To celebrate finish, we are holidaying in Portugal, but have come unstuck in trying to hire a car.

[Elizabeth.04]

Hi..We started our IVA with Melanie Giles and it finishes in a few months time..so great news!

We have a holiday in Portugal booked in May as a celebration but have come unstuck in the process of hiring a car over there. Everyone wants a credit card shown on collecting the car because they dont accept debit cards? Any help in either car hire companies in Portugal or a way around this would help? Thankyou

[relieved33]

Have you tried Vanquis credit cards? I believe they offer cards to people at the end of their ivas.

[abbiesmum2003]

My sister works for enterprise and shes said you can hire with Debit card as long as not electron or prepaid and its in the name of customer hiring. Does that help?? Ive just googled 'car hire without credit card' there are some helpful sites/comments.

[Lou74]

Yes, you can hire cars with a debit card. I looked into this myself last year. It is a little more expensive than with a credit card, but it is possible.

[Til]

Be careful. We hired a car with a debit card and they 'pre-authorsised' approx £400 off our account. This was in effect a deposit that they returned later.

The money wasn't taken out but it was removed from our available credit - kind of held in limbo as it were until the car was returned.

It meant I had to borrow money from a friend to pay bills so please be wary of this.

I also work in travel and had had it in writing that this wouldn't happen yet it still did.

I would suggest a vanquis card - we've got one and they are great and only give you a small credit limit to start but one that would serve it's purpose for the car hire firms.

[Shining]

Excellent advice above and hope you can something sorted for the car hire.

[mole]

Til is correct you can use a debit card but they will put an pre-authorisation on the card to cover a deposit. This can be between £400 and £1000 depending on the company. This will tie up these funds until the authorisation is release.

Even if you get a Vanquis credit card, you need to ensure that your credit limit is enough to cover the deposit amount, as they will test this out when you pick up the car.

[MrsR]

Til and Mole you are both right.

We had a friends wedding last year abroad and hired a car, but no one mentioned on collection that they pre-authorise a certain amount- in our case it was £1300!! Luckily. I had been paid my salary that very Morning, so had more than enough to cover this, but we were told it can take up to 28 days to be unauthorised following the return of the car. We were with Hertz and got it refunded back with 7 days, the day before my bills went out ! That was a hairy month

[reesay]

I hired a car in fuerteventura in January and emailed the hire company before I went who stated the 200E deposit could be paid by credit/debit card or cash. I paid by my barclays visa debit and they didn't bat an eyelid. They didn't take it either it was just held until the car was returned.

[Grayson.sc]

I have always used a European pre paid credit card without any trouble. The Caxton card is very good:-)

[hubert]

I hired from Hertz in Malta with a debit card. They took a "print" of it (embossed style card) beforehand and that was that. They didn't charge anything to it apart from fuel usage about a week later because I took it back without filling it up.

By the way, don't do that as they charge a lot more than you'd pay at the pump!

[nonewdebt]

There is aways a need for a creditcard to back up your debit card as a double act and a good one, not the creditbuilder card if you can.
A good example with the hire car. One month of free credit is useful plus protection on purchases.The CC authorisation can be revoked money not physically taken out.If debited(taken) in Debit card...take 5 days to pop back in if refunds are made.
Aways prefer credit card for all purchase for protection.