefore, switching to a photocard or obtaining an international driving permit seems like a wise investment that can help avoid similar incidents and ensure a memorable trip.
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