Inside the vehicle
Missing parcel shelf, wheel-nut key or puncture kit: check the inventory
You may remember checking every body panel but have no record of what was in the boot. A parcel shelf, locking wheel-nut key or puncture kit can be easy to overlook. Ask what your particular car should contain, then photograph the accessible supplied items before loading luggage.
The quick check
Use the vehicle's actual supplied inventory, not a generic equipment list. Record visible items and empty spaces, ask staff about anything missing and repeat the inventory before return.
Find out which accessories belong with this car
The car may have a spare wheel, a repair kit or another arrangement. A missing spare-wheel-shaped item is not automatically a missing supplied item. Ask the branch to identify the equipment for this vehicle and compare it with any inventory in the rental paperwork.
Hertz's terms include the supplied parts and accessories within the rental vehicle agreement, and Europcar's UK damage guide separately discusses essential items. Neither establishes that every model must contain the same contents. Use the actual handover information.
Open normal storage areas without dismantling anything
Check the empty boot and any user-accessible tray or compartment staff identify. Photograph the arrangement before moving items. If a floor panel is designed to lift and you are unsure how, ask for a demonstration rather than forcing it or removing fixings.
A parcel shelf or load cover may be fitted, stored elsewhere or absent by agreement. Record the location and condition of what you receive. For a wheel-nut key, ask staff to show you the correct item rather than assuming an unidentified tool is the right one.
- Parcel shelf or luggage cover, where supplied.
- Spare wheel or repair-kit arrangement identified by staff.
- Wheel-nut key and tools, where supplied.
- Keys, cards and separately supplied accessories.
- Visible empty spaces or damaged packaging queried at pickup.
Take an inventory photo that can be understood later
Use one wide boot view and closer images of the relevant storage areas. If staff lay the kit out for you, photograph it and then record where it is stored. A close-up of one tool without the surrounding tray may be hard to connect to the car.
Do not open sealed consumables or test a puncture kit to prove it works. A photograph records visible presence and appearance, not completeness of hidden contents or operational readiness. Ask staff to resolve any concern about a seal, missing component or damaged-looking item.
Resolve an apparent omission before departure
Report an empty space or absent item through the company's collection process. Keep a written response if staff confirm that something is not supplied or provide it later. Avoid a vague note saying ‘boot checked’ when the real issue is that a specific item could not be found.
If equipment is used during the hire, follow the company's instructions and retain the assistance or incident record. Do not quietly substitute a different kit or tool and assume it meets the agreement.
Check the contents again after removing luggage
Before returning the car, remove personal belongings and check the supplied inventory against the collection photos. Put items where the company instructs and photograph them in place. Keep evidence of any separate handover of keys or accessories through the provider's process.
Your PickupLens photos can show what was visible in the boot at each event. They do not by themselves prove who subsequently received a loose item, so retain any acknowledgement as well.
Sources and further reading
Company guidance can vary by country and branch. Check the terms for your own booking.
