Car Rental Code of Practice
Established in 2018 and updated in 2024, the Car Rental Code of Practice sets clear standards of practice and expected customer service outcomes for AFIA’s car rental member signatories.
Car Rental Conciliation Service
If you have exhausted a participating car rental provider’s dispute resolution procedure and remain dissatisfied with the outcome of the review, you can lodge a complaint via our online conciliation service.
The Australian Car Rental Conciliation Service will review the evidence from your complaint against the Code. and provide an impartial decision. To lodge a complaint, please complete the online form below.
AFIA, together with its Rental Group members, see the Code as key to reinforcing consumer confidence by ensuring the industry undertakes open, fair and honest dealings with customers, providing assurance that they can expect the highest level of professionalism and integrity when using an AFIA member.
Reflecting the scope of the Code, the conciliation service can only consider complaints relating to rental cars from code-compliant members. No other types of rental vehicle sare covered by this Code.
What the Code of Practice means for you
The AFIA Car Rental Code of Practice sets clear standards for how participating car rental companies should treat customers. It promotes transparent pricing, clearer rental agreements, fair billing and end-of-rental processes, and improved customer protections.
On 1 March 2018, AFIA and its Car Rental members – Avis Budget Group, Hertz, Europcar, Thrifty, East Coast Car Rentals, Sixt, Bayswater Car Rental, Goldcar and Redspot / Enterprise – published the first industry-wide Car Rental Code of Practice.
On 9 December 2024, after listening to our members and their customers, the AFIA Car Rental Code of Practice was comprehensively updated and published. The commencement date of this updated Code is 1 April 2025 to give members time to make the necessary changes. In the meantime, the original version of the Code will apply.
AFIA and its Car Rental members (comprising the industry's leading car rental brands) have strengthened their commitments by simplifying business practices and enhancing the whole customer experience through heightened consumer protections and less jargon.
This modernised and customer-centric Code sets clear standards of practice and expected customer service outcomes for AFIA’s Car Rental members. It also provides a framework of expectations to ensure improved communications and practices, including transparent pricing disclosures, simplified rental contract terms, clear billing procedures, and fair end-of-rental processes.
If you are experiencing difficulty in meeting your financial obligations to your car rental provider, you should contact them as soon as possible.
If you tell your provider that you are experiencing difficulty in meeting your financial obligations to them, they will work with you in good faith to assist you to meet your ongoing financial obligations.
Our car rental members will treat you fairly, respectfully and consider your specific circumstances. They may also initiate contact to discuss your financial situation.
AFIA Codes of Practice
The codes apply to relevant credit, finance and novated lease products and services provided to customers in Australia by participating AFIA Members.
FAQs
Rental car companies that are Members of AFIA have committed to comply with the AFIA Car Rental Code of Practice.
The Code provides for a conciliation service to be available for a customer that has had a matter relating to the Code decided by the Member’s internal dispute resolution process but may want further consideration if not satisfied.
As the Code is membership-based, the Conciliation Service can only look at matters that relate to disputes arising from the activities of AFIA Members covered by the Code.
The Conciliation Service only has jurisdiction to determine whether charges related to a rental that occurred in Australia from one of its Members were correctly applied.
Customers that have rented a vehicle from an AFIA Member, and have had their complaint considered by the Member’s internal dispute resolution process but are not satisfied with the outcome, can lodge a complaint by completing the form available below.
AFIA may consider complaints related to any vehicle rented to customers by its members.
AFIA will give written notice to both parties to the dispute of its review. If the Conciliation Service cannot assist in resolving your complaint, then you will be advised of the reasons why.
There is no further process through the Conciliation Service once a final review has been provided to the complainant.
Using this service does not affect your statutory rights and you are free to seek a legal remedy through the courts.
No, customers can use the Conciliation Service free of charge.
- complaints that occurred prior to the commencement of the AFIA Car Rental Code of Practice, and Conciliation Service on 1 March 2018;
- complaints deemed to be frivolous or vexatious;
- complaints where court proceedings have commenced or are subject to review by another dispute resolution service;
- complaints against car rental companies that are not members of AFIA, or signatories to the Code, given they have no obligation to adhere to the Code’s standards;
- complaints relating to rentals which took place outside of the Australia;
- complaints relating to the quantum of the amount charged;
- complaints related to personal injury matters;
- complaints related to the method or cost of repairs to a vehicle.
AFIA aims to provide both parties with its review within 30 days of receiving a completed complaint form.
This is an online conciliation service, and our reviews are conducted based on the written material provided by both parties.
Please contact rentalcar@afia.asn.au for all complaint enquiries.
We will look to assist a customer is full refunded in cases where any unjustified charges were incorrectly raised by the Member.
The Conciliation Service does not award any compensation payments against its members in relation to alleged financial losses or inconvenience caused.