Rent to Buy: private hire car ownership explained

The Otto Team
January 10, 2025

Here at Otto Car, we want to give every private hire driver an opportunity to own their own vehicle. Our flexible car ownership plan, Rent to Buy, is designed to support you in your journey to owning your car and driving success in your career.

Our car ownership plan used to have different names like ‘Rent 2 Buy,’ ‘Rent 2 Buy +,’ and ‘Rent 2 Buy Burst,’ each with slightly different features.

Now, we’ve simplified everything into one plan – Rent to Buy – to make car ownership with Otto Car easier.

What’s included in Otto Car’s Rent to Buy Plan?

Man leaning on his Skoda Enyaq outside on the Otto Car Hendon hub reception — Otto Car Ambassador, Charlie, with his new Skoda Enyaq 85 Suite Edition on the Rent to Buy Plan.

Our Rent to Buy Plan makes owning a car easy and stress-free. For one simple price, you get everything you need to start driving, including:

Insurance
Servicing
Breakdown cover
MOT
Road tax*
Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) licence

There are no hidden costs or unexpected expenses – just a hassle-free way to work towards owning your own PCO car.

There’s also no credit check required, and you even get an 8 week holiday break each year. Plus, for extra peace of mind, our private hire cars come fitted with a high-quality CCTV system.

If you’re in Manchester or other parts of the UK, we also offer a Rent to Buy plan without insurance on selected models. To see your options, just choose your location and car on our Rent to Buy page.

*Applicable to 25 plates and new plates moving forward.

Uber Clean Air EV Assistance

Exclusively for London PCO drivers only, you can use your topped up Uber Clean Air EV Assistance to reduce your weekly costs of your Rent to Buy plan. This means you’ll be able to save a minimum of £3,500 on the total contract (offer ends 31 March).

On selected private hire cars, you can choose to spread your EV Assistance over the full length of contract, or for the first 47 weeks.

Why choose Otto Car?

At Otto Car, we believe in giving you the power to choose. With our flexible Rent to Buy Plan, you decide what works best for you – whether it’s full coverage or just the essentials.

Focus on your private hire driving while we handle the rest and start steering towards car ownership today.

Exclusive benefits of Otto Car’s Rent to Buy Plan

No matter what you choose, every Rent to Buy Plan comes with these unique features designed to give you peace of mind and flexibility:

No credit checks: Join Otto Car without worrying about credit checks. Unlike traditional finance companies, we won’t lock you into endless contracts.
8 weeks holiday allowance: Take up to 8 weeks of payment breaks every year. Need a whole month off? No problem, you’ll stay on track to ownership.
Flexible cancellation: cancel your contract anytime after 2 months with only 4 weeks' notice.
Free dashcam: Protect your income against a rider dispute or accident as you work with 24/7 video capture.

Take control with Rent to Buy, and have the freedom to shape your path to ownership with flexibility and support.

Get in touch today

Start your journey to owning a private hire car today with Otto Car. Explore our range of vehicles to view full specifications, pricing, and everything included in your Rent to Buy Plan.

Have questions about a vehicle? Feel free to enquire online – we’re here to help.

If you’re in London, drop by one of our hubs to learn more in person. For those in Manchester or Cardiff, you can arrange a visit to one of our hubs when you enquire.

Start your journey to car ownership with Otto Car today!

Want to learn more?

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London PCN Locations for Uber Drivers | May 2021

We’ve got a newer article for you! Check out our latest PCN guide to save your hard-earned money. Here at Otto Car we’re on a mission to help PCO Drivers avoid PCNs. This challenge has been made more difficult in the last couple of months due to increased cameras, bike-lanes, and restricted routes since lockdown.

PCN

City of London PCN guide | Avoid a fine

Avoid a PCN in the City of London with Otto Car’s new guide for Uber drivers & PCO drivers. From Lime Street to Princes Street

Otto news

Protecting Our PCO Drivers | The Benefits of Telematics and Cameras

Here at Otto Car, we take safety very seriously. Whether this be through our driving assessments or our new Driver Development Programme. Over the last few years we’ve heavily invested in vehicle telematics and CCTV to make sure our family of PCO drivers are protected whilst doing the thing they love most, driving! Below is

PCO driver stories

Meet Martin | Uber driver stories

Martin has been working in the private hire industry for 9 years, including a number of years with Uber. We caught up with him to hear his story.

PCO driver stories

Meet Ranjeet | Uber driver stories

Meet Ranjeet, an Uber driver on Rent 2 Buy +. We talked about the Uber Clean Air Plan, Covid-19 and much more in our latest PCO driver story.

Safety The Otto Team

Driving up standards with Rocky | Driver development

We help Uber Drivers and PCO drivers improve their driving standards through our Driver Development programme.

PCO driver stories

Meet Khalid | A PCO car ownership story

We caught up with Khalid who recently became a PCO car owner after completing Rent 2 Buy. We learn about his story from Pakistan to London.

EV charging

Developing a charging strategy | A step-by-step guide for PCO drivers

London’s PCO drivers are turning towards EVs in large numbers. It’s important to have a charging strategy ready for your new Uber car.

PCO driver guide

An essential guide to earning more with PCO plug-In hybrids

A full guide for PCO drivers thinking of using a plug-in hybrid as their next Uber car, such as the Toyota Prius.

Driving tips

Keep healthy as a PCO driver

When driving with Uber as a PCO driver, health might take a backseat. Join us and Gig Guy London as we go through important health tips.

