Best car rental companies in Birmingham: find options near you

Here’s how Europcar completely ruined my rental experience:

Honestly, this was a scam. I booked a car with Europcar from August 21st to September 5th. On their website, I specifically chose a Cupra Leon, the sporty model. I even paid extra for it, and I was fine with that because it was the car I actually wanted.

But when I arrived at the airport, the manager (Sanjit Singh) handed me a Vauxhall Mokka instead. That’s not even close to what I booked. When I complained, he flat-out told me there was nothing he could do. His “offer” was either take the Mokka or get a refund and walk away with no car at all. Basically: take it or get screwed. On top of that, his attitude was rude and dismissive.

This is not acceptable. I didn’t just want “any car,” I wanted the one I paid for. The Cupra Leon has at least 150hp, the Mokka only 100hp. That’s a massive downgrade, and Europcar clearly thinks it’s fine to charge customers more and then give them a worse product.

The next day I emailed customer service to complain, and their response? Wait 10 days or more for someone to get back to you. Absolutely ridiculous.

Europcar has zero respect for their customers, and I’ll make sure everyone I know stays away from them. Next time, I’ll go with Drivalia or literally any other company that doesn’t treat their customers like garbage

By the way, on top of all this, I got 3 fines in England for parking in supermarket car parks for more than 2 hours (in Spain you don’t have to pay for that). Each fine was £40 (so £120 in total), and Europcar charged me £45 “administration fee” for the first two fines, and then £50 for the third one (that’s £140 in fees, more than the actual fines). I find it ridiculous, just a way of ripping off their customers.

On top of that, I lost my wallet while in England and tried to contact Europcar at Manchester Airport, but after speaking with me for a bit they rudely hung up the phone.

And by the way, I’m still waiting for my deposit refund, which I honestly think they’ll end up keeping too.

The worst thing you can do is rent with Europcar.

I had forgotten my Indian issued drivers license but carried my international drivers permit. Avis rentals denied renting their car despite a 2 week prepayment due to the lack of documents provided by me.
EuropCar was friendly and sweet enough to rent me a car. The drop off was smooth as well. Id prefer EuropCar over any other rental cos. No hassle, well maintained cars, great experience. 10 on 10 from me! Cheers xo

I had an excellent experience with Qasim, Sara, and Sanj. They were all incredibly friendly, approachable, and professional. From the moment I walked in, they made me feel valued as a customer, taking the time to understand my needs and provide personalized assistance.

Not only were they helpful, but they also went above and beyond to ensure I received the best possible service. They patiently answered all my questions, explained everything clearly, and provided me with an amazing quote that exceeded my expectations. Their knowledge and attention to detail made the whole process smooth and stress-free.

Sanj was also extremely supportive, adding to the fantastic experience I had at this branch. It’s clear that the entire team is dedicated to providing top-notch customer service. What a great branch—highly recommended!

I will definitely recommend EuropCar, they got very new cars and good collection as well. I got a Jeep Avenger, even though it was a year old and 7700 miles used , when I entered the car it smelled and feeled like a new car. I took it from the Birmingham AirPort branch, I definitely recommend Sanjay Singh, he is very professional and responsive, I got the car within less than 10 minutes.Other Rental cars were not ready to give the car with my Indian License especially Avis and Enterprise but Sanjay Singh was sweet and professional to given the car for my Indian License.

L’operatore al ritiro del veicolo ci ha fatto fare l’upgrade del veicolo dicendo che non avremmo pagato niente e in fattura ci siamo trovati un aumento di 30 sterline sl giorno per questo servizio.
Abbiamo chiesto più volte quanto sarebbe costato questo servizio e ci è stato detto che avrebbe fatto il possibile per farlo gratis.
Non torneremo più da EUROPCAR.

The wait time was very long – we stood in line for nearly 30 minutes, as the team was handling a problematic customer. That said, Idriss was an absolute star. He was friendly, professional, and made the process smooth once it was our turn. The car itself was spotless and in excellent condition. Overall, a good experience despite the initial delay.

Check in staff member very intimidating and pressuring to buy their insurance despite me having external adequate insurance. Was very relentless and made me feel extremely uncomfortable. Not a good start to rental and overshadowed my experience significantly
Car provided was very good, internal spotlessly clean, exterior had a few scuffs so I took lots of photos before leaving pick up site.
Drop off was brilliant with a friendly helpful guy Abs. He was an excellent member of staff ( should have him at check in)

I must say, we had the best experience at the Birmingham Airport Enterprise. First time in Birmingham, and the staff were friendly, professional, efficient, and had us both on the road and checked back in at the airport so fast. Appreciated the complimentary upgrade when we arrived, but I unfortunately forgot the young man’s name. And special thanks to Joe for the quick service and welcome back. One of the best parts of our trip! Thank you, Birmingham!

