Can’t accept that as a valid reason. The applicant used a UK piece of ID requiring them to be a UK resident whilst at the same time claiming they were in France. Hoist by their own petard comes to mind.
Your point (1) accepted and is a matter of record.
Point (2) not accepted. There has been, over the years, much information about the need/desirability to change to a French permis and many right minded people have done so (moi et ma femme inclus!) at the same time as typical British arrogance has prevailed - “oh, you don’t need to do that bla bla bla”. This issue goes back years!
No it won’t. If you are resident in France you use your French address to hire a vehicle and if you borrow one it goes to the owner’s address. If your car is registered in France as it has to be, then they go on the information on the carte grise not on your uk licence.
Most things are just they want money these days. Say if you wander onto an unmarked street in Milan central during an unposted hour when cars are not allowed.
Car hire companies have always provided my licence address. Remember also it’s only very recently we’ve had to choose. It’s always been possible to travel freely in all sorts of countries till Covid whilst maintaining 2 places which could be considered residences.
The Car Hire firm will no doubt ask for and keep your address on record and advise the authorities accordingly (unless you were economical with the truth about where you lived of course in which case the licence address might be used to trace you).
So Graham…all I can say is it seems to be a well known feature of such restricted areas particularly in Italy, that indeed signage is not existent in all the places it needs to be.
Having accidentally breached once you’d think anyone there on a later occasion would pay particular attention wouldn’t you? Jus’ sayin’.
PS surprised to see in the article you’ve attached the author suggested not refilling a car when returning in Italy unless there was a petrol station next to the car hire drop as a reasonable option.
Even if difficult or inconvenient anyone that hires cars in Italy or most other countries knows that the surcharges are outrageous if not returning full. Normally making sure to refill properly (even slightly overfill) at a reasonable distance and keeping the receipt to prove it will avoid opening the door to very large additional charges not just the missing petrol.
now here’s are two interesting thoughts…a)you have a UK licence with an address that is no longer right as you’ve sold up so now have no UK address OR b). You’ve sold the property and bought another in the UK…a flat you use when going there (like us ).
In both cases it is a requirement to update your details and get new licence …mandatory requirement with penalty fine for having a wrong address on your UK licence…but you can’t apply to change details on UK licence if you are not a UK resident, there is a box to tick confirming this …big fine or two years in clink for false declaration!
A conundrum I think!
Exactly. Position a) means someone who’s moved to France and has, say 8 years on their licence is stuck. They are having to carry around a licence that links back to a UK address that is no longer their address at all. Because they are not allowed to swap for a French one they will have to be like that for 7 and a half years
