Zipcar UK Avis 3 296

Absolute rubbish service, booked vehicles via the app and had problems with every aspect of the book and drive app. Firstly they make sure you can't lock the vehicle when you've ended a journey then they begin emptying your bank account. On other occasions the app would fail the work and the vehicle would not open up. The last final journey I have ended up with me receiving a vehicle with just 5% battery charge, I was not able to even being my drive from Walthamstow to Stratford. I called in to complain and was asked to charge the vehicle immediately at the nearest charging point. It took an hour and half, it messed up my whole day and I had to cancel my plans. They then forcibly charged me for the 1.5 hours time used to charge their vehicle. Total loss £72 for nothing, what a waste of time. Book at your own risk 0-1 stars at best.

Worst customer service. If you could avoid them, please do.

On 7th September between 11:30 and 4pm I used a local Zipcar for a trip, arriving back at the parking space at about 15:45pm. The following day I received a report that it was bought back at 20:52pm and a payment of £171.56 was attempted to be charged against the card on my account.

I called the helpdesk and explained what happened and that it was impossible for me to have bought the car back late as it was booked by another user at 4pm. I was told that this would be escalated as priority and that I should hear back within about 48 hours.

Over the last two weeks I have called the helpdesk multiple times and have had no positive resolution. It is utterly unacceptable that an issue that should have taken seconds to sort out is still unresolved after all this time.

Zipcar has repeatedly tried to take the money during this period and I am now getting automated messages that my account will be suspended if the payment isn't received.

Avoid.

useless signed up didn't even know my application was denied. First stated I need to go from website to app to apply. Sent and paid. When i called a week later was told I need to use desktop. I said what about the selfie? they said you can send ready made picture. I said is that a selfie? I also asked if an application was denied why would it show available cars and if its denied why dont you email the blood customer to tell them this Will stick with Uber until I get my next car I think

The fuel card in the car i rented was expired in 02/2025 and its still in the vehicle not changed . I ended up paying a sigificant amount for the fuel .I took video and picture evidence , their customer service is completely unreachable, i emailed , called their number and was on hold for hours , nobodz answers me. Very pathetic experience , i have been a loyal and paying customer throughout the years and this is hiw i am being treated. Its my own money and i can not seem to get it reimbursed. I will be taking legal action if they still deny my enquiries.

AVOID!! My account was blocked for no reason, with no warning or emails. I only found out on the day I was moving out, leaving me in big trouble and i had to pay loads to arrange a transport last minute. After contacting them, no reason was given to me and no help at all! i hope they go bankrupt!

Edit: there is no further assistance you can give me since i have called and emaild you loads of times and never an explanation was given. So dont pretend to have a good customer answering here .

I thought about joining but they don't give any information about hire rates, saying that it depends entirely on location/date/time etc. But there is a non-refundable £15 application fee. It's like being charged at a shop door only to find out the prices aren't good when you get inside.

There is also a £9 monthly fee, to hire cars based on prices they won't reveal.

Writing this here in the hope their customer team and managers will take notice and actually reply properly. They use to be so good but seriously gone down hill. When I first joined they had an office in london bridge that you could walk into and speak to a person..now it's faceless with a call centre abroad. The car i used had balled tyres that I took a photo off and showed them..blew out on a dual carriage way putting me ans my children at risk...still waiting over a week for them to remove the charges and unfreeze my account. I rely on this for the school run so it's so unfair. They say it's damage but how an earth can it be when they are legally responsible for the tread on tyres! I've called them daily for a week and sent emails each day...still no resolution:(

Zipcar’s handling of PCNs is deeply unfair and careless. I’ve had two separate cases where they paid fines immediately and charged my card, which meant I was denied any chance to appeal with the council. Their terms claim they have a “specialist team” to review violations, but from my experience, they don’t read cases properly at all. I have raised two formal complaints, one remains unanswered, and in the other, Zipcar replied about an entirely different violation, showing they hadn’t even read my case, an embarrassment and waste of time.

Case 1: The only access to my street has been closed for the past 10 months (and remains closed), leaving residents with no choice but to use the restricted road. Everyone living in the area has had to use (and still do) the same route I did on the day of the alleged violation. I raised this with the council, but my appeal was rejected because Zipcar had already paid the fine on my behalf. I lost my legal right to dispute it, simply because Zipcar acted without any real consideration or applying the “expertise” they claim to have.

Case 2: An enforcement officer admitted his first ticket (parking violation) was issued to the wrong road, took it back from me, and issued a corrected one three minutes later. I paid the corrected PCN in full (as I knew I was in the wrong, even if briefly). Despite that, Zipcar still processed the void ticket and debited me £190 for a notice that should never have been valid.

I’ve always paid without complaint when I was in the wrong, this isn’t about dodging responsibility. It’s about Zipcar’s process: they settle fines instantly, block members from appealing, charge an extra £30 admin fee every time, and then fail to even acknowledge proper complaints.

For a service that relies on trust, this is unacceptable, never gonna use the credit card again. I used their service for the last few years but as it is now I won't use them again.

