By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: Some car rental agencies are setting their own rules that are not in line with the commercial rights of consumers. For instance, signing a blank promissory note is illegal, as is demanding payment for fixing a car damaged in an accident from the renter, along with many other practices by the agencies.

The Kuwait Association for Consumer Protection has posted an awareness video on some wrong practices by car rental agencies. The video mentions the agency is not allowed to demand payment for fixing a car damaged in an accident by the renter, as all vehicles should be covered by full insurance. It adds the agency is also not allowed to demand the daily rent of the vehicle during the repair period in the garage.

Kuwait Times contacted four car rental agencies, and all of them confirmed having full insurance for all their vehicles. Three of them demand fees of KD 25 for opening a file at the insurance company in case of an accident by the renter. Also, two of these agencies said they don't rent a vehicle for less than three days.

President of Kuwait Association for Consumer Protection Mishal Al-Manea said the condition of compulsory full insurance for all vehicles at car rental agencies was set by a joint decision of the ministries of interior and commerce and industry. "The consumer has the right to complain against car rental agencies' practices such as signing a blank promissory note, demanding fees for fixing a damaged car, whether for an accident or other mechanical causes, demanding the rent while the car is being repaired at the garage, or demanding fees for opening a file at the insurance company. All of these are illegal," Manea told Kuwait Times.

"Also, the agency is not allowed to force the client to rent for a certain period, such as a minimum of three days, and they can rent for only a day. In case of an accident, the client should inform the agency and get a report from the police station, and shouldn't pay rent for any further days. The client can then choose to rent another vehicle from the same office with a new contract," added Manea.

Some car rental agencies have complained of reckless motorists who exploit the strict rules of not demanding any compensation from the renter. "We have received complaints from many agencies of renters speeding with the vehicle and driving recklessly in way that damages the tyres or other parts of the vehicle. So the ministry will be preparing a new agreement for car rental agencies soon," he explained.

"The agreement should guarantee the rights of both parties. The new decision should include an option for the renter to pay an additional fee and have the rented vehicle totally insured, or not pay this additional fee and instead sign a pledge to repair the damages caused by them if they cause an accident or drive the vehicle in an illegal way. We also proposed that rental vehicles should not be older than five or seven years and be under the warranty of the local agent of the vehicle brand. This agreement will be finalized soon," concluded Manea.