Renting a moving truck is pretty straight forward. You are charged a flat fee for the truck based on its size and extra fees for the mileage that you use for driving around town. However, it is possible to be charged additional fees with your rental. Here are some tips for avoiding those fees. 

Point Out Damage Before You Leave

Your rental contract will state where the truck has existing damage on it so that you are not found responsible for causing it. However, it is always a good idea to give the truck a visual inspection on your own before you leave the rental center. Verify that all damage on the truck is listed in the contract, and have an employee look at the truck if you see any additional damage. They can make note of the damage so that you are not blamed for it later on when you return the truck.

Put Gas Back In The Truck

In addition to your mileage, you are responsible for refilling the gas tank with the gas that you used during your trip. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as filling the gas tank back up to the top at the end of the rental. Rental trucks often start their rental period with the gas gauge at a different level, which is indicated in your contract. Make sure that the gas gauge is filled back up to this level before you return the truck to avoid a fuel surcharge fee and an increased cost for gas per gallon.

Not sure how much gas to put in the truck? Ask someone at the rental center how many miles your truck gets per gallon of gas. That will give you a clear idea of how much to put in the vehicle. Include your fuel receipt with your contract when you return the truck to avoid any confusion.

Keep The Truck Clean

It is a good idea to sweep out the truck at the end of the rental period to make sure that there is no dirt or debris inside the vehicle. If the truck is dirty, expect to be charged a cleaning fee to have an employee at the rental center clean out the truck. This may not seem like it is such a big deal, but it delays getting the truck back on the road for the next customer that is scheduled to rent the truck.

To learn more about renting moving trucks, contact a rental service in your area like U-Haul Truck Rental Services.