Final Rentals Becomes First Global Car Rental Franchise Network to Go Deposit-Free Across 65+ Countries

Cardiff, Wales — Final Rentals, the Welsh-founded car rental technology company, has launched a deposit-free rental option across its entire international franchise network — becoming the first global car rental franchise to offer the model in every market it operates in, spanning more than 65 countries. Customers can browse participating locations and book directly through the Final Rentals homepage, which supports car rental bookings in 60+ countries worldwide.

The rollout replaces the traditional upfront security deposit — long considered one of the most frustrating parts of renting a car — with a daily fee backed by a financial guarantee. Operators retain the protection they need against eligible costs such as vehicle damage, traffic fines, fuel shortfalls and administrative charges, while customers no longer need to lock away their own money to access a vehicle.

Key Facts at a Glance

A 40-Year-Old Model Under Pressure

Security deposits have been standard practice across the car rental industry for roughly four decades, largely unchanged even as digital booking transformed nearly every other part of the customer journey. A traditional deposit typically requires a customer to have several hundred pounds held on their card for the duration of the hire, with funds released — sometimes days or weeks later — only after the vehicle is returned and inspected. Final Rentals argues this friction point has become a genuine barrier to booking, and a recurring source of disputes and administrative overhead for operators.

The table below sets out how the deposit-free model compares with the conventional approach still used across most of the industry.

Traditional Deposits vs. Final Rentals' Deposit-Free Model

How the Deposit-Free Model Works

The capability has been built in partnership with Cardoo, a financial technology company that underwrites the guarantee sitting behind each deposit-free booking. Rather than holding a customer's own funds, Cardoo's financial guarantee protects the rental operator, while the customer pays a modest daily fee instead of a large upfront hold.

• No large upfront hold: customers avoid tying up hundreds or thousands of pounds just to access a vehicle.

• No wait for a refund: because no deposit is taken, there is nothing to release after the vehicle is returned.

• Operator protection preserved: eligible costs — damage, fines, fuel shortfalls, admin charges — remain covered.

• Opt-in by design: franchise partners activate the service themselves through the FR Blade platform, market by market.

• Network-wide from day one: available to every franchise partner across 65+ countries, not a single pilot city or region.

This structure is what distinguishes the announcement from previous deposit-reduction efforts seen elsewhere in the industry, which have typically been limited to specific fleets, cities, or partner pilots rather than an entire global network.

Leadership Perspective

Ammar Akhtar, Founder and CEO of Final Rentals, has been public for some time about wanting to see traditional deposits retired altogether, previously saying he wants to “put car rental deposits in a museum.” Announcing the network-wide rollout, Akhtar described removing deposits as central to making the rental experience “simpler and more transparent for customers,” while giving operators “more choice” in how they compete. He called becoming the first global franchise network to offer deposit-free rental across every market “an important milestone.”

Ricky Gamble, Final Rentals' Head of Sales, who led negotiations with Cardoo, framed the launch around competitive differentiation: removing one of the biggest booking barriers customers face while giving franchise partners a way to stand out in an increasingly crowded rental market.

Alisher Murtazaev, Founder and CEO of Cardoo, said the partnership gives rental businesses a way to simplify the customer experience without giving up the financial protection they rely on.

Company Snapshot: Final Rentals

Founded in Cardiff in 2019, Final Rentals operates a car rental franchise network connecting travelers with local, independent vehicle rental providers through its own digital booking platform. The company processes more than 100,000 rentals a year across its network. Readers can explore live availability and book a deposit-free rental via the Final Rentals online car rental booking platform, covering more than 60 countries.

Why the Announcement Matters

For an industry where the deposit has remained largely unchallenged since the 1980s, a network-wide, opt-in deposit-free model represents a structural change rather than a marketing initiative. For customers, it removes a cost and a waiting period that has shaped rental decisions for decades. For franchise operators, it offers a way to differentiate on customer experience without absorbing additional financial risk. And for the broader car rental sector, it sets a reference point that other networks — regional or global — may now be measured against.

Sources & Further Reading

This release draws on reporting first published by Business in Wales: “Welsh fintech business globalizes deposit-free car rental service”.

About Final Rentals

Final Rentals is a car rental technology company founded in Cardiff, Wales in 2019. Through its franchise model and digital booking platform, it connects customers with local, independent vehicle rental providers in more than 65 countries, processing over 100,000 rentals annually. Visit the Final Rentals homepage to book a deposit-free car rental in 60+ countries.

About the Author

Final Rentals Editorial Team

The Final Rentals Editorial Team includes experienced travel and car rental writers, researchers, and mobility experts creating accurate, practical, and up-to-date content on rental insurance, driving rules, and destinations worldwide. Our guides draw on official regulations, primary sources, and destination research to help travelers make informed rental decisions.