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Car rental agent

Alternative titles for this job include Car rental assistant, vehicle reservation agent

Car rental agents hire out vehicles to businesses and the public.

Average salary (a year)

£24,000 Starter

to

£30,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

40 to 45

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly

College

You could learn some of the skills needed for this role by doing a college course, such as:

  • customer service
  • contact centre operations
  • principles of customer service

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

More Information

Apprenticeship

You can apply to do an apprenticeship with a vehicle hire company, for example:

  • Customer Service Practitioner Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • Customer Service Specialist Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship

These take around 1 year to complete and combine on-the-job training and time spent with a learning provider.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

More Information

Direct Application

You could apply directly to work as a car rental agent.

Employers will look for experience in customer service, office administration or sales work. They may also expect you to have:

More Information

Career tips

You may need to be over 21 for some jobs, for insurance purposes.

Further information

You can find out more about a career as a car rental agent from Autocity.

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • customer service skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • to enjoy working with other people
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • administration skills
  • the ability to sell products and services
  • active listening skills
  • maths knowledge
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

  • have a full driving licence

Foreign language skills could be useful if you want to work at airports, ports or tourist destinations.

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

As a car rental agent, you could:

  • answer customer questions about vehicle availability and rental rates
  • take bookings and explain lease agreements, including insurance
  • update computer records and process payments
  • record a car's condition and note any existing bumps or scratches
  • demonstrate any special features, like GPS systems
  • deliver and collect vehicles to and from locations when required
  • check mileage and inspect for damage on returned vehicles
  • gather feedback from customers about the service they received
  • provide ongoing sales support to regular business fleet accounts

Working environment

You could work in an office, at an airport, at a railway station or at a port.

You may need to wear a uniform.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

You could become a team supervisor, warranty administrator or a hire manager, with further training.

With experience in business leasing accounts, you could become an account manager or move into fleet management.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

Customer Service/Administrative Apprentice

  • Wage: £13,741 a year Annually
  • Location: BRIT HOUSE, HIGH STREET EAST, SCUNTHORPE

Customer Experience Specialist Service Advisor Apprentice

  • Wage: £15,704 a year Annually
  • Location: Cambridge
Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

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Search for training courses near you.

Jobs In the United Kingdom

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