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Who is responsible for recovering a hired vehicle
When a hire car is seized, the pound treats it differently from a privately owned vehicle because the registered keeper is almost always the rental company. This means you cannot usually reclaim the car yourself, even if you were the named hirer. Pounds expect the registered keeper or an authorised representative from the rental firm to attend, confirm ownership and arrange release.
What you should do immediately
Contact the rental company without delay. They need to know the vehicle has been seized and they must decide who will attend the pound. Rental firms have their own internal procedures and may send a member of staff, instruct a local agent or arrange for a specialist vehicle recovery company to collect the car. Do not attempt to collect it yourself unless the rental company has explicitly authorised it and the pound has accepted that authorisation.
Why you usually cannot collect the car yourself
Although you hired the car, you are not the legal keeper. Pounds need confirmation from the owner before releasing the vehicle, along with corporate documents that match the vehicle’s registration. A standard hire agreement is not normally enough on its own. Some rental companies also prefer to handle recovery internally because they need to inspect the vehicle and confirm its roadworthiness before it is used again.
Insurance complications with hire vehicles
The insurance included with a rental agreement does not cover impounded-vehicle release. Pounds require an insurance certificate that is valid for compound release, and hire-car policies do not meet this requirement. Because you cannot arrange impound-release insurance for a vehicle you do not own, the rental company must decide whether the car will be recovered by road using their own authorised driver with suitable cover, or removed by a specialist vehicle recovery company instead.
Payment of fees
Statutory removal and daily storage fees still apply. Some rental companies pay these directly and bill the customer later. Others require the hirer to settle the charges upfront before they collect the vehicle. This varies by company, so you should confirm their terms when you contact them. Pounds will not release the car until all fees have been paid.
If the hire company refuses to release the vehicle to you
Rental firms sometimes insist on collecting the vehicle themselves even if you are willing to attend. This can happen when the vehicle needs safety checks, when the company believes the terms of hire have been breached, or when they prefer to control the recovery process. The pound follows the instructions of the registered keeper, so if the rental firm does not authorise you, you will not be able to collect the car.
What happens if you need a replacement vehicle
Once you notify the hire company, they will normally arrange a replacement car for the rest of your visit, subject to their own policies. Whether they charge you extra depends on the circumstances of the seizure, the cause of the offence and the terms of your rental agreement.
A simple way to manage the situation
Your main task is to contact the rental company, explain what has happened and follow their instructions. They are the legal keeper, they decide who collects the car, and they control the insurance and recovery arrangements. Pounds will only deal with them or their authorised representative. Acting quickly reduces storage fees and helps the rental company recover the vehicle without unnecessary delay.
Impound processes, time limits and costs vary widely across the UK, and authorities can amend their rules at any time. Information on this site is intended as a general overview and should not be relied on as definitive for any specific impound location.