What happens when you get a fine in a rental car? The rules

However, sometimes you might find yourself in a tricky situation where you have received a fine for speeding or parking.

But how does this work when being caught in a rental car? Let’s find out.

Receiving a speeding ticket or parking fine can ruin anyone’s day - let alone if you are away from home and not in your own vehicle.

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To ensure drivers can hire a vehicle with the best knowledge of the laws of the road, car rental platform DiscoverCars.com has compiled advice on what to do when receiving a fine in a rented car.

When driving a rental car in either England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, there are specific rules on what will lead to a fine, and how the situation can be resolved, which DiscoverCars.com outlines below:

• After receiving a speeding fine, a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) will be issued to the registered driver. In this case, this will be the rental company. As they have your contact details and address, this must be forwarded on to you for payment within 14 days.
• A forwarded fine will be sent to you from the rental company with details of when and where the offence happened, plus instructions on how the fine can be resolved.
• If you are pulled over while speeding, you will usually be issued the ticket directly, rather than waiting to receive the fine in the post. However, even if this is the case, look out for any communication from the car rental company.
• A Section 172 notice will be issued within 28 days, so the police can be informed on who was driving at the time of the alleged offence.
• For parking fines, you will receive a PCN - a Parking Charge Notice. This will be left on your car or be given by post. This will include the contact details of who will be responsible for taking your fine payment.

How many times have you rented a car? (Image: Getty)

Car experts urge motorists to never ignore a fine in a rented vehicle

Whether it’s for parking or speeding, the experts say do not ignore a fine, and the same applies for additional charges or admin payments to the rental company for handling it.

For parking fines that are left on your rental vehicle, inform the rental company about any charges as soon as you are aware of them.

For speeding fines, as these can appear a period of time after the alleged incident, DiscoverCars.com suggest resolving them as soon as possible.

Recommended reading:

• Is it illegal to park a campervan on the street? The rules you need to know
• Drivers issued warning over commonly believed speed camera myth
• Drivers warned of new 'mandatory' speed limiters being fitted on cars this month

Aleksandrs Buraks, head of growth at DiscoverCars.com commented: “The best advice that our team can offer is never ignore or put off paying a fine.

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“No matter how anxiety-inducing they may be to face, dealing with them quickly and efficiently will put an end to the issue, and mean that you can relax and carry on with your holiday.

“Whichever part of the UK you’re exploring by car this summer, there are lots of beautiful landscapes to discover, from the dramatic hillsides of the Peak District to the shimmering lochs of west Scotland.

“Remember to pay close attention to the road signs when driving somewhere you’re not familiar with - if you’re too busy chatting with your family or friends while driving, you might miss a speed limit change, and be caught out driving too fast.”