Chantel w/ Enterprise has committed theft and fraud! She intentionally placed an additional credit card charge of $518.93 for damages done to the vehicle that were actually pre-existing when I rented it! Thank goodness I took photos while in the parking garage of the airport- time stamped- prior to driving away. The next day, when I returned the car I explained this all to Chantel….she walked away with the biggest attitude but not before asking me a series of interrogations as if I did something wrong. I was catching a flight, so I went into the airport and called customer service. I was promised a manager would call me back. That was two days ago. I’m shocked how this is being handled. How dare Enterprise place a charge on my credit card as if I did the damage, and Chantel directing that knowing that’s fraud and theft. The lack of moral character this woman has…she has no business having access to anyone’s credit cards. And why did they rent me a damaged vehicle in the first place?! There’s rust where the damage is so its obvious its been there for a while. I’m attaching a photo reflecting the two charges to my card- one for the rental and one for damages. I’m also attaching the photo I took while in the parking garage date/time/location stamp which shows the damage. Then, another photo outside and not in a dark parking lot. At this point, I’ll be disputing both charges with my credit card and filing grievances to the extent of the law. Unbelievable!

Vist on 7/27/25 (night staff)
I recently visited this Enterprise with high hopes from experience, especially since (father law) family member works for the company. Overall, my experience was just okay — but it left me with mixed feelings.

The staff was professional, and the young lady assisting me started off polite. However, as the process went on, her energy noticeably shifted. As the only African American in the office, I couldn’t help but feel a difference in how I was treated compared to “other” customers around me. She was friendly and enthusiastic with them, but ended much more reserved with me.

At the end, it felt like they were paying me — she handed me the key by placing it on the table with barely a goodbye, while other customers received full smiles and well wishes.

It wasn’t an overtly bad experience, but it was horrible. I just expected consistent professionalism across the board, regardless of who’s being served. Enterprise, do better! This is sad.

The team that served on the afternoon , I picked up my was professional, courteous, and professional. As I waited in line, I watched each customer they served. Everyone was served with the same treatment. They were hospitable offering cold water due to the heat while we waited. The car looked to be freshly cleaned and it drove well.

I will not name the competitor I used on my last visit. However, I will say the Enterprise team were head and shoulders above.
Thank you.

My only suggestion would be to provide signage for customers to advise not to enter the car rental building, but use the booth outback. Otherwise, I was fully satisfied with my rental experience.

I had a great experience at the Birmingham Airport Enterprise location! Very fast, very friendly and a nice clean vehicle. We dealt with the manager Shantae, I believe that was her name and we told her she could expect our review because of her kindness.

I had a booking for a standard SUV, and I showed up at time 7:30 am 05/31/2025. The guy there started my checking-in process and then he told me the ID scanning machine is not working properly and he refused to complete the process and asked me to go for another company hertz or budget. I went to Budget and they gave me a good SUV with good a better price. I urgently needed the car to drive me family to Atlanta, and I already had the reservation, and he could scan the ID with any other method. I really don’t recommend this office if you planning to reserve in the weekend.

Renting a car only? Sure they will do the job.
Need anything specific as in a toddler seat? Be warned. I got an email an hour before I landed stating my rental was ready.
I arrive at the desk and all went smoothly until I got to the car. I had to ask where my toddler seat was? The lady looked confused and asked if the baby seat would work. I said it would not so she let me know she would have someone bring one up.
15 minutes later I went back to ask for progress and again she was surprised no one had come up.
10 minutes later my wife storms in with less compassion than I had and she was notified they are assembling a brand new one.
10 minutes later someone finally walks one up. It was a seat that probably cost $20. I spent $14 a day to use it.

The service was absolutely impeccable and Yousef was very kind and walked the whole parking lot just to find a trolley for us. He also helped my dad to find the nearest gas station. He was adorable the perfect employee and made my day!

Friendly and knowledgeable sales assistant.
Lovely car at a very reasonable price.
Will definitely be using Sixt again.
Wait time was a little long but the poor lad was on his own on a Saturday afternoon but he was apologetic and was doing very well under stress considering the queue was going out if the door by the time I left.
Overall a pleasant experience.

I was greeted and dealt with by Bhajit from sixT – apart from being a lovely gent, he was really efficient in the process – and whilst I was pressed for time needing to collect a car for a business trip. To add he kindly provided a free upgrade to a BMW X3. I will certainly be opting for Sixt car rental again on my next visit to Birmingham!

Second time hiring here, new clean car (electric). Friendly & efficient service from all who work here.

One thing to note, I was charged for a recharging service even though I purposefully brought the vehicle back over 80% charge (the minimum). This was rectified quickly though after I flagged it up with online chat, as it had been read as around 50% charge in error.

Wouldn’t put me off returning, but do check your invoices

Had a very good experience collecting the BMW i4 with the staff at SIXT. They were very supportive, accommodating and wanted to give me the best prices and offers available. Having my preferred car available (although a bit of a delay) was definitely something that they wanted to honour and not just default to the clause “or similar model”. Upon returning the car, it was a very simple process with just as pleasant welcome as when I initially took the car. Thank you to the team and I look forward to returning again for another car.

