robos

as it says we are looking for car hire in gold coast but got no credit card does anywere allow this
we can use someones card to hold or pay for it but the card holder is not coming with us so cant leave a security bond via card am willing to leave it cash
can anyone help please

thanks in advance

jan xx

Timber Floor Au

This is asked so many times.

Do a search of the forum.

AFAIK cash isnt acceptable.

Ste

one thread: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...no+credit+card

Lengthy reading

Must be heaps more

moneypenny20

There was a thread the other day when someone found a rental company that was happy with a debit card but I can't remember who or which one. I'll get dinner going and have a look.

esperanza

How long do you have until you need to hire the car?
The simplest thing would be to get a credit card and just reserve it for emergency use/guarantees etc rather than regular spending. Don't even carry it in your wallet, just leave it somewhere at home and take it when you need it for something specific.

jce

Open a Nationwide account. The Visa (or mastercard - cant remember which) debit card is accepted by car hire companies. Certainly Hertz did when my brother hired a car from them last week

Mairead

You could buy one of those online credit cards. A friend who had no CC last year bought one online for the amount of credit she needed. There a one time use kinda of thing!!!

Potato_potato

You can organise a rental through www.avis.com.au by using just a debit card - however you need to get pre-approved before pick up (I'm not sure of the exact process though).

nicolamoon

We used a Nationwide debit card for car hire in Perth and they accepted it

Katherined0

My St George Debit Card can be used in place of a credit card for car hire......

willywonka

Hi all, we got here (adelaide) three weeks ago, had same problem as we dont have any credit cards etc but found a company willing to accept cash (I think it was Koala cars), there are a few about you just have to ring around, we paid two weeks car hire in cash in advance and also the bond in cash which we got back at the end.

Potato_potato

That's because it's linked to the VISA network and operates in the same way as a credit card - only you use your own funds.

I don't believe the OP has one of these VISA debit cards, hence her question.

northernbird

Most UK debit cards act as a credit card when overseas. My dad used his Halifax debit card to pay for his hire car while here in Perth. Select credit on the EFTPOS machine and sign away. The chip on a chip and pin card doesn't work on the machines here.

esperanza

They should work for payment, it's whether the car hire companies would be willing to accept the card details for a deposit.
I suppose there would still be the option of literally paying the entire deposit on the debit card (in the same way as you would hand over cash) and then having it refunded to you at the end of the hire period. Personally I wouldn't be keen on doing that, but then personally I would just have a credit card so it wouldn't happen. I guess if you have to do it without a credit card then your only option is to actually pay the deposit upfront.

northernbird

It should make no difference if the OP gives the card number and expiry date over the phone. The hire car company will just think its a credit card and treat it as such and the machine when the details are entered without the card holder present should behave just like it were dealing with a credit card My dad did just that with the Perth company and then paid the balance in person on his Halifax card when he arrived here.

dave7370

We used a UK debit card with the Visa symbol on it and no problem at a small back water car hire company in Cleveland.