FAQS - Subscription Leasing

HOW DO I CREATE AN EKAR ACCOUNT?

Creating an ekar account is easy! You need to be at least 21 years of age and have the following:

- A valid UAE driving license (with at least six months validity)
- A valid national ID
- A valid credit or debit card

Creating an ekar account is quick if you have met the requirements.

Start with taking a selfie with your national ID, then upload the selfie along with pictures of your driving license and national ID.

You need to pay a one-time sign-up fee of AED 1.  There will also be a voidable charge of AED 3.67 for credit card validation. Once we have received the required documents, your account will be confirmed and approved in a few hours.

All first-time users will get AED 30 joining bonus that can be used for any trip!

HOW OLD DO I NEED TO BE TO RENT A SUBSCRIPTION LEASING VEHICLE?

For our subscription leasing program you need to be at least 25 years of age and have the following:

- A valid UAE driving license (with at least six months validity)
- A valid national ID
- A valid credit or debit card

Additional charges will apply if you are below 25 and at fault in the event of an accident.

WHAT IS EKAR SUBSCRIPTION LEASING?

ekar Subscription Leasing program gives you the ability to subscribe to a wide selection of vehicles on a month to month basis without the need for a long-term commitment. It is an all-inclusive offering,with maintenance, service, full comprehensive insurance, and delivery/collection. ekar Switch makes it easy for you to downgrade or upgrade to a new vehicle, at any time.

WHO PROVIDES THE VEHICLE?

All of our vehicles come from reputable and authorized car rental companies in the UAE,  ensuring that you get a fully sanitized vehicle with the best in quality, service and maintenance.

WHERE DO I START?

You can start by opening the ekar app, clicking on Subscription Leasing, and using our filter and search options to find the vehicle of your choice. Once you have selected the vehicle, select your preferred delivery date, time, and location, and confirm.

Your order will be set to a pending state until it is accepted by the Car Rental Company. Once your order is accepted, the Car Rental Company will contact you to arrange a delivery time and then proceed to deliver the vehicle to your prescribed address.

WHAT IF MY BOOKING REQUEST IS DECLINED?

The Car Rental Company may decline your Booking request for any one of the following reasons:

1. The vehicle you have selected is not currently available; or


2. Your documents are expired

If your Booking is declined you must double check the validity of your documents. If all documents are valid, proceed to search for another vehicle.

WHAT DO I DO IF MY DOCUMENTS ARE EXPIRED/INCORRECT?

You can reach out to help@ekar.me and provide your renewed documents.

HOW DOES ONBOARDING WORK?

When the driver arrives at your location, you are required to take four (4) clear pictures of the vehicle to record the vehicle's condition before your reservation starts. Once completed, you will be required to scan a QR code presented on the driver's mobile device to start your reservation. Please note, you will also be required to sign a hard copy of an additional contract with the Car Rental Company as part of their terms and conditions.  

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT FEE TYPES?

Rental Charge: is the monthly recurring cost to rent the vehicle. The longer the rental term the better rate you will get.

Booking Fee: is the one time fee of AED 120 that is charged at the beginning of each rental term.

Additional Driver: is the optional monthly recurring fee that must be paid for if you intend to have a second driver registered and allowed to drive the vehicle. This fee will be shown on the app and will vary based on the type of vehicle.

Insurance Excess: is the mandatory charge levied onto you if you are the at-fault party in the event of any accident or damage claim. This charge is in the amount of AED 3,000 to AED 7,000 based on different types of vehicles. (if no CDW or SCDW has been purchased). If CDW has been purchased, the charge will be between AED 1,500 to AED 3,500 and if SCDW has been purchased, there will be no charge. If you are not the at-fault party, then there is no charge. The model wise insurance excess details are listed at the bottom.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW): is the optional monthly recurring fee that is paid for if you would like to reduce your Insurance Excess liability when you are the at-fault party in the event of an accident. This fee will be shown on the app and will vary based on the type of vehicle. See Insurance Excess, above.