Had flight at 7am, had to be at the airport at 5am. So just booked a Zipcar for 3am, to make sure that I make it to the airport.
At 3 am, went to pickup the car. And guess what. Car is not there. Zipcar app show itt there. Zipcar app doesnt let me cancel the booking. Zipcar app doesn't let me book 2 other cars that's in front of me. Zipcar Customer Support doesn't pick up.

Called an Uber, because no way I can catch my flight with National express. Try getting an Uber at 3:30am in London, to freaking Gatwick... Had to buy fast track at the airport to make it to the flight, and luckily made it literally the last minute.

Called Zipcar fuming in the morning, for the stress and thr extra £200 they costed me. Customer support on the call assured me they'll reimburse the expenses, and I should send my recipes.

I did. Now on the email, they are refusing this. Scam

Frustrating signup & customer service experience. After reading on the website that there were dedicated Flex cars at Gatwick airport, I signed up:
"London Gatwick Airport is in the Zipzone area! Rent a Zipcar Flex and drive to and from Gatwick Airport. Flex is our one-way car hire service that will help you start your trip seamlessly. Save on parking and Airport transfers, our vehicles are within a short walk of the Gatwick North Terminal parking area."

Flex cars can't be searched before signing up, so I did not know that there wouldn't be any cars at the airport.

In short: I was manoeuvred to sign up, pay the £15 fee, only to find that there weren't actually any cars at the airport as described.

In obvious disappointment, I contacted customer service to resolve this issue with me. But they wouldn't offer any resolution whatsoever and kept referring to the T&Cs. No acknowledgement of the misleading communication, no interest in winning me as a customer.

Used to be good but now the app is horrible - so slow, constant problems. So many steps and clicks to do and when you try to call customer service it takes ages. The reserved spaces are never free and then the cars are not in the right location - and the app does not update to show their actual location.

Several things resulted in a pretty bad experience using Zipcar.

I'd used their service years ago and had a good experience and really needed to hire a car for a day trip and thought I'd dust off the account.

The car had clearly had a few encounters from looking at the outside, which was fine and the app ordered me to take photo evidence of this.

The inside of the car was AWFUL. The seats originally white, were stained brown and black, the dashboard was scratched and scuffed as if some wild animal had gotten into the vehicle, the footwells clearly full of crumbs and dirt from years of neglect... And the glove compartment filled with some sort of liquid. The same liquid was found on the floor of the car and where the fuel card lived, which was also caked in the same substance. Images taken of all of this and submitted within the app.

Switched the car on and was immediately greeted with a tyre pressure warning, another great start. Checked the tyres and they looked fine. Starting driving and the car only wanted the full to the left.

The car itself struggled for the entire journey and I've never seen rear view and wing mirrors shake so violently for a simple journey at 60mph.

I needed to put petrol in the car to avoid the £30 fine for leaving it with over 1/4 tank of petrol. Filled up at the pump, the cars petrol cap didn't lock. Went inside to pay only to find out the fuel card doesn't work, so this had to be paid for out of my pocket - this money was reimbursed to me after contacting support.

I submitted a complaint about the overall experience and was informed each car is inspected and maintained/ cleaned every 7-10 days, which is very doubtful considering the condition of the car I had. I was provided with £15 compensation which was quickly taken up by an extra few quid due to mileage.

Overall I don't think I'd ever use Zipcar again as the vehicles they have on offer aren't well maintained and it brings into question how roadworthy they actually are! They are a cheap alternative to other car rental companies, but at least their cars are well looked after and in a drivable condition.

I applied for Zipcar after confirming with their support team that my long-standing Brazilian driving licence was acceptable. Despite holding a high Experian credit score, having lived at the same UK address for over four years, and having just received my full UK driving licence, my application was declined without any clear explanation.

I fully understand that acceptance is at Zipcar’s discretion, but the process felt opaque and frustrating. It would help customers if eligibility criteria and internal checks were explained more transparently, especially for long-term UK residents with decades of international driving experience and newly issued UK licences.

Unfortunately, I will need to look for other car-sharing options, and Zipcar has lost a potential long-term customer.

I’ve had a very bad experience with Zipcar and want to warn others.

While using one of their cars, the in-car GPS directed me onto a restricted road. Within just 4 minutes I ended up with two penalties, which together with Zipcar’s “processing fees” cost me £220 in total. To make matters worse, Zipcar immediately paid the fines on my behalf, added £30 per penalty, and by doing so removed my right to dispute the PCNs directly with the council. Had I been able to handle them myself, I could have paid at the reduced rate and saved money.

The only reason I ended up on the restricted road in the first place was because Zipcar’s in-car GPS navigation directed me there. As a foreign driver in London, I rely on safe and dependable navigation — and the cars don’t even come with a phone holder, making it unsafe to use my own device. I trusted their system and was penalized for it.

When I raised my concerns, the responses I received from customer service felt dismissive and simply pointed back to the terms and conditions. There was no acknowledgement of the unfairness of the situation or the fact that the in-car system itself directly contributed to the fines.