I’ve rented from several car hire services over the years, but this recent experience truly stood out. From pick-up at Birmingham Airport to drop-off, every interaction was smooth, efficient, and delivered with genuine professionalism.
The gentleman who handed the vehicle over to my husband and me was exceptional — welcoming, courteous, and highly attentive. The drop-off was just as seamless, rounding off a hassle-free rental from start to finish.
A complimentary upgrade added an unexpected and appreciated touch. I’ll absolutely be using this service again for future bookings and will gladly recommend it to colleagues — it’s clear that customer care is at the heart of their approach.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with Sixt. Had a brand new E Class for 1 week.

Lovely car. Vehicle was clean, full tanked and ready for me to take.

Was dealt with by Dario. Lovely chap. Sorted out the best deal for me.

Will use again if ever needed.

My experience with this rental agent was positive overall. The pick up and drop off were efficient, timely and stress free. There was a clear process for identifying any issues with the car upon pick up prior to signature and leaving, and drop off also included a clear check with indication of any issues. One minor development area is when busy they don’t answer the phone so the call gets diverted to a main switchboard which can’t necessarily help with your specific enquiry. Otherwise a great place to rent a car.

Die Reservation hat perfekt geklappt. Das Auto war preiswert und im guten Zustand. Die Belegschaft zuverlässig und hilfreich.
Drivalia kann ich wirklich empfehlen.

If I could give less than 1 star I definitely would!
I was very unfortunate to use Drivalia Birmingham. Scam and fraud in my opinion. They lure you in with low costs. But when you arrive at their office they force insurance or you will have to pay £1500 deposit. I chose the insurance and I was lucky because I can see other people did not get their deposit back. They create fraudulent parking tickets (probably agreed with dodgy offices-also on the reviews) and then take admin fees of said ticket from your card a few months after you leave the UK. The whole experience was bad from start to end. Do not do it. This would be my strong and very honest advice. Scam and fraud.

Highly recommend NOT using Drivalia. I’m sure if nothing happens to your vehicle, you might have a fine experience. I had a rock hit my windscreen and leave a small crack. They charged me £1500 (way more than it actually costs). They have been very slow to respond to me. So if you have a problem at all, they are terrible to work with. Do NOT use Drivalia. Pay a bit more to get better
service.

The Agent tracked my flight & phoned me just as I got thru’ arrivals, Peter quickly drove me to Drivalia office. Very fast checkin by Ahmed Ammen, provided fair deal on reduced excess damage from 1500£ to 150£ liability. Swapped the allocated car to a new Toyota, which I normally drive. On the road in no time at all.

Customer Service Review – Drivalia
I’d like to highlight the exceptional customer service I received at Drivalia. The gentleman who assisted me was not only highly professional, but also genuinely courteous, efficient, and solution-oriented.

Aamer made the entire process smooth and stress-free, going out of his way to ensure every detail was covered and all my questions were answered patiently. It’s rare to come across service that
Kudos to the team at Drivalia – and especially to the individual who assisted me. His professionalism truly reflects the standard of excellence that customers hope to receive.
Let me know if you’d like to personalize it with

Such a great experience! We called as we didn’t know where to go and the gentleman on the phone guided us to where we needed to be and sent someone to pick us up. Very easy to deal with and very kind. When our flight was cancelled and rebooked 2 days later 2 different gentlemen helped us out and did what they could to discount our extra days. Very professional and helpful, we even gave them some chocolate to thank them 😉 Would definitely use them again!

We hired a car as our main vehicle was in the garage for repairs and we needed transport to get to our holiday accommodation. We rented it for 10 days and were given an amazing Peugeot 3008E, which was everything we needed and more. The customer service was excellent from start to finish, with an easy pick-up and drop-off process. Highly recommended!

After reading some of the negative reviews about this branch, I’ll admit I had concerns too. But as a long-time SIXT member (now a Platinum member), I trusted that if anything came up, I would know how to deal with it. So I didn’t call or email beforehand, I simply went ahead with my booking.

I had reserved a 7-seater Peugeot 5008 (fully prepaid, with unlimited mileage and all insurance covered) for a two-week road trip to North and South of the UK. With all my hotel bookings also prepaid, I couldn’t afford any surprises. Naturally, I was nervous after seeing the reviews.

When I arrived, I asked about Ammar, since I had read good things about him. He wasn’t there, but Hafeez (I hope I got the name right!) at the reception greeted me instead. He immediately made me feel comfortable, jolly, confident, and funny. At one point, he even said he was “better than Ammar,” and honestly, he wasn’t wrong!. He also pointed out the minor/tiny scratches already on the car before handing it over, which was reassuring. There was a moment of concern when I first showed my International Driving Permit (international passport holders are not allowed to drive after one year of stay in the UK), but once I gave my UK driving license, everything was smooth. Hafeez explained things clearly, processed the booking efficiently, and gave me exactly the vehicle I had reserved, a new, spotless Peugeot 5008.

When I returned the car today, Hafeez wasn’t on shift yet (he had earlier joked about me bringing him back a souvenir from Edinburgh!). Instead, I brought him something special from my own country, which I gave to the team during return. At the handover car park area, I met Stewart (I hope I got the name right!), who was just as friendly and welcoming. Unlike in some countries where staff act like strict inspectors, Stewart greeted me with a smile, chatted warmly about my trip, and even shared a funny story about how many kids he has. That human touch made the return process genuinely enjoyable.

