Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions apply to vehicle rentals provided by IQ Car Rentals. By making a reservation or signing the rental agreement, the renter accepts these Terms, the rental agreement, and any vehicle-specific conditions shown during booking.

1. Payments and Booking

• No credit card is required to submit a booking request.
• Card payments are processed securely through the Stripe payment gateway. IQ Car Rentals does not store full card details.
• For bank transfer bookings, a 25% deposit must be paid within 3 calendar days of booking confirmation. The remaining balance must be paid no later than 15 days before the rental start date. If the balance is not paid on time, IQ Car Rentals may cancel the reservation.
• If the booking is made less than 15 days before the rental start date, full payment may be required at the time of booking.
• A valid credit or debit card may be required before vehicle pickup for security pre-authorisation, security deposit, unpaid charges, fines, damage, fuel differences, cleaning fees, or other charges stated in these Terms.

2. Security Deposit

A security deposit or card pre-authorisation is required at the start of the rental, unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Deposit amounts by vehicle group:

• Group A, A1, B, B1: €300
• Group C, C1, D, D1, E, E1: €400
• Group F, F1, F2, G, G1, H, H1: €500

If Zero Excess Coverage is selected, the security deposit is reduced to €120. This amount may still be used for non-insurable costs, including but not limited to fuel differences, traffic fines, cleaning fees, lost keys, negligence, restricted-area violations, and damage not covered by insurance.

The security deposit or card pre-authorisation is released after the vehicle has been returned and inspected. This usually takes 5–15 business days, depending also on the customer's bank or card issuer.

IQ Car Rentals may deduct documented unpaid charges, fines, fees, fuel costs, cleaning costs, repair costs, recovery costs, or other amounts owed under these Terms.

3. Cancellation Policy

• Cancellations made 15 or more days before the rental start date: full refund.
• Cancellations made 8–14 days before the rental start date: 50% refund.
• Cancellations made 7 days or less before the rental start date, late cancellations, or no-shows: no refund.

No-show means that the renter does not arrive at the agreed pickup time and location and does not contact IQ Car Rentals within a reasonable time.

For bookings made for specific rental dates, the standard EU 14-day cooling-off right may not apply where the law allows an exception for dated vehicle rental services.

4. Insurance and Coverage Options

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)

CDW is included in all rentals. CDW limits the renter's financial liability for eligible vehicle damage, subject to the excess amount and the exclusions below.

CDW excess by vehicle group:

• Group A, A1, B, B1: €400
• Group C, C1, D, D1, E, E1: €500
• Group F, F1, F2, G, G1, H, H1: €1,000

CDW does not cover damage or costs caused by:

• Tires, wheels, wheel covers, windshield, glass, roof, undercarriage, interior, lost or damaged keys, wrong fuel, fuel contamination, oil neglect, clutch damage caused by misuse, towing without approval, negligence, reckless driving, illegal use, or driving in prohibited areas.

CDW becomes void if:

• The vehicle is driven by an unauthorised driver.
• The driver is under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or any substance affecting driving ability.
• The vehicle is used illegally, off-road, in races, speed tests, towing, or for commercial transport without written approval.
• The accident or damage is not reported to IQ Car Rentals and the police where required.
• The vehicle is driven outside the permitted rental area.

Excess Reduction (ER)

Excess Reduction reduces the CDW excess by 30% for an additional daily fee.

Reduced excess:

• Group A, A1, B, B1: €280
• Group C, C1, D, D1, E, E1: €350
• Group F, F1, F2, G, G1, H, H1: €700

Zero Excess Coverage (ZE)

Zero Excess Coverage reduces the CDW excess to €0 for eligible covered damage, subject to the exclusions above.

ZE does not cover non-insurable costs, negligence, fines, fuel, cleaning, lost keys, restricted-area violations, or damage excluded from CDW.

With ZE, a €120 security deposit applies for non-insurable costs.

5. Fuel and Vehicle Condition

The vehicle must be returned with the same fuel level as at pickup.

If the vehicle is returned with less fuel, the renter will be charged:

• €2.50 per missing liter of fuel
• €20 refuelling service fee

The vehicle must be returned in reasonable condition. A cleaning fee of up to €120 may apply for excessive dirt, red sand, stains, strong odours, or interior contamination requiring professional cleaning.

Smoking is strictly prohibited in all vehicles. If smoking or smoke odour is detected, a biological cleaning fee of €120 will apply. This covers professional deep cleaning, odour removal, upholstery cleaning, and interior sanitisation.

6. Restricted Areas and Prohibited Terrain

The vehicle may only be driven on paved public roads suitable for normal passenger vehicles, unless IQ Car Rentals gives written permission.

Driving in restricted or prohibited areas voids insurance coverage and may result in additional charges.

The following areas are strictly prohibited:

• Balos Cape
• Spatha Cape
• Any unpaved, off-road, beach, mountain track, or restricted geofence area marked by IQ Car Rentals

A restricted-area map or link will be provided before or at vehicle pickup.

If the vehicle enters a restricted area, the renter may be charged:

• €500 restricted-area fee
• Any recovery, towing, repair, cleaning, or damage costs
• Any loss caused by immobilisation of the vehicle

Recovery or towing in restricted areas is not covered by standard insurance or roadside assistance and may be billed separately.

The renter must not tow, move, relocate, repair, or allow third parties to handle the vehicle without prior approval from IQ Car Rentals.

7. Roadside Assistance

Roadside assistance is available 24/7.