On top of that, I was later told that Zipcar “advises members to use their own navigation.” But I never once saw any warning, notice, or advertisement about this. As a paying customer, if a service is included in the car (like GPS), I naturally expect it to be reliable. Instead, it led me straight into fines. Honestly, it feels like Zipcar doesn’t bother updating their GPS — and that only benefits them when members get fined, because they can add their fees on top.

As a driver with over 12 years of clean driving experience, this whole experience has been incredibly frustrating. I will no longer be using Zipcar and will be switching to new competitors as soon as they become available.

Had a terrible experience with my most recent ZIP van and have lodged an official complaint. But as of yet no one has reached out.

I am posting this email in the hope that someone from Zipvan actually reads this. Attached is the email that i had sent that highlights my concerns.

Dear Zipcar Customer Services,

I am writing to formally raise a serious complaint regarding my recent booking of a Zipvan (registration GF22LWA) on 8th September 2025 at 8:30am to 9th September 2025 at 8:30am. Unfortunately, this has been the worst experience I have had with Zipvan, and I must stress my deep disappointment and concern regarding the safety and service provided.

Upon starting my journey, it immediately became clear that the vehicle was not fit for use:

The van was severely damaged and screeched badly when driving.

Side doors were difficult to open, and the rear doors would not close properly.

An engine management light remained on throughout my booking, clearly indicating a mechanical fault.

Both side view mirrors were damaged and not fit for purpose, creating a serious safety hazard.

The rear brake lights and number plate light were not working, which would be an immediate MOT failure and a serious road safety risk.

The fuel level was less than a quarter on collection, and no fuel card was provided.

This left me in an unacceptable and unsafe position. I contacted your customer service team straight away to report these issues and requested a replacement vehicle. Instead of providing any meaningful support, I was told that I would have to return the van to its original location and rebook another vehicle. I even asked if I could drop this faulty van at a nearby Zipvan location and collect another one, but was again told no.

I am extremely concerned that a vehicle clearly unsafe and unroadworthy was knowingly made available for hire. With non-functioning brake lights, a faulty engine, and damaged mirrors, this van should never have been legally on the road, let alone rented to customers. Your lack of flexibility and unwillingness to assist when I raised these urgent concerns shows a complete disregard for customer safety. I had already arranged contractors and helpers for that day, making it impossible to change plans, and was therefore left with no choice but to use an unsafe vehicle.

On top of this, due to the missing fuel card, I had to personally pay for fuel. In the chaos of the day, I misplaced the receipt, but I can confirm that I refuelled the vehicle with £20 worth of fuel.

To make matters worse, I also found it extremely difficult to navigate your website to lodge this complaint. The process is unclear and confusing, and no confirmation of my complaint submission has been provided. This lack of transparency appears to be yet another way of avoiding accountability and leaves customers uncertain as to whether their concerns are even being registered.

This experience is not only unsafe and stressful but also unethical. It appears more cost-effective for Zipcar to rent out defective vehicles than to withdraw them for repair, which is deeply troubling.

I have been a loyal Zipcar/Zipvan customer for years and have always valued your convenience and high standards. However, this incident has left me extremely disappointed and questioning my trust in your service.

I am escalating this complaint to the BVRLA for investigation. For your reference, I confirm that photos of the vehicle were uploaded via the app at the time of hire. I also ask that you review the call recording from my conversation with your colleague, where I repeatedly expressed my concern about the vehicle’s safety and requested a replacement.

I expect a full and prompt investigation into this matter, along with appropriate compensation for:

Being forced to drive an unsafe and unroadworthy vehicle,

The £20 fuel costs I personally incurred,

The disruption, stress, and lack of support I experienced.

Finally, I strongly urge Zipcar to withdraw this vehicle from service immediately until it has been fully repaired and deemed legally roadworthy, to prevent other customers being put at serious risk.

I look forward to your urgent response.

Earlier experience with Zipcar a few years ago was good. Recently the car hired was ridiculously dirty inside and out. Got a fixed penalty fine which I'm disputing and Zipcar charged me anyway together with a £30 processing fee hidden somewhere in terms and conditions. Won't use them again.

Awful experience time after time – I will never use Zipcar again.

I booked a car near my home to take a friend to the airport, only to find overnight it had been moved much further away. With no refund option, we had to drag luggage to the new location. The car was filthy, full of rubbish, and wouldn’t start – dashboard showing it needed immediate service.

Customer service told me to find another car, so after wasting more time and paying for an Uber, we got to the second vehicle. Same issue: wouldn’t start, flashing red service warning.

At this point we had no choice but to take another Uber direct to the airport at 4x the cost. To make it worse, I’ve now been charged over £200 because customer service failed to cancel the second faulty vehicle.

Completely unreliable, stressful, and expensive. Avoid at all costs.

Terrible!!! Can you imagine meeting all the requirements, only to be rejected on a rubbish email to say that they only accept on their discretion and can decline applications if they feel like it…..
Please someone help me understand this stupidity.

I suppose I consider myself lucky - cars have always been there when booked. Can’t complain! It really helped me when I moved house