PCO driver guide

Otto Car’s driver assessment – What’s it all about?

As a reputable PCO car rental company, it’s our duty to make sure we’re putting safe drivers into our cars with our driver assessment.

PCO driver guide

How to reapply for your PCO licence

Reapply for your PCO licence in London and avoid time spent off the road. From applying for your DBS to document uploads, you’re covered.

PCO driver stories

Meet Anita | July’s Safe Driver of the Month

Here at Otto Car, we value safety and that’s why we’ve introduced our safe driver of the month award for our family of PCO drivers in London.

PCN

London’s PCN hotspots

We’ve got a newer article for you! Check out our latest PCN guide to save your hard-earned money. This week we’ve been focusing on areas where our PCO drivers are picking up tickets consistently. Using years worth of data to spot trends and the keen eye of the Otto team, we’ve been digging deep to

PCO driver stories

It pays to drive safe with Otto Car | Meet Rogerio

Safety is extremely important here at Otto Car. That’s why we’ve been awarding our safest driver a special award.

PCO driver stories

Always part of the family | Meet Baz

Every PCO driver has a different story. Meet Baz, who started his PCO journey renting and used his earnings to open a restaurant.

Electric cars

Will an electric PCO car work for me?

From driveways to EV range, we give Uber drivers the information they need before switching to an electric PCO car on Rent 2 Buy.

PCN

PCO road rules | Drive smart as an Uber driver

We’ve found our top 10 PCNs, so PCO drivers and Uber drivers like you can avoid the fines and save more money.

Driving tips

Top tips for driving on black ice

Avoid an accident with your PCO car with our top tips for driving on black ice in winter. Take extra care as an Uber driver in London.

Driving tips Safety

Driving in winter | Top PCO safety tips

Get ready for winter with our winter guide for PCO drivers & Uber Drivers in London. From black ice to fog, you’re covered.

PCO driver guide

Insurance renewal documentation | How to upload to Uber

Uploading new PCO insurance with Uber and other private hire operators can be difficult, especially on mobile. Read our latest article.

PCO driver guide

What to do if you get into an accident

If you’re involved in a traffic accident while driving Uber, here’s what you need to do as a private hire driver in London with Otto Car.

Safety

Safe driving guidelines for PCO drivers

Read our safety tips for Uber driving as a PCO driver in London. Follow these rules to keep you and your passengers safe at all times.

PCN

London Bank Junction access

TfL have recently announced that London’s Bank Junction is not accessible for certain vehicles at certain times.

PCN

Avoiding car park PCN’s

Don’t get caught out as an Uber Driver, make sure you avoid car parking fines from such as Euro Car Parks and National Car Parks.

Safety

Chris’s checks for PCO drivers

Safety is the number one priority here. Keep yourself, passengers and the public safe with our driving instructor’s top Uber driving tips.

PCN

AJ’s top PCN hotspots in London

As an Uber Driver, you want to avoid charges at all spots. Read our PCO guide to avoid Transport for London PCNs.

PCO driver guide

Ash’s top tips for PCO drivers

Get the best out of your PCO car with our guide specifically for private hire drivers with Uber in London.

PCO driver guide

3 simple steps if you’ve had an accident

If you’re involved in a traffic accident while driving Uber, you’ll need to follow the right steps. Read our PCO accident guide today.

PCO driver guide

Uber driver tips | How to change a tyre

We have created a simple video to guide you through the process of changing your tyre. Get back on the road and earning with Otto Car.

Driving tips

5 simple tips to keep your PCO car in good condition

Keep your PHV vehicle in check with our top tips for your PCO car. Here are some small things you can do to maintain your Uber car.

Driving tips

Drive smart | Shoyab’s top tips for driving a Toyota Prius

Learn from the best in the PCO business as Shoyab takes you through his top tips for driving a Toyota Prius as an Uber driver.

Driving tips Safety

PCO driver wellbeing | How to keep fit and healthy

As a PCO driver, it’s very important to make sure you keep yourself in good condition. Follow our PCO guide to driver wellbeing.

Driving tips PCN

PCO driver tips: Avoiding fines (Part 2)

Read the second part of our guide to avoid PCNs and fines in London. We cover speed limits as well as pedestrian zones for PCO drivers.

PCO driver guide

TfL spot checks | Are you prepared?

Avoid time off the road with our TfL spot check guide. From tyres to documentation, we run through the checks needed to stay on the road.

PCO driver guide

How to upload your documentation to Uber

From the MOT to PCO insurance, we list all the necessary documents to work for Uber with our Uber Documentation Upload Guide.

Beginners guide PCO driver guide

The top 10 Uber destinations in London

Our PCO guide to London’s top Uber destinations will help you maximise income potential. Perfect for private hire drivers.

PCO driver stories

PCO driver stories | Meet Innocent

Meet Innocent,an Uber driver with years of experience in PCO. He was looking to become a car owner and we supported him through Rent 2 Buy.

Beginners guide PCO driver guide

London’s top 10 congestion hotspots

This congestion guide is perfect for PCO drivers and Uber drivers looking to keep moving and maximise income.

Driving tips PCN

PCO driver tips | Avoiding fines (Part 1)

From box junctions to bus lanes, we cover all the main pain points for PCO drivers and Uber drivers in London.

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Rent to Buy: private hire car ownership explained

What’s included in Otto Car’s Rent to Buy Plan?

Uber Clean Air EV Assistance

Why choose Otto Car?

Exclusive benefits of Otto Car’s Rent to Buy Plan

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