If the optional Roadside Assistance package is selected, assistance includes jump-starts, refuelling support, tire change support, and towing where covered, without additional per-call charges.

Without the package, roadside assistance is available from €50 per call.

Roadside assistance does not cover incidents caused by negligence, wrong fuel, lost keys, restricted-area driving, off-road driving, or unauthorised vehicle use.

8. Additional Services

Additional services may be available for an extra fee and must be requested in advance, subject to availability.

Child seats and baby chairs:

• Infant seat: newborn to 12–15 months, approx. up to 13 kg
• Toddler seat: 1–4 years, approx. 9–18 kg
• Booster seat: 4–12 years, approx. 15–36 kg

Additional Driver: additional drivers must meet all rental criteria, present a valid driving licence, and be present at contract signing.

Young Driver Insurance: available for eligible drivers aged 21–22, subject to vehicle group restrictions and additional fees.

Tire and Windshield Protection: covers eligible tire, wheel, and windshield damage, subject to the policy terms and exclusions.

Personal Accident Insurance: covers eligible disability or death of the driver up to €15,000, subject to the insurance policy terms.

Third-Party Liability Insurance: included as required by Greek law, covering eligible third-party injury and property damage up to the statutory insurance limits.

Senior Driver Rental: rentals for drivers aged 70–80 may be available, subject to valid licence, insurance approval, and vehicle group restrictions.

9. Out-of-Hours Pickup and Return

An out-of-hours fee of €20 applies for pickup or return between 22:00 and 08:00.

This service must be requested in advance and confirmed by IQ Car Rentals.

10. Driver Requirements and General Rental Rules

The driver must hold a valid driving licence for at least 12 months.

Drivers with licences not issued by the EU/EEA, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, or another country recognised under Greek law may need an International Driving Permit together with their national driving licence.

Minimum age:

• 21 years for Mini, Economy, and Compact vehicles
• 25 years for Premium, Luxury, and Commercial vehicles

Maximum rental age: 80 years, subject to insurance approval and a valid driving licence.

Minimum rental period: 24 hours.

Late returns: a 1-hour grace period applies. After that, additional charges may apply.

Permitted rental area: vehicles may be used only on Crete Island. Travel outside Crete, ferry transport, or cross-border travel is not permitted without written approval.

Return location: the vehicle must be returned to the agreed drop-off location. If returned elsewhere without approval, a relocation fee of €50–€120 may apply, depending on distance and operational cost.

Mileage: unlimited mileage applies to all rentals, unless otherwise stated in the booking.

Damage assessment: if damage is found, the vehicle may be inspected by a qualified technician or repair partner. The renter will be informed of the assessment and any applicable charges.

11. Traffic Fines and Administrative Charges

The renter is responsible for all traffic fines, parking fines, tolls, penalties, and administrative charges incurred during the rental period.

If license plates are removed or seized due to violations during the rental, IQ Car Rentals may retain part or all of the security deposit until the issue is resolved.

Replacement costs, administrative costs, and loss-of-use costs may be charged if plates or documents are not returned promptly.

12. GPS Tracking and Telematics

All vehicles may be equipped with GPS and telematics systems, including Teltonika FM130 GPS trackers or similar devices.

These systems may collect and process vehicle-related data, including:

• Vehicle location
• Speed
• Harsh braking, acceleration, and cornering
• Geofence or restricted-area alerts
• Vehicle movement and security events

This data is used for fleet security, theft prevention, roadside assistance, accident investigation, restricted-area enforcement, vehicle recovery, and protection of IQ Car Rentals's legal and contractual rights.

If repeated dangerous driving, speeding, harsh driving, or restricted-area entry is detected, IQ Car Rentals may contact the renter, restrict use of the vehicle, terminate the rental, or recover the vehicle where permitted by law and the rental agreement.

Telematics data is processed in accordance with the IQ Car Rentals Privacy Policy.

13. Data Protection and Privacy

IQ Car Rentals processes personal data for reservation management, rental contract performance, customer support, payment handling, insurance administration, legal compliance, fraud prevention, fleet protection, GPS/telematics operation, and dispute management.

Personal data may be shared where necessary with payment providers, insurance companies, roadside assistance providers, telematics providers, repair partners, legal advisors, public authorities, or law enforcement.

Personal data is not sold.

Customers have rights under applicable data protection law, including rights of access, correction, deletion, restriction, objection, portability, and complaint to a supervisory authority.

Full details are available in the IQ Car Rentals Privacy Policy.

14. Accidents and Emergencies

In case of an accident or incident, the renter must:

• Ensure safety and call emergency services if needed.
• Contact IQ Car Rentals immediately.
• Do not admit fault or accept liability.
• Collect details from other parties involved.
• Take photos of the vehicles, location, road conditions, and any visible damage.
• Notify the police where required by law or insurance procedure.
• Report the accident or damage to IQ Car Rentals as soon as possible.

Failure to report an accident or damage may void insurance coverage.

15. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms and the rental agreement are governed by the laws of Greece.

Any dispute should first be raised with IQ Car Rentals at:

• Email: sales@iqcarrentals.com
• Phone / WhatsApp: +30 210 300 0233 / +30 694 300 6062

If no amicable solution is reached, disputes may be handled by the competent courts of Greece, unless mandatory consumer protection rules provide otherwise.

16. Company Information

Trading name: IQ Car Rentals
Registered address: Kolymvari, 730 06, Crete, Greece
Email: sales@iqcarrentals.com
Phone / WhatsApp: +30 210 300 0233 / +30 694 300 6062
Website: iqcarrentals.com