Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK Reviews 

1,231
TrustScore 3.5 out of 5

3.6

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Considering 126 reviews, most reviewers were somewhat happy with their experience overall. Customers frequently praise the staff for being friendly, professional, and exceptionally helpful, often going above and beyond. Many appreciate the efficient and welcoming service, noting a smooth process from start to finish. However, some customers also noted significant dissatisfaction with customer service, citing instances of rudeness and unresponsiveness. Concerns were frequently raised about unexpected charges for services like premium assistance or fuel, alongside issues with the booking process such as unavailable vehicles and insufficient information on requirements.

What people talk about most

Staff

Clients share positive opinions on staff, with many reviewers consistently praising their helpfulness,... See more

Service

Customers had positive experiences with service, often highlighting the helpfulness, politeness, and... See more

Customer service

Users describe ambiguous interactions with customer service, with many reviewers praising the... See more

Price

Reviewers highlight ambiguous aspects of price, with some finding it easy to book online and noting it as the... See more

Booking process

Reviewers mention ambiguous feedback about the booking process, with some finding it easy to book online and... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Travelling from Derby to Margate Kent on a work project, a broken tyre valve left me stranded in Hythe. I contacted the Folkstone Thrifty branch and a lady by the Name of Paula. went above and beyo... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

First time using Thrifty and was very impressed. Particular thanks to Noel at Bristol North - super friendly, explained everything really clearly and kindly gave us an upgrade that was much appreciate... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We hired a car from Thrifty in Aylesbury, Bucks over the weekend. Easy to book online and by far the cheapest of all online options. We dealt with Mohammed Tayub, rental agent at the desk. He was so h... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A really good customer service from Thrifty Basildon, original car was not available, so was upgraded F.O.C. staff very friendly & extremely helpful, highly recommend this company.

Company replied


Company details

  1. Car rental company

Written by the company

Thrifty Car Rental can offer a wide range of hire cars and vans within the UK. We cater for customers who require manual or automatic, compact or economy through to prestige and luxury cars and vans. Reserve your hire car or van online and see how much you could save with Thrifty Car Rental.


Contact info

3.6

Average

TrustScore 3.5 out of 5

1k reviews

5-star
4-star
3-star
2-star
1-star

No recent history of asking for reviews

This company hasn't invited customers recently, so reviews may not be representative

Replied to 94% of negative reviews

Typically replies within 48 hours

How this company uses Trustpilot

See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.

3.6

All reviews

(1,231)

116 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Nothing short of robbery

Nothing short of robbery. Charged 55 Euros for fuel refilling the rental car even though I returned it full with a receipt to prove it. I will never use these guys or the comparison site We Do Spain again. Thrifty they are not

27 April 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Aldwell,

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We are the UK franchise of Thrifty, and we only have information for rentals that have taken place or are due to take place in the UK. Unfortunately, this limits us in being able to address the issues which you faced. To ensure your comments reach the correct people you can add your review here: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/thrifty.es

Best regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

All fine until post drop off charging…

All fine until post drop off charging my credit card over £120 for no reason and refusing to answer on why this was done or refund the money! Avoid!!!!

— Despite them replying below they still aren’t replying to my emails or sending back my money

28 April 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Jessica,

Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. We know additional charges are never what you want to see at the end of your rental. If you would like us to review them for you please contact us at customer.service@switchcarrental.co.uk with some more details of your rental.

Warm regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

motability customer

As a motability customer, seems RAC / Motability have change hire partners from Eurocar to Thrifty, it is a brilliant change. Thrifty understood my needs and the urgency for a vehicle as mine was in the workshop.Brilliant front line service with vehicle tracked up to delivery. Well done Thrifty

30 April 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Mark,

Thank you so much for your kind feedback. We're really pleased that the change has made a positive difference to your experience. It's great to know the team understood your needs and kept you updated every step of the way. We truly appreciate your support.

Warm regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Manager was really rude

Manager was really rude. And then made me park my car on the main busy road. And then purposely took ages to sort out my hire car. Really wished I had chosen Enterprise around the corner. Won’t be coming back… although I must say the other staff were sympathetic and tried their best to help but had to follow orders.

29 April 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Matt,

Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. I’m very sorry to hear about your experience and especially about how you felt you were treated. This is not the level of service we aim to provide. Rest assured, we value your input and have shared your concerns with the relevant teams to help us make improvements in the future.

Warm regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Shib more than brilliant patient…

Shib more than brilliant patient knowledgeable helpful kind amazing service cannot rate this customer service high enough. Amazing!!

23 April 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Penns,

Thank you for the fantastic feedback. We're delighted to hear that Shib provided such brilliant , patient and knowledgeable service. Your kind words mean a lot and we'll be sure to pass them on. We truly appreciate your support and look forward to helping you again in the future.

Kind Regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Bexley branch was amazing thanks to Pj…

Bexley branch was amazing thanks to Pj and Chloe looked after me and made the whole experience easy thanks again

22 April 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Billy,

Thank you for your great feedback. We're pleased to hear the Bexley branch made your experience an easy one. Pj and Chloe will be delighted to know they looked after you so well. We really appreciate your kind words. If there’s anything else we can do for you, don’t hesitate to let us know!

Warm regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Jaydon is polite and friendly and is a…

Jaydon is polite and friendly and is a pleasure to deal with. He helped with the queries I had regarding my rental

13 April 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Mirry,

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. It's always great to hear when our team have made a great impression. We would love to pass this feedback onto Jaydon directly so please let us know which location your rental was from.

