Car rental in England (is it a "deposit" or is it a "hold"? -- fine print says "deposit")

Are you sure it's a deposit and not just a hold? Every time I've hired a car, there's been a hold on my card, but no actual monies charged.

I use Hertz and Avis if that's useful.

We've rented a few times in France and there has been about a 800 euro hold put on the card - they print out a receipt, but I can say it's never shown up as a debit/credit on our statement...no cc/transaction fees either.

Emma, I think the title in the list is a technical problem. Clearly the title is different when you click on the link.

I've rented several times and have never been charged an actual deposit. There is sometimes a "hold" for a certain amount, but it never gets charged.

I have reserved three different cars for Dublin, Caen, Bristol through Hertz. I phoned and they will put a hold on for the value of the rental period plus a few hundred extra. Normally 5000 euro hold in Ireland but we are Hertz Gold plus rewards members (costs nothing to sign up) and the large deposit is waived.

I could be mistaken, but I thought it was common practice for US auto rental agencies (and hotels too) to put a hold on your card when you check in, partly so they can verify that you haven't exceeded your credit limit. In fact, I can recall a couple of friends who bumped up against their limits because of some expensive hotel holds. Not true?

The deposit is new to me although it may just be a problem caused by two countries sharing a common language. Be it a lease or a rental agreement, somewhere in the fine print you will find that you have signed a promissory note for the value of the car. In addition, with or without telling you the rental agencies (like many hotels) will put a hold on your credit card to cover uninsured damages etc. that you may have run up and forgot to mention. The deposit could also be there to cover costs if you are an unannounced no-show.

As for leasing, you did not mention how long you will be using the car. Leases are for a minimum of three weeks. Also since all the leases are through French car companies and the pick-up and drop off fees outside of France can be significant and in the case of the UK you will be driving a left hand drive car in a right hand drive world. Actually the left-right issue isn't that big a deal, millions of people who travel by personal car between the UK and the continent deal with it every year. In 2006 I ignored the advice of a friend and rented from Hertz instead of leasing. The Hertz deal looked pretty good until I got done at the Hertz desk in the Frankfurt Airport and they had put in all the little fees that had been omitted in my "contract". Then I was $300 in the hole compared to a lease and had gone to war to get a car with the automatic transmission we had reserved. If possible, I will NEVER RENT AGAIN. With a lease, you present a paid contract when you pick up the car and the only extra charges are if YOU do a last minute change to the lease. The car you get will be what you reserved, it will be brand new, it will be absolutely insured to the hilt (including glass damage) and when you turn it in there is no 20 minute hunt for scratches that you may or may not have put on it.