VictoriaCars Reviews 

🚨 Thinking of hiring a car with VictoriaCars in Alicante or southern Spain? Please read this before you book.

This review is based entirely on my own recent experience, and I hope it helps others avoid going through the same.

I rented a car from VictoriaCars for two weeks this summer. The car was five years old, already covered in marks and scratches, and I drove it from the airport straight to my accommodation, parked it in a garage for most of the stay, and then returned it in perfect condition.

At drop-off, I specifically asked for the car to be inspected with me present. Instead, I was waved away with “don’t worry, it’s fine.”

It then took over a month for my fuel deposit and rental deposit to be returned. During that time, I emailed several times asking where my deposit was and was completely ignored. When I finally received a response, I discovered that €120 had been withheld. The justification? A faint mark under the bumper, shown in photos, which looks like it could be simple dirt that wipes away.

What makes this worse is that I have kept all evidence of communications, and instead of addressing the core issue (the lack of proof of any damage during my rental), VictoriaCars repeatedly tried to deflect by saying I should have taken their “full insurance.” Let’s be clear:
• Insurance is a personal choice, not an obligation.
• It only becomes relevant once actual, provable damage is established.
• In reality, this “extra insurance” is just another way for them to make money.

This isn’t about the €120. It’s about the principle. Money was withheld from me unfairly, without proof, and only after weeks of being ignored. The way this was handled was unprofessional, misleading, and unfair.

If you’re in the UK and this happens to you, don’t give up. Here are the steps you should take:

✅ Keep every email and receipt, evidence is key.
✅ Contact your credit card provider immediately and request a chargeback (you have a strong case if no damage was proven at return).
✅ Report the case to OMIC (Oficina Municipal de Información al Consumidor) in Spain and the OCU (Spanish Consumer Organisation).
✅ Raise a complaint with the European Consumer Centre (ECC-Net).
✅ Share your experience publicly so others are warned.

What I’ve learned is this: VictoriaCars relies on the fact that many people won’t challenge them. Their pattern of behaviour, delayed communication, ignored emails, no inspection at drop-off, and deflecting onto “insurance,” shows this is not an isolated incident.

I’ve never felt the need to write a review like this before, but I believe it’s important. Customers deserve fairness and transparency, and in this case, neither were shown. Please be aware before you book, and if you’ve been unfairly charged, take the steps above. It’s about much more than money, it’s about standing up to unfair treatment

We have used Victoria Car Hire on two separate occasions and cannot fault the service or the vehicles.

I recently rented a car from Victoria Car Rental at Alicante Airport, and it was an absolute nightmare. From the moment I picked up the vehicle, I noticed a small scratch on the door that was clearly pre-existing—faded and dirty, not fresh. I pointed it out to the agent, took photos, and even had them note it on the paperwork. Everything seemed fine at handover.
Fast forward to drop-off: The car was returned in perfect condition, with a full tank as required. No issues flagged on the spot. But three weeks later—yes, THREE WEEKS—I finally get an email charging me €130 for "damage" to that exact same spot. They claimed it happened on my watch, despite my photos and notes proving otherwise. Out of my €1,000 deposit, they only refunded €870, pocketing the rest as their "repair fee."
This isn't a one-off mistake; it's a blatant scam. A quick search shows countless other customers hit with the same tactic—fake damage claims on minor, pre-existing marks to claw back deposit money. Reviews on Trustpilot and DiscoverCars are riddled with stories of surprise bills weeks after return, delayed refunds, and pressure to buy extra insurance to avoid this BS. It feels like this is baked into their business model: lure you in with cheap rates, then squeeze every euro out of deposits to boost profits. Avoid at all costs—there are plenty of honest alternatives at the airport that won't treat you like a walking ATM. Do yourself a favor and rent elsewhere!

just do NOT, i repeat NOT use this company.
I made a car deposit of 1000EUR and after many calls and emails i received back 925EUR, without any explanation as to why the 75EUR was withheld.

also, it is the only company that i have ever used, that actually take the money from the card, instead of just putting a block on the amount.

if anyone from a spain business review / tourism company reads these reviews, please do something about this type of activity, its just a rip-off , and it also gives a bad impression of services supplied by spanish companies in general, even when they are completely honest and provide a bona fide service.

They don't respond to emails or adequately answer phone calls when you request information. Their website advertises terms that don't match the contract.

They have taken deposit in amount of 988 EUR and said it will be returned in 14 days after receiving a car.
Despite of many calls and questions, it has been over 1,5 month and still did not get the money back.
The worst rental company ever.

I arrived in Valencia around 1:00 AM and had to wait for the shuttle. It didn’t arrive until 2:15 AM, so I ended up waiting for more than an hour.

Once at the Victoria office, I had to fill out several forms. The staff member asked if I wanted additional insurance. I clearly said no, but he kept insisting. He then told me I would need to pay a €1000 deposit and €80 for fuel. In total, €1080 was taken from my account, with the promise that it would be refunded two weeks after returning the car.

