Different ways to hire
Car club damage checks: what to record before starting your booking
You have booked a car club vehicle for an hour and just want to get your errands done. The car unlocks with a tap on your phone, but there may be nobody there to walk around it with you. Before driving away, check for existing damage and report it through the club's app or support team. A short booking still needs a clear starting record.
The quick check
Match the registration to your booking, check the car before driving and report existing damage through the club's required process. Keep your own original photos and document the condition and parking position at the end.
Start with the registration and booking
Check the registration, location and booking times before unlocking. Similar cars may be parked nearby, or the club may have assigned a different model since you booked. Save the confirmation and check how the club asks you to report damage before you start the journey.
Allow a few minutes to look over the car. If it is missing, you cannot get to it or it is too dirty to inspect properly, contact the club and keep its response. Even if a mark looks old, check that it is recorded rather than assuming the previous member reported it.
Complete the club's own reporting steps
Enterprise Car Club's app guidance asks members to check the car before driving and explains how to report damage through its prompts. Co Wheels' terms also require damage to be recorded and reported, including marks you might consider minor. Follow your own club's current instructions and save its confirmation.
PickupLens gives you your own record of what you found. You also need to send the report through the car club's required channel, because PickupLens does not notify the operator for you. If the club's app will not accept your report, contact support before driving and ask what to do.
Look beyond the obvious bumper scratch
Walk around the car and take wide views before photographing individual marks. Check the wheels, mirrors, glass and bodywork, then look at the seats and boot. Check that any accessories listed for the booking are present, and photograph the fuel or battery level and mileage.
Photos can show litter, stains or damaged trim. If there is a smell of smoke or another problem you cannot photograph, describe it in your report to the club. PickupLens keeps the original images available for you to review. Check that important areas are sharp and well lit while you still have time to retake a photo.
- Correct registration and booking location.
- Exterior views and close-ups of existing marks.
- Interior, boot and any supplied accessories.
- Dashboard readings and visible warning messages.
- Operator report confirmation or support instructions.
Resolve a safety concern before starting
If something looks unsafe, contact the operator before driving. Co Wheels' unsafe-vehicle guidance asks members to report concerns so it can advise or arrange an alternative. A damaged tyre, a loose panel or a door that does not latch needs attention beyond photographing it.
Describe what you can see or hear, photograph any warning message and follow the operator's instructions. Photos and AI suggestions cannot tell you whether the car is safe to drive. If the club assigns another vehicle, check that one separately and make sure your photos identify the right registration.
Take the return photos before ending your booking
Remove your belongings and follow the club's rules for parking, fuel or charging, keys and locking. Photograph the car's condition and where you parked it before ending the booking. Then check that the club's app confirms the booking has ended and save that confirmation.
Use the optional return scan included with your PickupLens collection scan to record how you left the car. Check that the original photos finish uploading when you have a connection. If a question arrives after the next member has driven it, you will have a record of the condition at the end of your own booking.
Sources and further reading
Company guidance can vary by country and branch. Check the terms for your own booking.
