Three-quarters, or maybe a bit under
A hirer returns a diesel van. The policy is like for like, and at check-out the sheet says full. The gauge now shows a little under three-quarters. The hirer says they filled up at a station five miles away and the needle always sits low on these vans. The check-in assistant, who did not do the check-out, has no photo of the gauge from Friday.
Charging means an argument. Not charging means the branch pays to refuel the van before the next hire. Most small cases end with the branch paying.
Why fuel is so often wrong
Fuel gauges are imprecise, and needles move differently on different vehicles. The check-out record is usually a tick box or a fraction written by hand. And the refuelling itself is often done by staff or a valeter who does not record how much fuel went in.
- Gauge readings are estimated, and written as full, three-quarters or half.
- Nobody photographs the gauge at check-out.
- Refuelling charges are worked out by hand from a rate per litre and a guess at the tank size.
- Pre-paid fuel options are sold at the counter but not always recorded on the agreement.
- Staff refuel vehicles at a local station on a fuel card, and those costs are not linked to the hire.
Paying for other people's fuel
Fuel that is never recharged, disputes over fuel that is, and staff time spent driving to a petrol station between hires. Fuel is a small line on each hire and a meaningful one across a year. It is also one of the charges hirers are most likely to complain about publicly.
How we capture fuel properly
- At check-out, the app asks for a photo of the gauge and the dashboard range display where there is one. For vehicles with telematics that report fuel level, the reading is taken from there too.
- The fuel level is recorded in eighths or as a percentage, not as a word.
- Pre-paid fuel and other fuel options are recorded as part of the agreement, so check-in knows which policy applies.
- At check-in, the same photo and reading are taken and shown next to the check-out ones.
- The refuelling charge is worked out from the difference, the vehicle's tank size and your rates, and shown to staff with both photos.
- Refuels done by staff on a fuel card are linked to the vehicle and hire, so you can see what refuelling actually costs you.
| Policy | What the check-in needs | How the charge is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Full to full | Proof it left full, reading on return | Shortfall times tank size times your rate |
| Like for like | Reading at check-out and return | Difference times tank size times your rate |
| Pre-paid fuel | Record that it was bought | No refuel charge, as per your terms |
| Electric | Charge level at both ends | Your charge rate, see the EV handover process |
The rates, admin fees and tolerances all come from your own terms. The system only applies them consistently.
Allowing for gauges that lie
Some vehicles show full for the first stretch of driving and then drop quickly. A small tolerance, which you choose, stops tiny differences becoming charges. Where a hirer says they filled up nearby, they can upload a receipt from a link in their return text, and the charge is paused for a manager to decide.
Fuel charges nobody has to argue about
Check-in staff see both gauge photos side by side, and most hirers accept a charge when they can see the evidence. The branch stops paying for other people's fuel, and the time spent refuelling vehicles between hires becomes visible. Over time you can also see which vehicles produce the most disputes, which is often a sign of a gauge that behaves oddly.
Is fuel a regular argument at check-in?
- Fuel levels are written as words or ticks on a sheet.
- No one photographs the gauge at check-out.
- Fuel disputes usually end with the branch paying.
- Staff refuel vehicles between hires and nobody tracks the cost.
- Pre-paid fuel is sold but not always recorded on the agreement.