Most car rental guides written for other markets assume a credit card: it books the car, holds the deposit, and settles fines afterwards. In Syria the system generally doesn't work that way — renting happens directly between owner and renter with entirely different safeguards. This guide explains how it works in practice and what protects both parties in the absence of a card.
| Safeguard | How it works | What to agree |
|---|---|---|
| A cash deposit | Paid at collection and returned at handback | The amount, the condition for return, and the timing in days |
| Identity document | Shown to the owner or a copy retained | A copy, not the original — never leave your actual ID |
| A guarantor | Sometimes required for higher classes or long periods | Exactly what they are undertaking |
| A written contract | Records the terms between the parties | Everything that was agreed verbally |
Most disputes in this kind of rental are about the deposit, for a simple reason: what gets agreed is usually the amount alone. The amount is the easy part. What needs clarity is:
That third question is what dated photographs at collection answer, and it is the single most important step in this entire guide.
In a card-based system, the electronic record settles the dispute. Here, photographs are that record:
These steps aren't in the renter's interest alone. An owner who documents the car's condition and writes a clear contract protects themselves against a real damage claim being denied, just as it protects the renter from being charged for damage they didn't cause. An owner who refuses to document is refusing protection for themselves first — and that in itself tells you something about how they operate.
Browse car rental on Auto Bazar. Listing pages show availability and let you send a booking request for the owner to approve, which keeps the agreement documented rather than a verbal call — see our booking system guide.
No credit card doesn't mean no safeguards — it means the safeguards are built through agreement and documentation. Agree the deposit by its conditions and timing rather than its amount alone, write the contract, and photograph the car at collection and return.
Yes, and it is the norm. Renting happens directly between owner and renter with different safeguards: a cash deposit, a copy of an identity document, sometimes a guarantor for higher classes, and a written contract recording the terms.
Not the amount alone. Agree when it returns in days, what can be deducted and the limits on deductions for minor damage, and who decides damage exists and how it is established that it happened during your rental.
Dated photographs. Photograph the car from all four sides in daylight, every existing scratch, and the odometer and fuel level, send them to the owner in your confirmation message, and repeat at return.
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