Boom In Icelanders Renting Their Cars To Tourists

Icelanders are renting their cars out to tourists at an accelerating rate, with a sevenfold increase reported over the past year alone.

While many visitors to Iceland might rent cars from some of the larger retail chains, RÚV reports that another popular service is carrenters.is. There, prospective tourists can rent cars owned by individual Icelanders for the short term. The service has thus far proved immensely popular.

“Bookings for last January were seven times the amount they were in January of last year,” CarRenters managing director Viktor Þórisson told reporters. “Most of these bookings are for this summer.”

The service is also reportedly clear and legal, as legislation regarding rental services was recently passed which allowed for the practice. Those hoping to rent their cars need the approval of their insurance company and, if approved, the cars are registered with the Icelandic Transport Authority.

Typically, standard passenger cars will go for about 10,000 ISK per day, and Viktor says they maintain a high standard for their cars – for example, no car older than 15 years may be rented through the service. The cars need to have regular maintenance checks.

CarRenters is not the only game in town, however, where individuals renting out their cars is concerned. The companies Viking Cars and Caritas also offer similar services. CarRenters has some 100 cars on offer, and they are currently in need of more vehicles, especially jeeps, to meet the growing demand.