I arrived at Drivalia Manchester Airport branch on 7th September, 10 minutes before my booking was due to start. The agent (who was polite) immediately informed me that the booked EV wasn’t available due to other customers not returning vehicles on time. No prior notice, no alternative ready.Despite providing valid proofs of address within the 3-month window, I was told a credit check was still necessary—contrary to Drivalia’s own T&Cs, which state this only applies if proof of address is missing. The check failed, inexplicably, even though I have a strong credit rating and had just passed one for a phone contract.I was then told to contact customer services for a refund. This turned into a wild goose chase:Web chat referred me to the booking portal, which didn’t recognize my details since the booking date had passed.Phone support told me to log a complaint online, which also failed due to the expired booking.Finally, I was told a refund would incur a £35 admin fee—on a £26.99 booking. Charging more than the booking cost for a failed credit check (which shouldn’t have happened) is outrageous.Thankfully, I secured a car from Sixt at the airport with zero hassle and no credit check. Drivalia’s process was obstructive, contradictory, and ultimately failed to deliver the service I paid for.I’ve since received a chargeback from my bank, but I won’t be booking with Drivalia again—and I strongly advise others to think twice before doing so. You may end up with no car, wasted time, and unnecessary stress.So there you have it. Contradiction in T&Cs: If their website states credit checks are only done when proof of address is missing, and yours was valid, that’s a clear breach.Failure to deliver the booked product: Not having the EV available is their operational failure, not the customers and breach of contract with the customer.Obstructive refund process: Referring you in circles and then charging a fee for their own failure is not just poor service—it borders on unethical.
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