I was asked to sign the contract, but no one inspected the car for damage beforehand. When I returned the car, again no inspection was done, and I was told I could leave right away.

Two weeks later, I received an email saying that during a post-return inspection, which I was not present for, two scratches were found on the car. As a result, €130 was deducted from my deposit. I did not agree with this and sent them an email, but so far I’ve received no response.

Victoria is not a trustworthy car rental company. I will never rent from them again and strongly advise others to avoid them as well.

Seems I’m not the only one! Rented from them at the start of august. Paid a deposit for fuel and the car… got home and they took the whole of both payments from my card. Challenged it and was told the full refund would be made, but only a part payment was made. I have contacted them on numerous occasions to ask for the rest and they have ignored all emails and messages. There was no damage on the car, it was fully inspected and I was told it was fine. Avoid the, at all costs!! I will be going there in a few weeks and not leaving till I get my money back!

I would give zero stars. It's a total scam stay away. Took 500 from us even though we took over 50 photos and a video . They sent back the same photos and said it was our fault even though time and date is the same as pick up . STAY AWAY !!!!!!

Extremely poor customer service
I booked to hire a 7 seater minivan from them 6 months in advance as I didn't want any excused when we get to them.,

We get to Spain, and go to collect the car, and it is NOT a 7 seater, but a 5+2 car!
with 6 adutls this is extremely difficult specially with a 1hr journey destination!

the reps response .... sorry , this is all we have!

this is not acceptable! and this really ruined our holiday!

I will be taking this matter further as I am not happy having paid a premium for a 7 seater car and getting a 5+2! their explanation .... it is equivalent!

They are not a small company as there are lots of branches for them in Spain, but their service is really poor!

my advice stay away from this company!

=====================
2/9/25 : RESPONSE TO VC:
=====================
The voucher clearly states :
"Car Group: F2, Automatic
Minibus 7 seater, Opel Zafira or similar"

what you gave me, was a 5+2 seater car which is CHEAPER than 7 seater Opel Zafira that I paid for - I never said ' I paid for a premium car'. I said , I paid a 'premium' for a 7 seater! meaning I paid extra to have a 7 seater NOT a 5+2!

As this was booked through another company, I have now logged a complaint with them and will see what happens.
I will update with any subsequent actions I take again VC here so others don't have to go through what did!

Holiday is a special time and you want to enjoy! what VC did, they ruined our very first day and subsequently the rest of our holiday!

Seriously, if you read this review. CANCEL your booking with them as you WILL be disappointment!

I can't attach images here, but you can see my Google review of this company on google reviews for 'Victor Cars Alicante Airport'.

with the images of what i did book ( F2 class type car) and what they provided ( FR class car, a chines really low powered and horrible car) and still charged me the same!

===================
Update : 09-08-2025
===================
In order to justify the swap, they sent me the specs of a 2017 vauaxhall Zafira and claimed this was the car I had hired! so they have done me a favour by upgrading me to a bigger car.

Having not reached a solution with them, I have now started the charge back process with my credit car company under S75 of the consumer protection act.

Will update result here .....

My advice ....

STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY! IF YOU HAVE BOOKED ALREADY, CANCEL IT.

Rented a car with a lot of scratches and small dents. Upon return, we confirmed no issues: no new damage, and tank full. After I returned it, I was not able to get the 1000EUR car refund, nor the EUR100 fuel back. I called and wrote them to no avail. This was two month ago. Finally I disputed the amount with the credit card company. And instantly they claim I damaged the car. Just shameful and fraudulent. Stay far away.

Given some of the negative reviews on here and having just returned yesterday, I found the service to be spot on.

Swift pick-up at the airport to collect car. Car was a C3 Aircross, immaculate inside with a few paint chips noted at the time of handover on the exterior.

Vehicle returned with full tank, shuttle service back to airport immediately and woke up this morning to find the fuel deposit payment back in my account.

Like anything, do your own checks before booking but I personally would not hesitate to use these guys again.

Quite frankly i was worried reading all these terrible reviews about Victoria Cars here and I read them after I have made my reservation. but I have to tell you having enjoyed their service i cant help but to think that there was a well-organized online mob that deliberately pushed their ratings down. I had one of the most smooth experiences with the car rental company ever. I booked the car with a proper insurance and paid for the fuel deposit. The car was delivered on time to our place in Albir, in perfect condition, we signed the papers with a very professional agent - do not remember her name unfortunately, but the customer service level is simply unforgettable, she was a true professional, explained everything, took the time to listen to my questions and concerns (some of which were fuelled by reading negative comments here) and addressed them in the most convincing and professional manner possible. The return of the car was also smooth, and I"ve got back the balance of my petrol deposit in 2 days (we were in the rush and I didnt fill-up the tank). There was a shuttle bus from their office to the Alicante airport. Literally, everything was absolutely perfect. Thanks a lot and will for sure return when in this region again. by the way, while in Calpe we also noticed that they were co-sponsoring important religious and cultural events (it was the day of the Calpe's saint and we were lucky to attend many events), and i thnk the local community would have never entrusted co-sponsorship to a company that some are trying to represent as scam, non-legit etc.

