Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK Reviews 

1,236
TrustScore 3.5 out of 5

3.6

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Considering 125 reviews, most reviewers were somewhat happy with their experience overall. Consumers frequently praise the staff for being exceptionally friendly, helpful, and professional during vehicle pickups and drop-offs. People appreciate the smooth booking process, noting that arranging rentals online is easy and prices are generally competitive compared to other options. Reviewers often mention that representatives go above and beyond to assist them. Some reviewers were not happy with unexpected extra charges and billing issues that appeared after returning vehicles. Customers also reported frustrating experiences regarding canceled reservations without notice, along with poor communication from customer support departments when trying to resolve problems.

What people talk about most

Staff

Reviewers highlight positive aspects of staff, describing team members as exceptionally helpful, friendly,... See more

Service

Consumers find service to be positive, highlighting polite and friendly staff who make the rental process... See more

Customer service

Clients share ambiguous opinions on customer_service, noting a wide contrast in their experiences. Reviewers... See more

Price

Customers consistently note ambiguous experiences with price. On one hand, some reviewers report great car... See more

Booking process

People report ambiguous experiences with booking process. While some reviewers found the online booking... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I work for a garage in West Bromwich and Neil who drops off rental cars for our customers is always super friendly and chatty. He’s clear when handing us over information, which is important for us as... See more

Company replied

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


Company details

  1. Car Rental Agency

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 100% of negative reviews

Typically replies within 48 hours

How this company uses Trustpilot

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3.6

All reviews

(1,236)

121 reviews in the last 12 months

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Companies on Trustpilot aren't allowed to offer incentives or pay to hide reviews. Reviews are the opinions of individual users and not of Trustpilot. Read more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Really lovely experience with Abir

Really lovely experience with Abir. Friendly, helpful and swift!

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

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Rachel,

Thank you for taking the time to leave such a positive review. We're glad to hear you had a great experience and found our team helpful. Your feedback is appreciated, and we hope to be of help again soon!

Best regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Van Rental - Bristol North

Big shout to Noel, Tamas and Harry. Friendly customer service backed up by a no fuss rental - just what you need during a house move. Definitely recommend this team and their extended team on the forecourt.

4 February 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Nelly,

Thank you so much for your kind review! We’re thrilled to hear that you had a great experience at our Bristol North branch. Our team works hard to ensure every guest feels welcomed and well taken care of, and we’re glad it shows. We look forward to your next visit and can’t wait to continue serving you!

Best regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Allan was extremely helpful

Allan was extremely helpful, explained everything and was very efficient

7 February 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Teresa,

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 Allan directly so please let us know which location your rental was from.

Best regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Dealt with Abir Hussain who had Great…

Dealt with Abir Hussain who had Great communication and great service very easy to deal with.

6 February 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Zee,

We truly appreciate your kind feedback! It’s always a pleasure to hear when our customers enjoy their experience. Your positive words mean a lot to our team, who works hard to provide the best possible service. We look forward to your next visit and can’t wait to continue serving you!

Warm regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Brand new car

Brand new car, no fuss paperwork nice guy serving me good value
Abir stirchley looked after me, Good guy

6 February 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Paul,

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a 5-star review. We're so glad to hear that you were satisfied with our rental. Our team is committed to delivering high-quality service, and your feedback is a great encouragement to us. We appreciate your support and look forward to serving you again in the future.

Best regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

⚠️⚠️THRIFTY CAR RENTAL DUBLIN⚠️⚠️

Firstly I booked the car to be picked up in Terminal.
I was told I had to get on a bus and go to the car compound after waiting nearly forty minutes the bus arrived and we got to the compound.

After we returned the car I explained there were no issues and that I had fueld the car up to full.
In the pouring rain I was handed a receipt for my hire which I put in my pocket.
Only whilst waiting over thirty minutes on the bus I checked the receipt which I noticed the extra charges.
10 euros for petrol
16:18 euros extra days hir
8:37 fuel service charge
Plus vat totaling 40:24.
All these charges are fraudulent and I am dealing with this through the credit card company.
I have proof I filled the car to full and also have proof that I was not late picking the vehicle up or dropping it off.
Also when I went back to complain he was saying the same thing to an American couple who also said that they had filled it up.
I believe this is a common practice by this company at dublin Airport.
My advice to anyone thinking of using this disgraceful company is don't!!!!!
But if you do keep proof of everything!!!!!
Also what they know is that we are in a time sensitive predicament my plane was leaving in less than two hours.
⚠️⚠️ ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED⚠️⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️

5 February 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi,

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.ie

Kind Regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great customer service from the Truro branch.

Just returned a hire car to the Truro branch. Excellent customer service from all the staff. The car was ready, clean and fuelled when I picked it up and a fast and professional service when I returned the vehicle. Great service thank you.
I would highly recommend Thrifty Car hire for your next rental.

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

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Pete,

Thank you for sharing your positive experience at our Truro branch. It’s always a pleasure to hear when our customers enjoy their experience. Your positive words mean a lot to our team, who works hard to provide the best possible service. We look forward to your next visit and can’t wait to continue serving you!

Warm regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Thrifty Gloucester

Bev dropped my car off and went above and beyond with her kindness and helpfulness. What a lovely lady—there should be more people like her- Gloucester

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

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Jasmin,

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review about our Gloucester branch. Our team works hard to ensure every guest feels welcomed and well taken care of, and we’re glad it shows. We’re looking forward to your next visit and to continuing to provide you with great service.

