Only five of these ten car hire companies take part in the European Car Rental Conciliation Service: Avis, Europcar, Enterprise, Hertz and Sixt. Goldcar, Record Go, Centauro, OK Mobility and Cicar are not on its list. That matters if you booked from home, directly with the company, and it rejects your complaint.
Three of the ten say in their own terms that they don't accept arbitration: Centauro states its opposition to mediation and arbitration, Record Go its unwillingness to submit to arbitration, and Sixt that it won't take part in arbitration except in the Balearic Islands. Only four set a deadline to dispute damage, always 14 days: Goldcar, Record Go, Europcar and Hertz.
Checked against each company's official documents between 4 and 31 October 2026. ReclamaHoy has no connection with any of these companies.
Deposit, damage, fuel and arbitration, company by company
Each row sums up what the company says in its terms and official pages for car rental in Spain. Click a company's name for its guide, which gives the source of every fact. "—" means the official documents we read don't say.
| Company | Deposit refund | Time to dispute damage | Fuel | Conciliation and arbitration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goldcar | 4 days after the return, according to its help centre | 14 days from when it sends you the documents, if it found the damage without you there | "Full-Full" (you prepay the fuel and get it back if you return the car full) or "Smart Return" | Its terms point to municipal consumer offices and to free out-of-court resolution (arbitration or mediation). Not in the ECRCS |
| OK Mobility | No number of days: released after the car is checked, and depends on your bank | — | "Full/Refund" or "Full/Full" | Submits to Spain's Transport Arbitration Boards and the courts, except in consumer matters. Not in the ECRCS |
| Record Go | A pre-authorisation: the release can take up to 30 calendar days to show on your statement | 14 days from when you receive the assessment report | Full/full: fuel charged at pick-up and refunded by eighths of the tank; €24 refuelling fee | Against arbitration (though its terms mention it for smoking charges). Not in the ECRCS |
| Centauro | 3 or 4 days, up to 10 depending on your bank | — | Fuel charged at pick-up (€70–250); "Full-Empty" or "Equal-Equal" | Opposes mediation and arbitration. Not in the ECRCS |
| Avis | — | — | Missing fuel charged by eighths of the tank, at the "Pay on return" price | ECRCS and local conciliation services, at no extra cost to you |
| Europcar | Up to 4 working days after invoicing | 14 days from when it sends you the documents, if it found the damage without you there | A refundable full tank, or full to full; it may ask for your fuel receipt | ECRCS, for EU residents hiring in another EU country |
| Hertz | A pre-authorisation: release can take up to 30 days | 14 days from the end of the hire | — | An independent mediator whose decision binds Hertz; ECRCS |
| Sixt | After the return and its checks; no number of days | — | Full/full, with a refuelling charge if not; also "Flexi-Fuel" and "Fuel Tank" | No arbitration, except in the Balearic Islands (Transport Arbitration Boards); ECRCS |
| Enterprise | Within 75 days of the return | — | — | ECRCS |
| Cicar | Canary Islands: a fuel deposit, returned at the end if you bring the car back at the same level. Mainland and Balearics: a €200 or €400 deposit | — | Canary Islands: fuel deposit. Mainland and Balearics: fuel used plus a €25 charge | Not in the ECRCS |
Official complaint contacts
These are the contacts each company publishes on its own pages. We don't use phone numbers or email addresses from other websites.
| Company | Where to complain |
|---|---|
| Goldcar | escustomerservice@goldcar.com and +34 91 834 14 00; damage: csdamages@goldcar.com |
| OK Mobility | Its customer service form (you get a case number); with that number, +34 871 055 331 |
| Record Go | The form on its website, or in writing at its offices; its procedure gives it one month to resolve |
| Centauro | Its customer service and complaints form, or in writing to its registered office |
| Avis | +34 919 332 824 or 902 248 824 (Monday to Friday, 09:00–17:00) and its customer service portal |
| Europcar | ES_CustomerService@europcar.com and +34 91 343 45 03 |
| Hertz | Live chat or the form on its contact page |
| Sixt | service@sixt.es (with the rental agreement number in the subject line) and +34 871 180 192 |
| Enterprise | Damage: es.dru@ehi.com and +34 917 821 011; other complaints: the free official complaint form at its offices |
| Cicar | atencionalcliente@cicar.com and +34 928 822 900 |
Conciliation, arbitration and mediation: what each one means
- European Car Rental Conciliation Service (ECRCS): according to Leaseurope, which runs it, it handles complaints about a cross-border rental within Europe: the country where you booked must be different from the one where you picked the car up. Its own example is a car booked on a French website and collected in Spain. You don't have to live in Europe. It is not available if you booked through a broker or travel agent, and only after the company has sent its final answer. Participating companies must abide by its decision; you are not bound by it and can still go to court. It can only look at disputed rental charges, not award compensation.