Best regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Amazing service from start to finish

Amazing service from start to finish. Both steven and Joanne were friendly and made the process a joy to go through. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a rental

16 April 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Andrew,

Thank you for the fantastic feedback. We're so pleased to hear you had an amazing experience from start to finish. It's great to know the team made the process enjoyable and easy for you. We really appreciate your recommendation and look forward to helping you again in the future.

Warm regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Would be zero if possible

Would be zero if possible. They list cars that are not available they take your details, your credit card etc., then advise subject to confirmation. They say they will email quote, but don't they say they will issue confirmation but don't and in fact don't confirm anything at all. Their only phone number takes you to another branches that have no ability to resolve. Eventually when you get to talk to them they advise no cars available leaving you having wasted time for nill result and lost opportunity with other vendors. The listings are just window dressing. Having used other car hire companies Thrifty are a complete joke, their system borders on fraudulent misrepresentation and when it comes down to it the staff really don't give a toss and actually don't care about this negative review either. The only way to change that is for others to vote with their feet and go elsewhere.

2 April 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi James,
We’re sorry to hear about your experience. This isn’t the level of service we aim to provide and we understand your frustration. Please be assured that your comments have been passed to the local branch manager for further investigation.
Kind regards,
The Thrifty Team

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Thrifty malaga

Add me to the list of people ripped off by thrifty Malaga .
My only advise to all is do not just sign on the dotted line . Ask questions be clear. This company will do anything to add insurances etc
Never again

10 March 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Nick,
We are sorry to hear about your experience. Unfortunately, as we are the UK franchise of Thrifty we are only able to deal with bookings which have or which are due to take place in the UK.
The team at customer-relations-es@hertz.com should be able to help you resolve this.
Kind regards,
The Thrifty Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Courtesy Car

I required a courtesy car and the servicenI got from Ross and Emma werebphenomenal. The Communication was fantastic,and they were both very helpful and accommodating, explained everything in depth from queries or questions I had. Also massive thanks to Emma for going above and beyond to help me. I would highly recommend this company and the staff are simply amazing 👏

20 March 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re delighted to hear Ross and Emma provided such phenomenal service and kept you well informed throughout. We’ll be sure to pass on your kind words—especially to Emma for going above and beyond. We really appreciate your recommendation!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Thrifty cat rental

John in the Bournemouth office was friendly and helpful. Explained the car efficiently and provided some local information as well. Instructions about the car return process were clear including petrol filling station location.

12 March 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Paul,

Thank you for your kind feedback. We're pleased to hear that John delivered a friendly and informative service, ensuring everything was clearly explained. We'll be sure to pass on your kind comments and we look forward to welcoming you again soon.

Best regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Superb check-in and out.

23 March 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Rob,

Thank you for the great review. We're really pleased everything went smoothly from check-in to check-out. We hope to see you again soon.

Kind Regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Martin and Darren at Preston thrifty…

Martin and Darren at Preston thrifty are an amazing duo who go above and beyond for customers very few companies take the time to understand their customers and these two are a credit to this branch

21 March 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Gary,

Thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to leave this review. We're delighted to hear about your positive experience with Martin and Darren. They truly take pride in going above and beyond for our customers, and your feedback means a lot to them and the whole team at Preston branch. We really appreciate your support and look forward to welcoming you again soon.

Best regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Brian’s a star

Brian’s a star , give that man a raise!
(Just a note to the company, I’ve booked prestige auto 3series or similar and please try and honour it)

21 March 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Ruby,

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. It's always great to hear when our team have made a great impression. We would love to pass this feedback onto Brian directly so please let us know which location your rental was from.

Kind Regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great place to hire a car

Great place to hire a car, Brian was very helpful and friendly. Lovely cars and experience hiring with them

20 March 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Aaliyah,

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. It's always great to hear when our team have made a great impression. We would love to pass this feedback onto Brian directly so please let us know which location your rental was from.

Best regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Stupidly left my wallet in one of the…

Stupidly left my wallet in one of the vans and they were helpful in getting it back to me. Good customer service from the Yeovil Branch

19 March 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Chris,

Thank you for your kind review! We're pleased to hear that our team was able to assist in returning your wallet promptly. Providing helpful and reliable service is very important to us, and your feedback is greatly appreciated. We look forward to serving you again in the future.

Warm regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great service from both branches

Great service from both branches, glasgow to stirchley birmingham. New issues with the vehicle all the handover, many thanks to Brian from stirchley branch for making us laugh and recommending the correct size of van for next time

18 March 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Mobeen,

Thank you for the fantastic review! We are really pleased to hear you received great service from both branches and that everything went smoothly with the vehicle handover. We'll be sure to pass your kind words to Brian - he'll really appreciate it! We look forward to helping you again and getting you into the perfect van next time.

Best regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

great service easy to deal with

17 March 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Lewis,

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a 5-star review. We’re thrilled that you were satisfied with our services. Your feedback is appreciated, and we hope to be of help again soon!

Kind Regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great service

Great service - Alan explained everything in detail and was very thorough. Will return when I need a car again

11 March 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Dale,

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a 5-star review. We’re absolutely thrilled to hear that you were impressed with our efficient and high-quality service. Our team works hard to ensure every customer has an exceptional experience, and it’s wonderful to know we’ve succeeded in doing so for you. Your feedback motivates us to continue delivering the best experience possible.

Kind Regards,

The Switch Team

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