Can You Smoke in a Rental Car? What Happens If You Do
Car rental companies typically do not allow smoking inside the car. Almost every major service provider, such as Enterprise, may add a smoking charge for breaking the rules.
In general, they maintain and follow a 100% smoke-free policy for the fleet. These restrict renters from smoking cigarettes, vapes, pipes, and cigars.
If this rule is violated, it may result in a cleaning fee of USD 450 or more. Therefore, it is advised not to smoke in the car or to review the policy and rules to avoid extra charges.
What are the Rules and Recommendations for Smoking in the Rental Cars?
Simply put, there are no providers of rental cars that allow smoking inside. This means violating it can come with a hefty cleaning fee. However, it is better to know the necessary rules and recommendations beforehand.
Rules:
No Vaping/Smoking Policy: Every car rental company enforces a stringent policy to keep the fleet smoke-free and odor-free. This means using vaporizers and even e-cigarettes is strictly prohibited.
Cleaning Fee: Violating the rule will result in a huge cleaning fee. This can be USD 450 or more. So, make sure the car does not have a smoky smell while returning.
Inspection: Every rental company in Chicago and others thoroughly checks the car for burn marks, ash, and odors. The prominent rental car companies also have smoke detectors, UV lights, and high-quality sensors to find residues.
Damage: In addition to smoking evidence, if the car is damaged due to the use of cigarettes and other substances (damaged seats or burn marks), it will trigger additional fees or penalties.
Recommendations:
NEVER smoke in the rental car, even if the windows are open.
ALWAYS review the rental agreement carefully while picking up the vehicle to know the smoking policy and rules.
REMEMBER every companies follow smoke-free policy. This is the basic industry practice. So, do not smoke.
What If a Rental Smokes Inside the Car?
Vaping or smoking in rental cars is more likely to result in huge cleaning fees. Since all rental companies have no-smoking policies, every renter should follow them. When it comes to consequences and other aspects, one should connect with the concerned service provider for details.
Besides, here are some important points everyone should know about.
Cleaning Fees: As mentioned earlier, smoking inside the rental car will incur a cleaning fee. This could vary from one company to another, but starts from USD 250 generally.
Detection: Before imposing a fee, a specialized team of the company will follow various detection methods and tools to detect smoking. The objective is to find the damages, burns, odors, and ash residues. They may also check the footage of interior cameras.
Loss of Use: In case there are signs of smoking inside, the company will send it for deep cleaning. During the period of cleaning when the car is not rented, the renter will need to pay the fee/amount.
Smoking Type: Keep in mind that the non-smoking policies of rental companies are for all types of smoking. These include pipes, cigars, vapes, cigarettes, and e-cigarettes.
Damage: If rules are not followed and there are permanent stains due to smoking, such as burns, the renter will need to pay for the repairs as well.
How Much Do Car Rental Companies Charge as a Cleaning Fee?
The actual cleaning fee depends on the car rental company, its policies, location, type of damage, and other factors. Hence, it is recommended to connect with the respective service providers for a better understanding.
Average Cleaning Fees: USD 400
Minimum Cleaning Fees: USD 250
Maximum Cleaning Fees: USD 450 and more
Cleaning fees by Avis and Budget: USD 450
Cleaning fees by Hertz: USD 400
Enterprise Smoking Charge: Depends on the location where the car is rented
How to Avoid Hefty Cleaning Fees?
You cannot smoke in a rental car. So, doing so will impose penalties. However, there are a few ways to avoid the cleaning fees.
Basic Ways to Avoid Penalties
Initial Inspection: Always check the car for any existing ash or smell. If there is anything, instantly notify the company about it to avoid wrong charges later on.
Never Smoke Inside: This is the rule of thumb for avoiding cleaning fees. Since car upholstery can absorb the smoke and smell, it is good to avoid smoking inside or even close to the car.
Dispose of Butts Outside: It is not a great idea to use the car ashtray. Always dispose of smoking substances, such as cigarette butts, outside the car.
Cleaning methods if smoked already inside the car
Deep Cleaning: Before returning the vehicle, vacuum it thoroughly. While doing this, pay attention to the crevices between the floor and the seats.
Surface Cleaning: Clean the center console, dashboard, and other interior spots with a cleaner to wipe out residues.
Odor Eliminators: Several types of odor eliminators, such as sprays, are available. Get them from a professional car service or cleaning shop to remove odors.
Maintain Ventilation: Always drive by keeping the windows down. It will help in airing out the bad odor of cigarettes and other smoking items.
How Do Car Rental Companies Check for Smoking?
Every rental vehicle is carefully and thoroughly checked for signs of smoking. A dedicated team member of the service provider will inspect the car for overall cleanliness.
They do a physical examination of the rental car for smoking evidence.
A cleaning fee will be assessed if there are cigarette butts, burn marks, or a smoky odor inside the car.
The company also takes pictures or videos of the same to substantiate the cleaning charge.
Note: If the renter has left the return location before the complete examination, they will be notified via calls or emails regarding the cleaning fee that has been imposed on their credit cards.
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