Best regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Thanks Yasir

Thanks Yasir
Very easy to deal with, I had all my documents except my passport but he over looked it and allowed my to obtain the rental. Very quick in and out would recommend this site to everyone

24 January 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Tobias,

Thank you for taking the time to leave a 5-star review. We will share your feedback with the team, and we hope to see you again soon.

Warm regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Upon entering building we were greeted…

Upon entering building we were greeted by Abir.He was very polite and welcoming and he dealt with the rental swiftly and efficiently.

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

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Haroon,

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a 5-star review. It's always great to hear when our team have made a great impression. We put a lot of effort into making our customers feel valued and we’re so happy to hear that you had a great experience. Thanks again for your support, and we hope to see you again soon!

Best regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Rescued by a Thrifty employee

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 beyond to resolve my situation. Calm, reassuring and determined to provide a solution. Her professional approach ensured that i had a replacement vehicle to continue my work and get home the following day. Thank you Paula ... so sorry i didn't get your surname

6 January 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Mark,

Thank you for the fantastic review! We’re delighted to hear that our service surpassed your expectations. Providing high-quality service is at the heart of everything we do, and your feedback reassures us that we’re on the right track. We truly appreciate your trust. We look forward to delivering another excellent experience to you next time.

Warm regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Coventry branch are the best!!

Maz and here team at Coventry are amazing! They couldn't do enough to help me and my family yesterday.
Thank you!!

8 January 2026
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Trevor,

Thank you for sharing your amazing experience at our Coventry branch! We’re so happy to know you enjoyed your visit. Our team at this location takes pride in providing excellent customer service, and it’s great to see that reflected in your review.

Warm regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

On commission assistants add hidden costs to rental agreements

I used Thrifty for a car rental in Spain. I explained to the assistant clearly that I didn't want any extras adding to the rental agreement. 14 days later Thrifty charged me £100 for premium roadside assistance, which I hadn't agreed to. The assistant had slipped the additional charge into the agreement to earn themself commission. I was never refunded the £100.

26 December 2025
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi,

We are a UK franchise of Thrifty, and we only have information for rentals that have taken place or due to take in the UK. In this case, we are unable to help you find a suitable resolution for your review.
We are truly sorry for the inconvenience.

Best regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

dealt with the sheffield branch

dealt with the sheffield branch, specifically a lady called Jade, absolutely 11/10 service, what started as an absolute nightmare situation was swiftly sorted by Jade and i could not be anymore grateful, especially as it was just days before christmas! thank you and hope you had the best time over Christmas and new year, i hope they gave you a promotion as well as a christmas bonus 🫣🎉

19 December 2025
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Chloe,

Thank you for the fantastic review! We’re delighted to hear that our service surpassed your expectations. Providing high-quality service is at the heart of everything we do, and your feedback reassures us that we’re on the right track. We truly appreciate your trust. Should you need any further assistance, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Warm regards,

The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great customer experience from team

Great customer experience from team
Nile and Paul:
Friendly and efficient

24 December 2025
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Paul,
We appreciate such a kind review and your feedback. It's always great to know our hard work is paying off!
Kind regards,
The Switch Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant service

Brilliant service. Staff was lovely especially Noel who was extremely helpful!!

24 December 2025
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Adam,
Thanks for leaving such a kind review, Noel will be delighted!
Kind regards,
The Thrifty Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Very Impressed with First Use of Thrifty

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 appreciated. Paul who did the inspections before & after was also very friendly and again explained everything really clearly. Had a couple of technical niggles with the car (Peugeot 3008) but nothing to really spoil the experience. Would certainly use Thrifty again.

22 December 2025
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Paul,
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a kind review. Noel, Paul and the whole team at Bristol North will be delighted!
Kind regards,
The Thrifty Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I just had an excellent service…

I just had an excellent service provided by Thrifty bournemouth by john the manager.

19 December 2025
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the review, we are glad John was able to help and look forward to seeing you again soon!
Kind regards,
The Thrifty Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Noel was great

Noel was great. Very accommodating and informative. All very friendly staff and no issues whatsoever. Thanks all!

19 December 2025
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Hi Susannah,
Thank you for leaving such a great review, Noel and the team will be glad they were able to make your experience a positive one and we hope to see you back again soon!
Kind regards,
The Thrifty Team

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Dreadful car hire company

Truly awful service from a dreadful car rental company.

Hidden costs and charges and hit with repair costs based solely on what Thrifty want to charge… no basis in fact a threats with legal action if I don’t pay up.

What ever you do look elsewhere and do not hire from these clowns

POST REVIEW COMMENT:
Thrifty response is typical of the Company. Posting downright lies whilst trying to look like they are sweetness and light. (1) Thrifty have never provided so called 'industry rates' this is a downright lie (2) They have given me Thrifty letterheads with rates on and that is is (3) Letter to their solicitor and BVRLA points out this less anglo saxon terms (3) Under the UK Consumer Rights Act (2015) Thrifty are required to provide me with a matrix of damage repair costs which can be challenged and actual repair costs requested ... they have NEVER provided this information.

Come on Thrifty if you are hoping to keep using weasel words to look better you really must try harder

22 November 2025
Unprompted review
Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK logo

Reply from Thrifty Car and Van Rental UK

Thank you for leaving another review.
As we’ve explained a few times now, all estimates come from industry standard software.
We have reviewed the points you have raised on a number of occasions and know that you continue to disagree with the decision we have reached.

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