HOW TO HIRE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT

How to hire a car valeter in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

Valet names mean different things, and no licence applies. Here is what each level should include and what to check.

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  • One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews

THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a car valeter in five steps

  1. Pick the valet levelExterior only, mini, full or premium — and ask for the checklist for each.
  2. Say what the car is likeSize, pet hair, stains, smells, child seats. It changes the time and price.
  3. Agree the extrasSeat shampoo, leather care, engine bay, machine polish — priced separately.
  4. Check water and powerA mobile valeter may need a tap and socket, or bring their own.
  5. Walk round before they goInside and out, glass, wheels, door shuts.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

There is no licence for car valeters, and no register, anywhere in the UK. Anyone may trade as one, so what protects you is insurance, trader status and a clear list of what the valet includes; the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires reasonable care and skill.

Ask for the valet checklist and price in writing before you book. legislation.gov.uk →

Insurance

No law requires insurance for a car valeter, but insurance is what pays if your car is damaged while in their hands. Public liability plus cover for customers' vehicles is the norm.

Ask for the insurer's name and what the policy covers.

Trader status and a written price

Your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 — reasonable care and skill, and a fix or money back when it falls short — apply when the car valeter is a trader. On Locufy, trader status is shown on the profile; a written price and description of the job settle most arguments before they start.

Keep the booking message with the price and what it covers. legislation.gov.uk →

VAT

Valeting is standard-rated at 20%. Car valeters over the £90,000 registration threshold have to charge VAT and list it separately from the price.

Ask the valeter for the VAT number and whether the valet price includes the 20%. gov.uk →

“What does your full car valet include, item by item?”

A good answer: A written list — vacuum, wipe-down, glass, wheels, tyre dressing, door shuts.

“How will the valeter wash the car without scratching it?”

A good answer: Pre-wash or snow foam, two-bucket or similar, clean mitts — not a brush from a bucket.

“Can the valeting remove pet hair and stains?”

A good answer: An honest answer and a price; some stains will not come out.

“Do you bring your own water and power for a mobile valet?”

A good answer: Yes or no, so you are ready.

“Is the car valeter insured for damage to my car?”

A good answer: Yes, with the insurer named.

“Which valeting products do you use on leather and trim?”

A good answer: Products suited to the surface, not one cleaner for everything.

“How long will the valeting take?”

A good answer: A realistic time for the level and the car.

Getting the quote right

  • The valet level and its checklist
  • Car size and condition taken into account
  • Extras priced individually
  • The valeter's VAT number, with VAT shown under the valet
  • Water and power arrangements for a mobile visit
  • Who actually attends to valet the car, and whether they are employed or subcontracted

Walk away if

  • No checklist for a full or premium valet
  • Dirty mitts, one bucket, or a brush on the paint
  • No insurance for damage to your car
  • A higher price announced after the work
LOW
£35
TYPICAL
£77
HIGH
£144

What a car valeter costs: £35–£144 per valet

Car valeting is priced per valet, by level and car size, with extras such as pet hair, seat shampoo or a machine polish added on. Car Valeting price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Car valeters near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. AgreeLevel, extras and price confirmed; the car looked over for existing marks.
  2. Pre-washLoose dirt softened and rinsed off.
  3. Wash and dryHand wash, wheels and arches, dried with clean towels.
  4. InteriorVacuum, wipe-down, glass, any shampoo or leather care.
  5. Finish and checkTyre dressing, glass, a walk round with you.

Mini valet
A quick wash and light interior clean.
Full valet
A thorough inside-and-out clean with more detail.
Snow foam
A thick pre-wash foam that lifts dirt before contact.
Two-bucket wash
Separate wash and rinse buckets to keep grit off the paint.
Swirl marks
Fine circular scratches from poor washing.
Shampoo extraction
Deep cleaning of seats and carpets with a wet vacuum.

AFTER

When the job is done

Walk round the carGlass streak-free, wheels clean, interior vacuumed, door shuts wiped.
Look for marksNew swirls or scratches in the paint should be raised before the valeter leaves.
Keep the receiptValet level and price, for any comeback.
Rate the bookingOnly customers who booked can rate on Locufy. Below four stars, the valeter is asked to put things right before the rating shows.

STEP 1Tell the valeter, in writingDescribe what was missed or damaged, with photos, and what you want. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the valet must be done with reasonable care and skill.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyScore the car valeter under four stars and you are asked whether the valeter should see it first; we follow it through, then your review goes up.
STEP 3The consumer helplineWith no register for a car valeter, the route is the consumer helpline, which can pass a complaint on to Trading Standards — Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, and Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Take it to small claimsWhere money is owed back for the car valeter, you can claim without a solicitor: up to £10,000 in England and Wales, up to £5,000 under Scotland's simple procedure, and up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a car valeter: questions people ask

No. Valeting is unlicensed in every UK nation, so check insurance, trader status and what the valet includes.

No insurance is compulsory, but public liability and cover for customers' cars are normal. Ask what pays if your car is damaged.

Not quite. Valeting cleans the car; detailing goes further, with paint correction and protection, and costs more.

Most people pay between £35 and £144 per valet; £77 is the typical figure. The car valeting price guide shows what changes it, and a search above lists car valeters nearby.

Light marks may improve with a polish; real scratches need paint correction or a repair.

Tell the valeter in writing with photos. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 lets you ask for the work to be redone or a price reduction.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in vehicles & transport

How to hire: Car DetailingHow to hire: Mobile Car WashHow to hire: Ceramic CoatingHow to hire: Car Scratch RepairHow to hire: Window TintingHow to hire: Dent RemovalHow to hire: Alloy Wheel RefurbishmentHow to hire: Car WrappingAll 701 hiring guides →

Car valeters near you

Car valeters in LondonCar valeters in ManchesterCar valeters in BirminghamCar valeters in GlasgowCar valeters in BelfastAll car valeters on Locufy →Do it yourself: valeting a car →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  2. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 55 — repeat performance
  3. Citizens Advice — more help with a consumer issue
  4. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  5. mygov.scot — make a court claim for money
  6. nidirect — small claims process
  7. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  8. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register