I am arriving UK on Sunday 22nd April, and wish to hire a car for a week out of LHR. It seems that if one does not have a credit card then hire is impossible. I have tried booking using a card belonging to and authorised by a friend. Still the same cannot do. I am prepared to pay cash on arrival as well as take out full extra insurance - cannot do.

Anyone out there had this experience and overcame it ???

Any UK contacts who are a little more flexible would be well received

Hi, I've had the same problem before. The only way you might be able to get what you want is to find a smaller, independent car-hire firm - but even then you can expect to have to leave a substantial cash deposit of at least 500 quid but often more.

I think it's impossible to hire from Heathrow without a credit card, so my advice would be to look at yell.com and search the area where you'll be staying then plough through the smaller firms, explaining your circumstances and see if any can help.

Good luck.

Bit late for you, but in case it helps anyone else, or you next time, I used www.1car1.com last time in UK. I don't know the policy on credit cards, but they are a smaller company than AVIS etc and seemed pretty good, almost too good as I got upgraded from cheapest model to a 1.6 4-door, not what I really wanted. They're a bit of a back yard looking operation, but were recommended by 2 separate friends and did the business. You may be able to pay cash, but I think every company would want card, or a cash deposit equal to your insurance excess.

You telephone them on a FreePhone number once through customs and a mini-bus picks you up, a 10-15 minute drive to the depot. The other major Hire companies are closer and seem to have desks in the Terminal and so probably would bring car to meet you, for a consideration!