Looking back, I believe some of the negative reviews miss the point: staff at SIXT are bound by rules and legal requirements, and they cannot go beyond them. Once those checks are done, everything flows smoothly.

For me, the whole experience, from Hafeez at pickup to Stewart at return, was excellent. Professional, transparent, and customer friendly. I’ll definitely rent from SIXT Birmingham City again.

First time with sixt but can fault the service. If you know that all car hire companies try to upsell you on insurance and various protection products, it’s not too jarring. Was provided with a spotless, modern ford transit. Very happy with it. After hours drop off was so convenient. Just what I needed (and couldn’t get from enterprise).

I was renting two times at Sixt the van, all time i was regretting to rent at them, last time they give me a dirty van, what was smelling inside at smoke and also food inside, and also they give me without fuel, i was reporting at them this issue at name Maria from office on central Birmingham, and they charged me for fuel and cleaning also i was send email to them, but they ignored me, i don’t recommend to anyone to rent a car or van from SIXTY THEY ARE SCAMMER

The pick up was very quick and efficient.

I was upgraded for free; and got a brand new car and looking at the parking lot, all the cars were fairly new. The prices were also great! (85€ for 2 days)

Brilliant staff and great car!

Will recommend and come back there to rent a car.

Bal is a true gent and an asset to the company, his customer service was second to none, friendly and really helpful being my first experience with an electric car top marks

Everything was top-notch from start to finish! The service was smooth, the staff were friendly and professional, and the whole process—from pickup to drop-off—was hassle-free. The car was clean and in excellent condition. I highly recommend Sixt Birmingham Town Centre and will definitely use them again!

Green Motion Car Rental – Birmingham Airport | Shoutout to Omar

I recently rented a car from Green Motion at Birmingham Airport, and I want to highlight the excellent service I received from Omar. From start to finish, he was professional, courteous, and very helpful.

Omar made the check-in process quick and easy, clearly explaining all the details and making sure I was comfortable with the vehicle before setting off. His friendly attitude and attention to detail really stood out, especially in a busy airport setting where things can often feel rushed or impersonal.

Thanks to Omar, my rental experience was smooth and hassle-free. I truly appreciated his support and would happily recommend Green Motion Birmingham Airport to others based on this experience.

Thank you, Omar.

I had a terrible experience with this car rental office. After completing the payment online, I was shocked to be asked to pay the same amount again upon arrival. When I refused, they told me I would never get my money back. This is a clear scam and unethical behavior. It felt like I was being taken advantage of, with no respect for basic decency or customer rights. I strongly advise others to stay away from this company. What they’re doing is not just bad service — it’s inhumane exploitation.

However, I would like to clarify that the issue was not related to insurance or the deposit process. The real problem was that I was unexpectedly asked to pay almost double the agreed rental amount — not including insurance — which was never made clear during the booking.

I have rented cars many times through various agencies, and I’ve never had issues with insurance or providing a valid credit card. The process was always clear and transparent.

What matters most to customers is honesty and clarity in communication. In this case, I was put in a very unfair position — either lose the entire amount I already paid, or agree to pay double just to receive the service. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened, and I believe this is unacceptable.

Quick & efficient collection and return process. Super friendly staff
Everything was clearly explained and the colleague checked that I had additional insurance cover as I only took their basic excess reduction cover and there was no pressure selling. I read the T&Cs before confirming the booking so knew exactly what security deposit was required and that it needed to be paid by credit card.
I was accompanied to the car park and encouraged to take photos and videos and note down any damage so that there would be no issues on return.
The car was in excellent condition, just general wear and tear.
Overall a great experience and I will be booking with them again in the future

One word, Ripoff

If you don’t have a credit card when you show up then you are charged 40gbp per day more and your access increases, debit card not good enough for them.

Never again I recommend AVOID and go elsewhere that actually wants to help and look after clients as these clearly don’t.

Please make sure you read through their T&Cs thoroughly before booking. I thought I had, but was caught out, and was forced to pay £40 a day for their insurance when I arrived because I’d booked with a debit card online (I ended up paying £280 for what was supposed to be a £120 rental). I think scam is a strong word, but it certainly feels close to this given that I had genuinely tried to check through everything before I booked but didn’t catch this and would have been left stranded if I didn’t agree to pay.

Also make sure you take the time to read everything you’re signing in their office, they won’t give you the keys until you’ve already signed for the condition of the vehicle – make sure you ask them to show you the vehicle if they insist on this.

I was also frustrated that my car was practically empty on fuel, meaning I couldn’t complete even a 30-minute onward journey, I first had to find a petrol station. The car was 700 or so miles behind on a service (I kept getting a warning for this), and the low tire pressure warning was constantly on despite adequate pressure. These are I appreciate small things, the car was functionally fine, but I had an already sour taste in my mouth from paying almost 2.5x the quoted price.