Super Collision Damage Waiver (SCDW): is the optional monthly recurring fee that is paid for if you would like to remove your Insurance Excess liability when you are the at-fault party in the event of an accident. This fee will be shown on the app and will vary based on the type of vehicle. See Insurance Excess, above.

Delivery/Collection: is the fee that is charged for the delivery and collection of a vehicle before and after your Booking. Service provided to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah are free of charge, however all other Emirates will have a delivery charge of AED 500

Switch Fee: is the fee of AED 50 that is charged when you want to use the “ekar Switch” feature to select a new vehicle during your existing rental term.

Fines (Parking and Traffic): are the penalties which are incurred by you, levied by the local police and/or traffic authority, as a result of you violating parking and traffic laws. In addition to the amount of the fine, ekar will also charge an admin fee of AED 100 if the Fine amount is equal to or greater than AED 200, or AED 55 if less than AED 200.

Tolls (Salik, DARP): are the charges incurred by you as a result of passing through a toll gate, anywhere across the UAE, in the amount of AED 4 per toll crossing. In addition to the amount of the toll, ekar will also charge an admin fee of AED 1 per toll charge.

Over Mileage: is a charge based on the amount of kilometers you drive the vehicle over the allotted kilometer cap. For each kilometer over, ekar will charge you AED 1 to AED 3. This charge may change based on the type of vehicle. 

Cancellation Fee: is a charge to you for terminating your Booking early. Depending on the time in which you terminate your Booking, different charges may apply.

(i) Before the Car Rental Company accepts the Booking request, there is no Cancellation Fee and you will be reimbursed the Booking Fee. No monthly Rental Charge has been taken from your credit/debit card at this point.

(ii) After the Car Rental Company accepts the Booking request, but before you sign the Rental Agreement, if there is no fault from the Car Rental Company, there will be a Cancellation Fee of 20% of the monthly Rental Charge and no refund or reimbursement of the Booking Fee. No monthly Rental Charge has been taken from your credit/debit card at this point.

(iii) After you sign the Rental Agreement, there will be a Cancellation Fee of 20% of the monthly Rental Charge. There will be no refunds or reimbursements of any charges paid and all outstanding charges must be paid.

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN MY RENTAL?

All fees shown on the app are inclusive of VAT and are the only fees to be paid in order to successfully complete a Booking and rent a vehicle, there are no hidden fees. In addition to these fees, there may be other charges throughout your Booking, depending on your driving.

When you Book a vehicle through Subscription Leasing, ekar includes the following as part of your rental package:

• Delivery (see “what are the different fee types?”))


• Service andMaintenance


• Full Comprehensive Insurance*


• Roadside Assistance


• Replacement vehicle


• 24/7 customer service

WHEN DO I GET CHARGED?

For all monthly recurring Rental Charges, you will be initially charged when you accept delivery of the vehicle, then charged every 30 days. For the Booking Fee you will be charged as soon as you place a Booking request. All other charges will be charged as soon as they occur.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I GET A FINE?

In the event you get a fine, charges will be made directly on your account once the authorities notify us.  All corresponding fine details will be sent via email. You can always contact us for more info.

DO YOU CHARGE FOR DELIVERY?

Delivery and pickup are free of charge within Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. All other Emirates will have a delivery charge of AED 500.
 

DO I NEED TO PAY FOR PARKING AND FUEL?

Yes, you are responsible for paying for all parking and fuel during your Booking. You must also return the vehicle with the fuel level agreed with the Car Rental Company to avoid the penalty levied by the car rental company plus ekar admin fee of AED 50.

HOW DO I RETURN MY VEHICLE?

We will remind you of your end Booking time 10 days prior so you can schedule your return of the vehicle directly from the App. 

Please make sure to fill up the petrol tank to the same level at which you received to avoid any unnecessary charges!

HOW DO I SWITCH VEHICLES?

Yes, you can switch your vehicle. You will request a new vehicle directly from the app and upon acceptance of the new order, you can schedule the return of your current vehicle in use. Once the vehicle is picked up, you can schedule the delivery of your new vehicle. 

Please note, you cannot switch three days prior to the recurring payment date of your booking.

Overmileage & Insurance Excess charges: