DriveLink
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

For renters

How does booking work?+
Pick a vehicle, choose your dates, and send a free request. The agency confirms or declines within a few hours. If they confirm, you pay a Rs. 500 lock-in fee (via bank transfer) within 12 hours to secure the booking. Once we verify your payment, the agency's contact details unlock and you can call/WhatsApp/SMS them to arrange pickup.
What does the Rs. 500 cover?+
It's a lock-in fee — it secures the vehicle for your dates and locks in the price the agency quoted. It's separate from the rental cost itself, which you pay directly to the agency at pickup. If the agency cancels after confirming, you get the Rs. 500 back in full.
Do I need to verify my ID?+
Yes. ID verification through Didit (our third-party verifier) takes about 2 minutes. Verified renters get confirmed faster by agencies and unlock all bookings. Some agencies may not accept unverified renters at all.
What happens if I cancel?+
Cancellations before the agency confirms are free — no charge, no reliability hit. Cancellations after the agency confirms cost you a reliability score reduction (the closer to pickup, the bigger the hit). Repeat last-minute cancellations get your account flagged.
What if I don't pay the Rs. 500 within 12 hours?+
The booking auto-cancels. The slot is freed up for someone else and your reliability score takes a hit. We'll text and email you to remind you before that happens.
Is the agency's phone number hidden until I pay?+
Yes. We show the agency's name, city, and reliability stats publicly so you can decide, but the contact number is unlocked only after the booking is confirmed AND the Rs. 500 is verified. This protects against off-platform bypass and ensures both sides have skin in the game.
What about insurance and damages?+
Insurance is between you and the agency. We surface whether the vehicle is Hire-insured (commercially insured for rental — safer) or Private (P-Number) (owner's personal insurance, which may not cover rental usage). Damage handling, deposits, and excess are all directly negotiated with the agency before pickup. Always confirm in writing.

For agencies

What does it cost to list?+
Nothing. Listing vehicles, receiving requests, and using the dashboard is free. We charge a flat Rs. 200 per booking that completes successfully — billed monthly, invoiced via the admin team. No monthly subscription, no per-listing fee.
When do I pay the Rs. 200?+
Only after a booking reaches "completed" status — meaning the renter picked up the vehicle, the rental period ended, and you marked it complete in your dashboard. Declines, cancellations, no-shows, and incomplete bookings are all free.
How do I know a renter is real?+
Every renter goes through ID verification (Didit, third-party). Their verification status and reliability score are visible on every booking request. Renters who've cancelled bookings late or ghosted in the past show a lower reliability score — you can decline with no penalty.
How do I get notified about bookings?+
We text you on the mobile number you registered with. The SMS includes the booking reference, vehicle, dates, and a link to your dashboard where you confirm or decline. You don't need a smartphone app — everything works over the dashboard URL.
What if my listing isn't approved?+
New listings go through admin review (usually within 24 hours). The most common rejection reasons are unclear photos, missing required information, or pricing that looks unreasonable. We'll message you with feedback so you can fix and resubmit.
Can I cancel after confirming?+
You can, but it counts against your agency's reliability score and may incur a penalty if it's within 24 hours of the renter's pickup date. Repeated late cancellations get your account flagged and lower search ranking.

Still have a question?

Agencies can message DriveLink support directly from your dashboard.