The staff I encountered were on the surface friendly. They were flexible on me returning my car early (although not flexible on refunding a day), and it is conveniently located in the rail station. The car was clean, and the process for picking up and dropping off was otherwise straightforward – I did get my excess refunded quickly, contrary to some other reviews on here.

I think it could be a good option if you’re prepared to read through everything, only book with a credit card, and I would also recommend taking very very detailed photos/video before AND after.

A Truly Disappointing Experience with Green Motion

I booked a Peugeot 5008 through a third-party site, specifically because of its generous boot space — essential for my trip with a full group of passengers and luggage. What I got instead was a Dacia Jogger, which not only felt like a downgrade in every way, but also offered almost half the boot volume. The car’s condition was questionable, but I won’t even get into that.

Green Motion insisted both vehicles “fall under the same class,” which is simply not true. Anyone who’s done even basic research knows the 5008 is a mid-size SUV with premium features, while the Jogger is a budget MPV. The difference in practicality and comfort is night and day.

Eventually, they cancelled the booking, admitting they couldn’t provide the car I reserved — or anything truly comparable. To make matters worse, they informed me that I’d have to wait up to 28 days for the deposit to be released from my credit card. And this wasn’t a small amount — it was over £1,700, which is outrageous for a rental that never even happened.

I was in a rush when I booked and didn’t check reviews beforehand. That was my mistake. But this was my first and last experience with Green Motion. There are plenty of rental companies out there that actually understand what customer service means.

JALAL SPECIAL ONE…il 05/08 arriviamo al desk Green Motion dell’aeroporto di Birmingham e abbiamo la spiacevole sorpresa che la Visa Debit, per trattenere il deposito cauzionale di £ 1.505, non viene viene accettata. Non era mai accaduto, in passato, con gli altri noleggi seppur con compagnie diverse. Pur non condividendo la politica di Green Motion ci affidiamo al suggerimento di Jalal, l’addetto al desk, che ci consiglia la soluzione migliore per i 5 giorni di noleggio, ovviamente pagando un prezzo supplementare. Ci viene assegnata una macchina di categoria superiore rispetto a quella prenotata, senza sovrapprezzo. Jalal poi, ci fa presente che il serbatoio della benzina è in riserva e, direttamente sul mio smartphone, imposta il navigatore verso il distributore più vicino. Il giorno della consegna, il 10/08, abbiamo avuto un altro problema che siamo riusciti a risolvere in ufficio dove, per fortuna, abbiamo trovato ancora Jalal il quale, con la stessa simpatia, cortesia e professionalità del giorno del nostro arrivo, si è adoperato per risolverlo nel migliore dei modi. Ringrazio Jalal per la totale disponibilità e la pazienza che ha avuto nei nostri confronti anche per le difficoltà di comunicazione con la lingua inglese. Le 4 Stelle sono tutte per lui. Grazie Jalal

First time renting a car. Did the usual due diligence, check for scratches dents bumps etc. I did notice that the car was not cleaned in a while – there was a lot of fly carcasses on the windscreen and bodywork. When I tried to clear the windscreen there was no fluid. I also noticed that the tyre pressure was low – not too low to cause a warning but still way too low for my liking. Looked closer at the interior of the car this also looked like it wasn’t cleaned in a long time. I would urge people to check a few other things out before driving off.

Awful customer service. I was told the car had no damage, but to take photos if I found any before setting off. Noone offered to inspect the car with me. I am not a trained damage assessor, but I took a couple of photos of scuffs and then left. On returning the car, I was told there was damage (pictured) which I didn’t cause, but hadn’t photographed as it seemed too insignificant (a tiny scuff on the plastic trim). However £2000 has now been deducted from my credit card, and noone has responded to my email disputing the damage.

I had an excellent experience with Enterprise, picking up my car from Birmingham Airport and dropping it off at Gatwick. Even though my car wasn’t ready on time and I had to wait for over one and half hour, the Birmingham team went above and beyond to make it right. They compensated me with an upgraded car (booked Nissan Qashqai and got Xtrail), a quarter tank of extra petrol and also gave me flexibility on the return time, which was a huge help.
A special thanks to James in Birmingham and Brendan at Gatwick. Both of them were incredibly helpful, friendly, and efficient. Their exceptional service made the entire process smooth and stress-free. I’ll definitely be using Enterprise again.

Brilliant service. Booked in the terminal and as soon as I arrived James Irwin already knew who I was. He listened to my requirements and suggested I go for a bigger car for £10 extra. He was very customer focused and reassured me. My flight got diverted from Heathrow and he really calm me down. Highly recommended!

Really friendly and efficient staff at both collection and return. No unnecessary back and forth, just efficiently processing customers despite the late hour and people having issues paying with foreign bank cards.
G who met me at return had basically processed everything before I got out of the car.
Nice fleet of new vehicles.

