Thanks for the info Karen.
@Candide @JEHFromVA I always use Skyscanner or Travel Supermarket for car rentals. They often have deals with the reputable companies like Europcar. I tend to skip the cheapest ones on those sites though as some companies aren’t as good for service. Might be best going direct though if you have specific needs.
We never take insurance with car rental companies but use global cover through ´insirance4carhire’ it’s about £60 a year and although it can take a bit longer to get your money after a claim it has saved us hundreds
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Thanks for your insight and experiences @toml @M.a.x @richten1 @Peg - I’m feeling much more confident in applying for sits that say ‘car is needed now’, at least to start the conversation with home owners rather than disregard them straight away
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You’re probably right @Colin; I just view everything with an “if it can go wrong, it will” attitude. It’s worked for me for many years!
In the future if I’m sitting without a car I’ll ask the homeowner if they have someone close by for emergency transportation. On a previous sit I was told how to bring a pet in an emergency situation so I knew how I would handle it.
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@Candide
My low cost rentals were from Sixt and Enterprise x2. It took some real shopping around and willingness to pick up at not too standard locations. The Sixt I picked up at Stansted but for a 3 week rental it was worth taking the train to pick up and drop off.
Enterprise was once from Waterloo and once from Beckenham south of London.
But when renting from a London city location, you want to avoid within the congestion zone and rent a car that won’t trigger the ULEZ.
tom
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i don’t understand the meaning of that won’t trigger the ULEZ.
(i"m french)
@Candide - It is the Ultra Low Emission Zone - a large area around central London , any cars not meeting the ULEZ standard has to pay a daily charge ( £12.50 a day I think)
I am on the total other end of the spectrum. “Everything is always working in my favor” and it does.
Most of my sits have been in the UK in very rural areas, some for extended periods of time. Never drive, (in foreign countries). I also make certain that I have a network of reliable contacts, provided by the families and always have an open door to any friends and families that want to stop by and “check on me”, have some tea, take me out…whatever. It’s always wonderful.
I’ve taken care of farm animals where I had no previous experience and was taught what I needed to know and these wonderful peeps that stop in are always at the ready to answer questions and help if needed.
For me it’s all about talking, open honest communication so nothing is left to subjective interpretation.
I always ask what I want to understand.
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And all the cars I’ve rented have met the standard. But you can verify with the rental company. The other is the congestion zone. If you drive in central London you get charged a fee. Both fees require knowing that you have to pay them and going online, entering the plate number and paying within 24 or so hours.
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@Amparo let me know if you land back in the SE of the US again. I would love to meet up with you. I am in Charlotte, NC, USA
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One of my first questions is how far is your vet (when the sit is in a village, the clinic is usually in a further town…) : if you can go on foot, because you have no car, perfect.
But other wise ?? does the owner’s help, one of his friends, a relative can help you and drive you to the vet ?? must be evoked…
Uber in a remote place in the country ?? Impossible (at least in France) and many taxis refuse an ill pet (frighten of hair, vomits etc.)
We have been on sits in UK where they have said you need a car and got around just fine. I think a lot of people dont really know what the public transport in their area is like because they use their car all the time. On more than one occassion we have left a bus timetable for the owners and next sitters. Once we know the exact address we will look up public transport for that area and take digital photos of it.
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The problem here is in the asking of the question(s) regarding a car on a persons profile. (1)Is a car needed get to your home (2) do you intend to supply a car? The question(s) are too narrow. There should be an additional question e.g. Is a car needed or is there adequate public transport.
We have had two housesits where we had to rush dogs to the vet. One was bitten by a snake. As a house owner I wouldn’t accept a house sitter without a car. It really is up to the house owner and if they say you need a car - then we need to be upfront if we do not drive or have a car.
And please be careful as if you get caught for entering the ever expanding congestion zone in London without paying in a rental car they’ll bill you plus admin fees so that £15 congestion charge can turn into £150.
I always suggest to visitors to London to think carefully about renting a car as public transport throughout the 600 square miles of Greater London is generally fantastic, quick and cheap.
@CJKeets I never lie to a HO. For me personally I have a driving license but haven’t driven in decades and state this to HO. I say I’d be uncomfortable jumping in their car after this non driving period.
Our experience as well. Ask and listen could be our motto.
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We are relatively new to this forum as well to house sitting in general. We are only in our third sit in the UK and each of the sits said sitters need a car, but each one allowed us to use theirs. Of course, we had to be added to their insurance first. One notable fact is each of these sits have been longer than 10 days. In fact one was a 7-week sit!
I am not sure, but perhaps it is too complicated for owners to add a sitter to their insurance for a short sit? Anyway, Like others have said, if a car is needed, and you don’t have one, you should just ask if you can use theirs.
We have 4 more sits scheduled in US and Canada over the next 6 months and again, all have allowed us use of their car. Since we are true international nomads now, we don’t own a car anywhere!
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