Secure Payments and Vehicle Deposits

• Major debit and credit cards — Including Visa and Mastercard.
• Cash — A convenient payment option for many of our local customers.

For your security and to help protect against fraud, the main cardholder must attend our Rochester branch in person and bring the physical card used for the booking. This quick check keeps everyone protected.

Running a business? We offer dedicated business account facilities for our commercial clients. Regular customers may be eligible for an account, giving you flexible terms and one less thing to manage on busy days. Just ask our team about setting one up.

Every vehicle hire requires a security deposit. This is standard practice and protects both you and the vehicle during your hire.

Here's how it works:

• Deposit held separately — Your deposit is held apart from your main hire fee.
• Pre-authorisation only — The amount is reserved on your card, not taken as a payment.
• Variable amount — The exact figure depends on the vehicle and the driver’s age.

Younger drivers, for example, may be asked for a higher deposit. If you're unsure what your deposit will be, just give us a call before you book and we'll talk you through it.

The deposit follows a few clear rules to keep your transaction secure:

• Physical card required — A credit or debit card is needed for the pre-authorisation.
• Cardholder present — The cardholder must be present at collection.
• No contactless for deposits — Contactless payments are not accepted for the deposit.
• No digital wallets — Apple Pay and Google Pay cannot be used for this transaction.

These measures protect you against fraud and keep the handover quick and hassle-free.

Good news — getting your deposit back is just as straightforward.

We hold the pre-authorised funds for the length of your hire. Once you return your car or van to us in its original condition, we instruct your bank to release the deposit straight away.

How quickly the money reappears in your available balance depends entirely on your bank or card provider. Processing times vary between providers, so if it doesn't show immediately, that's perfectly normal.