My husband and I tried to rent a car from here a few days ago, came to collect and brought along everything that was asked for only to be told I needed a flight number? Since when it is a requirement to hop on a plane just to rent a vehicle. The staff were kind and although it was none of their faults that the company has this rule it really made no sense to us and put us in a horrible position as we had prepaid online through a third party. We were forced to go elsewhere to find a vehicle. The second star is only due to the fact that the members of staff tried their best to explain to us but couldn’t help us with our refund. Will not be returning here again

If I can do 0 star I would do.
Long story short: Very unhelpful staff and definitely avoid this branch if you’re local or anyone who doesn’t hold a VALID FLIGHT TICKET ARRIVING ON THE DATE OF COLLECTION. They also do Alamo and National so also avoid these two. All other airport car rentals are fine at least until the day we visited.
Now the long version:
We used to use Birmingham Airport car rental as it’s open till late. This time Enterprise refused to give us any car saying they have a recently updated policy for this certain branch that they would not serve any local resident without a valid flight ticket arriving on the date of collection.
When we book the reservation, there’s no remind nor any pop-up window to clarify this. There was also no prior contact to discuss this. Upon collection, they simply turn back with line on their “updated” t&cs saying we “must be a customer of Birmingham Airport to be able to rent a car with them”. It looks like their definition on the word “customer” is very narrow so you’re not concerned as a “customer” if you only bought a pack of Haribo from an airport convenience shop. When we asked for an explain, they said it’s because their cars kept being stolen or abandoned so their management decided that they would not do business to any people without a valid flight ticket. Also be aware the ticket must be valid on the date of your collection. They told us a story that someone arrived three days ago and stayed in the airport hotel, but they didn’t get the car either because their flight ticket was not valid on the day of their rental reservation.
Anyway we got stood up at 9pm and had to go for other car rentals (all others are fine with local resident). We had to either triple the price to get the same car or downgrade to save money from other car rentals. We ended up going to Hertz.

First time hiring a car; good service. The downside was the wait to be seen, but it was very busy. The staff were helpful.

I got an upgrade, which I was happy about. I was a bit nervous as I’d never driven an automatic before, but a staff member went over it with me, and I was happy. The car was brand new and a beautiful drive. I was very happy; it was a smooth drive to Cornwall and back to Birmingham.

It was good value.

I got my deposit back the same day, which I was very happy about, though it may take longer for first-time renters.

The staff member was helpful with the drop-off, but the poor guy was very busy.

Overall, I was happy with the service. Thanks for a smooth service.

Excellent service from start to finish. Booked online very easily. Collected better car than expected. Deposit returned straight away. Will definitely use again if need be. Thank you Europcar

Sam and Nosheen and all the team at europcar (including the lovely fella with the high vis at the front) are vey helpful, really attentive and very easy to deal with, they make renting a car a really enjoyable experience, i have now become a repeat customer and i can say without a doubt this is the best rental place ive dealt with, (ive dealt with a few!)

The team are always very lovely a very warm and smiley welcome always recieved even on a misersble monday morning! Dont know how but they’re morale always seems high.

What a lovely bunch would always recommend over and over simply brilliant

Because of this branch am never hiring a car from Europcar ever again and am cancelling my account with them. Booked a Van in 15 min got 2 missed calls from them and a few emails including booking confirmation and check in email. While I was analysing and making sure everything was right another email came saying the booking has been cancelled. The why wasn’t provided but a number was to call an enquire so I did. I was speaking to head office over a booking made with a branch and from their end everything was ok so all I needed to do is walk into the branch with the necessary documents. I told them about the email and they said they’d transfer me to the local branch cos from their end there’s no reason to deny the booking. I stayed on the line for 40mins but the call ended with no one answering. Called again and same thing , headquarters and back on waiting line with no update whatsoever. My question is, why take the money before making any checks you think may void the transaction only to hold the money for 3-14 days or better 28days, I need a van immediately but I can’t get the van nor my money to rebook with another company how insane is that.

Absolutely terrible, never answer the phone and constantly have a ‘back log’ so can never get car sent on time. Tried to ring branch waited for an hour couldn’t get through to anyone. Went into the branch and noticed there phone ringer was silenced, makes sense as to why they never answer the phone. Got a workers email to ‘get into contact quicker’ also never got response from that either, worst customer service from a company all round. Terrible. Would never come back.

2000 miles in 5 days, the Van (Merc E-Vito) gave me Zero trouble. Customer service was nice. Pick up and drop off was a breeze. I would highly recommend Europcar

I was very pleased with the service at this branch, Nourheen or Nousheen was very helpful and professional. Definitely going back and recommended this place. I also went back again to swap my car, Sam was very helpful, he did his best to make sure everything is completed to our satisfaction thanks again Sam.

