CarRent
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Privacy Policy

Last updated: February 2025

1. Who we are

CarRent (Pty) Ltd (“CarRent”, “we”, “us”, “our”) operates this website and car rental services in South Africa. We are the responsible party for your personal information under the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). For questions about this policy or your data, contact us at info@carrent.co.za or call +27 11 979 5087.

2. Information we collect

We collect information that you provide and that we obtain in the course of providing our services.

  • Account and identity: name, email address, phone number, and (where applicable) identity or driver’s licence details when you register or complete your profile.
  • Bookings: pickup and return dates and times, branch, vehicle choice, rental preferences, and any special requests.
  • Payment: payment method details are processed by our payment providers; we may receive confirmation of payment and last digits of cards for reference.
  • Communications: records of correspondence (email, phone, chat) when you contact us or we contact you about bookings, support, or feedback.
  • Usage and technical data: IP address, browser type, device information, and how you use our website (e.g. pages visited, actions taken) to improve our services and security.
  • Cookies and similar technologies: we use cookies and similar technologies to keep you logged in, remember preferences, and analyse site use. You can manage cookie settings in your browser.

3. How we use your information

We use your information to:

  • Create and manage your account and profile.
  • Process, confirm, and manage your car rental bookings.
  • Communicate with you about your bookings, changes, and support requests.
  • Process payments and prevent fraud.
  • Send service-related messages (e.g. booking confirmations, reminders) and, where you have agreed, marketing (e.g. offers, news). You can opt out of marketing at any time.
  • Improve our website, services, and customer experience.
  • Comply with legal and regulatory obligations and protect our rights.

4. Legal basis for processing

We process your information where necessary to perform our contract with you (e.g. to fulfil bookings), with your consent (e.g. marketing), or for our legitimate interests (e.g. security, improving our services) where those interests are not overridden by your rights. Where required by law, we will obtain your consent before processing.

5. Sharing your information

We may share your information with:

  • Our branches and service providers who help us run our business (e.g. IT, payment processors, SMS or email providers).
  • Payment and fraud-prevention partners to process payments and protect against fraud.
  • Legal and regulatory bodies when required by law or to protect our rights, safety, or property.

We do not sell your personal information. We require third parties who process data on our behalf to protect it and use it only for the purposes we specify.

6. Retention

We keep your information for as long as needed to provide our services, handle disputes, and meet legal and regulatory requirements. For example, we retain booking and account data for a period consistent with tax and consumer law. When we no longer need it, we delete or anonymise it in line with our retention policy.

7. Your rights

Under POPIA and applicable law, you have the right to:

  • Access the personal information we hold about you.
  • Correct inaccurate or incomplete information (you can also update your profile in your account).
  • Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing.
  • Request deletion of your information where we have no lawful reason to keep it.
  • Data portability, where technically feasible, to receive your data in a structured format.
  • Withdraw consent where we rely on consent (e.g. marketing).
  • Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe we have not handled your information properly.

To exercise these rights, contact us at info@carrent.co.za or +27 11 979 5087. We will respond within a reasonable time and may need to verify your identity.

8. Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

  • Keep you signed in and remember your preferences.
  • Understand how our site is used so we can improve it.
  • Support security and fraud prevention.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking certain cookies may affect how the website works (for example, you may need to sign in again).

9. Security

We use technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. This includes secure connections, access controls, and training. No system is completely secure; we encourage you to use a strong password and keep your login details private.

10. Children

Our services are not directed at anyone under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a minor, please contact us and we will delete it.

11. Cross-border transfers

Your information is primarily processed in South Africa. If we transfer data to service providers or partners in other countries, we take steps to ensure it is protected in line with applicable law (e.g. through agreements or safeguards recognised by POPIA).

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated version on this page and change the “Last updated” date. For material changes, we may notify you by email or a notice on the site. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

13. Contact

For any questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal information:

You may also lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator (South Africa).