- Consumer arbitration in Spain: a public body decides the dispute, and the decision binds both sides. It only works if the company accepts it, either by belonging to Spain's consumer arbitration system or case by case.
- Transport Arbitration Boards: a separate Spanish system for transport disputes. OK Mobility and Sixt (in the Balearic Islands) mention them in their terms.
- Independent mediator: Hertz's terms commit it to accept the decision of an independent mediator if it can't resolve your complaint.
We found no public, searchable official register of the companies that belong to Spain's consumer arbitration system, so the table shows what each company's terms say, not whether it is a member. If a company won't accept arbitration, you can still go to a consumer office in Spain and, after that, the courts. If you live in the EU, Iceland or Norway, the European Consumer Centre in your country can help with a dispute with a company in Spain; if you live in the UK, the UK International Consumer Centre can.
How to read the table
- Terms change. Always check the ones in your own rental agreement: they can vary by office, season and rate. We'll update this comparison every quarter.
- A deposit is not the excess. The deposit is a hold or charge you get back; the excess is the most you pay towards damage. Our guides to being charged the excess and to card holds that aren't released explain the difference.
- 14 days goes quickly. If a company sends you a damage charge, reply in writing as soon as you can; our damage complaint letter template helps.
- If you bought excess insurance elsewhere, the hire company can still charge you; you then claim from your insurer. Ask the company for the damage report, photos and invoice your insurer will need.
Common questions
Which car hire company in Spain returns the deposit fastest?
Of the ten, Centauro gives the shortest time, 3 or 4 days after the return (up to 10 depending on your bank); Goldcar's help centre says 4 days after the return, and Europcar up to 4 working days after invoicing. Enterprise sets the longest maximum: 75 days from the return.
Which companies don't accept consumer arbitration?
Centauro, Record Go and Sixt say so in their own terms (Sixt, except in the Balearic Islands). For the others, their documents don't say, or they refer to other systems such as the European conciliation service.
Can I use the European conciliation service from the UK or Ireland?
Leaseurope describes it as covering cross-border rentals within Europe, booked directly with a participating company, and says you don't have to live in Europe. A direct booking made in Ireland or the UK for a car collected in Spain appears to fit, and Leaseurope says the company should tell you about the service when it sends its final answer. Sixt's terms for Spain describe it for EU residents who rented in another EU country, so if you live in the UK, ask Sixt to confirm.
How long do I have to dispute a damage charge?
Goldcar, Record Go, Europcar and Hertz give 14 days, each counted differently. The others set no deadline in their documents; even so, reply in writing as soon as possible and keep your evidence. If you want to see what your documents support, start a free check.
FROM THE GUIDE TO YOUR CASE
Check what your documents say.
ReclamaHoy connects the charge you are disputing with the contract, photos, invoices and emails. The free initial review shows the amount in dispute and what your evidence supports, so you can decide.
Check my documents for free →No card needed. If there is money left to recover, you can get the full analysis for €29.99 in a single payment; it includes the personalised complaint if the analysis recommends complaining. You review and send the letter. If we cannot complete a reliable assessment, we refund you in full. We do not guarantee a refund and we do not represent you like a law firm.
See what the full analysis includesSources and scope of this guide
- The official source of each fact is in each company's guide: Goldcar, OK Mobility, Record Go, Centauro, Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt, Enterprise, Cicar.
- Leaseurope: European Car Rental Conciliation Service: scope and participating companies (checked on 31 October 2026).
- Spain's Ministry of Consumer Affairs: joining the consumer arbitration system and how to complain (in Spanish).
- European Consumer Centres Network; UK International Consumer Centre.
General guidance for personal hires. The documents, the country and the contracting company can change the assessment and the routes available. ReclamaHoy's service is for adults who hire a car in Spain, wherever they live, and for residents of Spain who hire abroad.