Arrived at Birmingham airport and had to rent a car last minute. Irfan called me over, asked me what the story was & immeadiately offered me an immaculate Volvo V60. I have to say, the treatment was one of a kind. I will definitely be going back. The drop off with Zain was also very smooth

I rented a car from Avis at Dublin Airport (21–23 July 2025). I’m an Avis Preferred member and had prepaid for the booking, including providing my flight details.
When I arrived, the Avis desk (with an “Avis Preferred” sign) was unattended. I was told to queue at the Budget desk and waited over 30 minutes to be served. There was no apology, and the collection process still took more than 5 minutes despite all my details being online. No instructions were given for returning the car, no contact number, and no airport map.
On return, I struggled to find the drop-off location, incurred a €3 parking fee, and could not reach Avis by phone. Only after much effort did I locate the correct area. The Avis agent at drop-off admitted I should have been given a map.
On 23 July, Avis Ireland emailed me asking for feedback if the service was not a 9 or 10. I sent detailed feedback on 24 July (ticket ID 596112) and have since followed up multiple times with Avis Ireland, Irish customer services, and UK customer care — with no reply.
I have been using Avis for over 10 years in many locations but this was my first time renting from Avis at Dublin Airport, and the experience was stressful, poorly managed, and followed by complete silence from customer service. I had hoped Avis would address this and offer some recompense, but the lack of response leaves me with no confidence in using them again.

Awful, do not use. Very nice people when you rent a the car, but on returning it the ‘game’ seems to be to over charge you for minor damage. We had £283.35 deducted from our card, for a 3cm wheel scratch, discovered after we dropped it off? This was more than the cost of 5 days rental. We have no idea if it was on the car when we picked it up as foolishly we only filmed the paintwork. Particularly incompetent is Customer Service, who do not pick up phone calls or reply to emails.

Clairement à éviter. Courrez à la concurrence, je n’ai jamais croisé de loueur si malhonnête. Ils ont une mécanique bien rodée pour faire payer les honnêtes gens pour des dégâts qu’ils n’ont pas commis. Ils facturent le montant des réparations et débitent la carte de crédit sans l’accord du client. Mon cas est très simple, je prends possession du véhicule, je le contrôle et je prends des photos des nombreux dégâts du véhicule. Loin d’être un véhicule neuf. Lors de la restitution, l’employé se dirige immédiatement à un endroit précis du véhicule, sous le pare-chocs avant. Il passe la main et me dit “vous avez fait un dégât ici”. Je lui dit, “non, c’est impossible. Je n’ai eu le véhicule que 3 jours et on a roulé que sur autoroute. Il n’y a pas moyen qu’un tel dégât ait pu être occasionné”. Il me répond vous l’avez pas signalé à la prise en charge, c’est votre faute. Je réponds gentiment que je n’ai pas mis le véhicule sur un lift ou alors je ne me suis pas couché sous le véhicule pour regarder sous le pare-chocs. Malgré ma bonne fois et l’évidence que ce vieux dégât était là depuis longtemps. Ils ont arbitrairement et injustement retiré 600.- de ma carte de crédit. Pour être totalement honnête, comme l’employé n’a rien contrôlé d’autre que cet endroit précis du véhicule sur lequel il est allé immédiatement, il n’y a pas de mystère. Quelqu’un a fait ce dégât, il avait une assurance qui paie la franchise de réparation et quoi de mieux que de facturer plusieurs fois le même dégât… J’ai demandé une copie de la facture du carrossier pour les réparations et une photo du véhicule réparé. Mais devant la mauvaise foi de ses personnages, je pense que je ne recevrais jamais rien. J’ai loué de nombreux véhicules dans de nombreux pays. Je n’ai jamais été confronté à de tels voleurs.

Took us an hour to get the car sorted. We had an infant with us which we disclosed and was given a car seat not suitable for an infant, so we packed blankets around their head as we had zero alternatives. Car was banged up so was a bit anxious on the return of the car. Seeing reviews where people are getting top sec cars last minute, and we had booked well in advance so wondered why we got a beat up car. We asked for a mid range SUV and got Nissan Moka with a boot which barely ha enough room to fit a buggy and our suitcases. I paid in full online and then had to pay £300 deposit when I got to the car pick up (thats probably wrote somewhere). Staff were sound but I just felt considering we had a booking it should have all been ready to go.

It seems the company has changed management and is now focused on overcharging customers. I’ve experienced three issues in my last two rentals:
1. First hire: I was charged over £400 for a scratch on the door panel that I’m certain I did not cause.
2. Second hire: The car was provided without a full tank of fuel.
3. Additional charge: I was billed an extra £17.28 for fuel, despite driving only 14 miles, fully refuelling before return, and noting that the tank wasn’t full. To make matters worse, these charges were never mentioned before I was asked to sign.
My advice: Avoid this company or check everything thoroughly before signing.
Regards,
D. Higgins

After a horrible mixup at Enterprise, my husband and I walked over to Avis in the hopes we could pick up a car on short notice for a long term rent. The young man we met (Masood) was fantastic with us. Not only did he manage to help us secure a car for a good price, he also took extra time to help us get our payment back for the wasted trip at Enterprise. We were in and out very quickly and the overall environment at Avis seemed very friendly. Staff laughing and making conversation with us – it was lovely to see and I would recommend to anyone looking to rent a car. Thank you to all!