As so many reviews I have just read (and wish I had read before booking with them!), I would strongly advise against renting a car from this company!

Whilst the car we hired was not in the best of condition (multiple scratches to multiple panels), mechanically it was fine and we had no issues with it during the rental period. Similarly, when we returned the car (in exactly the same condition as we received it), their staff confirmed that there were no issues. Only on returning home did I receive an email stating that part of my deposit was been withheld to cover the cost of repairing 'damages found on your vehicle during the rental period'. This claim was totally baseless and as I pointed out in my response, the mark was actually highlighted on the contract document I signed when initially collecting the car!

I still have not received a response to my email and I have chased again, although I feel that with the level of customer service experienced to date, I am simply wasting my time! Whilst this behaviour is totally unacceptable (and most probably sits within the 'grey' area of legality), there appears to be absolutely no means to escalate the issue and hold these 'cowboys' responsible.

As another reviewer has highlighted, AVOID AT ALL COSTS IF YOU VALUE TRANSPARENCY and FAIR TREATMENT!

The car coated 3 times higher because they are fraud! I returned the car in perfect condition with dated, time-stamped photos showing no damage. Despite this, the company charged my credit card with no proof or proper explanation. Their photos had no date, time, or plate number. No response after weeks of follow-up. I’ve filed a dispute with my bank and will report them to Spanish consumer authorities. Very disappointing experience.

Avoid at all costs. These guys are extorting money by falsifying claims of damage. They're legit criminals.

Went through Discovery Cars (who by the way have the worst customer service support second to none) we paid for extra insurance so didn't need any additional. The insurance documents from Discovery Cars even state "The rental supplier may offer you additional coverage. You may decline this if you have purchased Full Coverage"

Arrived at Alicante where the desk try sell us extra insurance and when we refuse we get sneared at.

I videoed the whole car with the guys pointing out all the marks etc.

Long story short.

We get back to the UK and receive a shady email...
"In case you have a private insurance company, please send them this invoice and pictures to them for the payment.

Deposit: €900
Liters 1 €0.00 €0.00
Refueled: 5.00 Liters.
2 Bodywork, Left Front Wing, Light 1 €53.72
3 Interior, Rear Seat, Light 1 €32.23
4 Refueling, Service, Light Refueling

What they don't know is my daughter also hired a car with us at the same time.

They sent her the same invoice. Which proves these guys are criminals. They are extorting money by falsifying damages. And they have probably been doing it to 1000's of tourists for ever.

It's first class criminality.

They didn't send any photos of any damage. We're not stupid we understand what they're doing.

Damage to interior lights? Wtf?

They're claiming on everyones insurance small enough for everyone to not be arsed about contesting it. They're stealing money with intent and getting away with. 100's of cars a month are rented. How much are they getting away with.

But no one is doing anything about it.

Someone needs to help bring these racketeering criminal c**** down.

If I had read these reviews in the first instance I would have never gone with them.

Avoid these scammers at all costs

Further to my review of damaged car,
I have sent about 10 emails to someone called
Adrian, again with photos.
He has not the decency to answer.
Therefore after 14 years of excellent service I will
write a report on NAMED AND SHAMED

Never had a issue with this company drooped car off at my villa and collected on time cant fault them returned fuel payment 1 day after would recommend not sure why all the bad reviews this was at the moraira branch

Although the car itself was in good condition and met expectations, the service experience was highly disappointing. The vehicle was delivered over two hours later than agreed, with no prior notice or explanation. To make matters worse, I received conflicting information about the pick-up time: the delivery person said it would be collected the same evening at 21:00, but when I called the 24/7 emergency line, I was told it was scheduled for the following morning.

This lack of coordination shows a serious absence of control and professionalism when it comes to customer service. There was no follow-up, no apology, and no refund or compensation offered — in fact, my request for a refund due to the late delivery was simply ignored.

Based on this experience, I will not be renting from this company again, and I strongly advise others to look elsewhere.

I strongly advise against renting a car from Victoria Cars. After returning our vehicle in perfect condition, their staff confirmed everything was fine and no issues were noted at drop-off. To our surprise, days later we received a baseless damage claim for something that absolutely did not happen during our rental period.

Worse still, when we disputed this claim and requested evidence, they simply ignored our emails. No photographs, no inspection report, no explanation — just an attempt to charge us for something we had no part in.

This kind of behaviour is completely unacceptable and feels like an organised scam to extract extra money from honest customers after the fact. Avoid at all costs if you value transparency and fair treatment.