I've just remembered this but we have hired a couple of cars without a problem. Has anybody ever been asked for a code?
Sorry, wrong forum!
Never been asked. But it only takes a minute, so I always turn up with one.
> https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence
I hired one in Cork at Christmas, the guy there said they (all the local car hire companies) would be asking for codes etc from the New Year
Never been asked but have made sure I had one. About 5 hirings in Europe since they came in.
Thanks folks
Hired a van last month - they wanted my NI number, they said it was easier to ask for the details to get the code rather than trying to explain what it was.
Hired a car in Switzerland in July, they were stereotypically impersonal and proceduralised - she sort of softly barked "number" and I gave her a screen grab of it, she studied her screen for ages before saying "thank you" which is odd given is says almost nothing on their side - just "zero points" or the like - but she gave me a free upgrade so all was forgiven.
You can print the result using the link ^^, and it comes with an unused code if the hire company want to do the check for themselves. The print is also timed and dated to show that it's recent
I'd advise against giving the hire company your NINO
Last time I hired a van, I took a code.
Guy was quite surprised after having to go online and generate a code for everyone in front of me who hadn't bothered.
Much quicker and slicker if you do.
I'd advise against giving the hire company your NINO
Just out of curiosity, why? What is the risk?
Never been an issue for me as I've still got a pink paper DL so all my previous misdemeanours are listed in biro on there. I appear to get 3 points every 10 years. The best bit is that it doesn't expire for another 20 years as long as I don't move house.
Interestingly, I have never been asked when booking a hire car if I have any points so I wondered if any one has turned up to collect a car and been charged extra if they have current convictions on their DL.
TBH i just thought it was a way for the security services to quickly tie an ID to a hire car if they wanted to. got asked a couple of times when the system was introduced, but subsequent hires this past year in norway and germany they haven't bothered.
Del - MemberTBH i just thought it was a way for the security services to quickly tie an ID to a hire car if they wanted to. got asked a couple of times when the system was introduced, but subsequent hires this past year in norway and germany they haven't bothered.
It was part of the plan to remove the paper part of the licence to cut costs. It's not just the hire companies, anyone who needs to know your driving licence status can and will ask for the number. I'm sure 'the man' can access the database, but that wasn't the reason behind it.
Printed it off before we went to Iceland but the guy at the hire care company wasn't bothered about it.
I suspect like a lot of "procedures" some people/companies will do everything by the book, others are more relaxed.
Just booked a hire van for Wednesday. Did the code this am, showed them the screen shot of it and them ensued a stalemate situation where she wanted my NI number so she could generate a code and I wouldn't give it to her.... I told her you don't need it use the code I have. Her chubby fingers bashed away and announced it doesn't work I need your NI number.
No you don't type in the code correctly...after about 4 attempts she got code to work.
NINO...
What is the risk?
You give all sorts of companies your name, address, birth date, and credit card which can give rise to fraud.
Add your NINO unnecessarily and you're adding employment and voting fraud to the list. [url= https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote ]A click here and I can change your voting address and give myself your postal vote, as an example.[/url]
If I change your address to get your vote I also change your credit score, which might cause a load of pain for your re-mortgage.
And then you've got to untangle it all...
...after about 4 attempts she got code to work
If it doesn't work (and sometimes they don't) there is a phone number on the website, you can ring them and they'll sort it out
Thanks timba - interesting.