I’m super mad at Hertz Birmingham (airport location) as they scammed me. Telling me ‘you’ll get a free upgrade for the inconvenient (I waited in a line for my prepaid car almost an hour) and never sent me an actual receipt and I ended up paying 115$/day which is insane for 2 weeks duration. The SUV Kia Sportage was in a great shape and I loved, but the way it was given to me was very wrong. I tried to call them and corporate many times and no results. When I got a hold of them at Facebook page they said to go back to Birmingham location to fix it. It’s impossible as it’s over 3 hours drive from where we at. The guy at the Hertz Dothan location was friendly and apologetic, but his computer didn’t work (what???) and he promised to send us an email with a receipt. (Having à Deja vu here, as I was promised the same at Birmingham location)

Skip if you can. The booth in the terminal isn’t crewed so you have to go to the attendant in the parkade. When there, the line was super long. The staff didn’t print a copy of the rental agreement and it wasn’t emailed either. When I eventually found a number online to call, they were useless. First, they couldn’t pull up the invoice. So they told me to use the online receipt function. Useless. Then they told me I have to go in to a Hertz to get a print out from them. So basically waste 2 hrs because they have useless software, but yes they overcharge you and you don’t know what your paying for.

Pass, or just buy a car.

Update!

So I went to a local Hertz and was told that only the place where my wife rented could print the invoice. Well, the phone rang for 30 minutes with no answer. So I phoned the 1877 number and had to fight with an AI to get a human. Eventually Juan was able to guide me to the right spot to see an invoice. And guess what? The free upgrad to an SUV wasn’t free. Also, no matter what an invoice isn’t sent to wife’s email. So basically she can be accused of stealing the car. Juan couldn’t even get the receipt.

I will never ever use this useless company again. I’d rather walk the 150 miles than pay for overpriced nonsense.

I will start by saying I will never rent from hertz again.
I went to pickup the mid sized suv I rented ahead of time. After a 40 minute wait I checked in and was sent to get the vehicle. I get to the parking spot and there is a compact buick. That was not going to work with the 5 people and belongings.
So back to the counter I go, wait another 40 minutes for them to serve one customer. The tell me they don’t have any mid sized. That would have been nice to know earlier the first time I was here. So they say it could wait for one to come in but it could be a while. (WHAT!?)
I WAS ALREADY HERE 1.5 HOURS.
No I’m not waiting what else do you have… A jeep wrangler, compact or wait.
So I get the wrangler that they charged me more for, And it’s the worst vehicle for traveling. Noise, rough ride, and gas mileage is terrible.
Never again with Hertz.

I had a rental for 4 days, prepaid a deposit of 205$, and had a remaining balance of 240$ on pick up of the vehicle. The counter agent managed to double book my rental and charge me 3k$ to my credit card. I had asked her to be sure I wasn’t charged and she said it should just be the 240$ before I left the parking garage. So the following day I get up and call to fix it and the call center agent tells me he can’t help me. So on the first day of my vacation I had to drive back through morning rush hour traffic to the airport and turn my rental back in. The morning counter agent tells me my lease than 12 hour rental is going to cost 440$, so I had to stand there and refute that, after adjust the mileage correctly the charge came down to 11$ so for 216$ (205$ deposit) for less than a 12 hour rental! Despite wrecking havoc on my credit card, costing me time and money and stress. I find out it’s gonna take an hour! To
Make my reservation! They can’t do it right there! I cut my losses and took an uber. Absolutely the worst experience I have ever encountered in traveling.

As a long time Hertz President’s Circle member, I’ve learned over the years where its beneficial to use Hertz and where it’s not. BHM is clearly in the “avoid at all costs” camp. Been here a number of times over the years with a son at the University of Alabama. The fact there isn’t a Gold Board for easy pickup and departure is bad enough. There are plenty of pictures on here of the long lines at the Gold Counter. That’s bad enough. What spurs the review is my experience last night. Arriving after 11 PM my family was confronted with a line at the Gold Counter and the response that they “had no more cars.” Really? With a reservation booked for months and the knowledge this was a football weekend in Tuscaloosa? No solution offered, just “please call our Gold Service desk to process your refund.”

Entirely unacceptable. At midnight we had to call for an Uber that never showed. Thankful for Enterpise Rental employees that were gracious and more than happy to loan me a car after midnight. And for a price lower than I reserved at Hertz as a President’s Circle member. No wonder Hertz has declared bankruptcy multiple times. Felt like I was in the Seinfeld episode where Jerry chastised the counter rep that “anyone could take a reservation. The problem was holding the reservation.”

I won’t make that mistake again. You shouldn’t either. And now I will transfer my loyalty membership to a more reputable establishment.

Reserved the car two weeks in advance, arrived at the Gold Booth for pick up, asked to wait 30 mins, it’s been an hour, I am still waiting. Lots of car in the parking spots. Not sure what is happening here. The guy in the booth is very genuine, nice guy, But I am very disappointed in Hertz so as all people here waiting same like me. If you need to wait an hour for the car where walk in customers just pick the car and go, what’s the point of reservation.

I made a reservation with Hertz Car Rental a week ago. As a Gold Member, I expected to get the car quickly, especially since I’ve been using this company regularly through my business. However, the car was not ready, and I’ve now been waiting for over 30 minutes. The first thing they did was ask me to upgrade the car, and I told them it should be a free upgrade given the delay. They declined to offer it for free. This level of customer service is unacceptable.