Vehicle handover at Hannover Airport: photos, keys and report

Every time you hand over your car – whether to a valet employee in front of Terminal A, B or C or on a shuttle provider's site in Langenhagen – a short but thorough documentation is worthwhile. It protects you if damage occurs during the trip, and it protects the provider against claims for scratches that were already there. North German weather sometimes makes this harder: rain, wind and early darkness in autumn and winter hide fine damage. This guide shows how to record everything important in a few minutes.

Why the effort?

After two weeks of holiday, hardly anyone remembers whether the scrape on the rear bumper is new. Photos with date and time answer this question clearly. They are the basis on which damage can be resolved fairly – for you and for the provider. Reputable parking services therefore welcome joint documentation at handover.

The order for taking photos

Start at the bonnet and work your way clockwise once around the vehicle. Each side gets an overall photo, followed by the details: both bumpers, the four wheel rims, the wing mirrors, door edges, windows and, if reachable, the roof. Then the interior, rear seat, boot and finally the instrument cluster with mileage and fuel or charge display with the ignition on. A slow video as a supplement makes sense but does not replace sharp individual photos.

Rain, wind and darkness

It rains frequently in Hannover, and from October to March it is dark for early departures and late arrivals. Fine scratches disappear on wet paint, and drops on the lens make photos blurry. Wipe the camera beforehand, hold the phone at an angle to the surface and use the phone torch. If you want to be on the safe side, photograph the car at home in the dry garage and only add the mileage and gauge at the airport.

The report

Many providers create a report at handover – on paper, as a sketch or in an app. It records the date, time, registration number, mileage, fuel or charge level and known existing damage. Read it carefully before you confirm it. If an existing damage you know about is missing, have it added. Don't confirm anything that isn't correct. Keep your copy until after the return.

Which keys?

Hand over only the vehicle key. Flat keys, letterbox keys, garage door openers and key tags with your address stay with you. Leave the spare key at home, not in the glove compartment. For smartphone keys or key cards, clarify with the provider in advance how the handover works; some manufacturers allow time-limited digital sharing.

What stays in the car

Child seats, hi-vis vest, first-aid kit and warning triangle stay in the vehicle. Take cash, laptops, tablets, satnavs, sunglasses and papers with you. Don't leave the vehicle registration document in the glove compartment. On longer trips, clear out food and drinks – in summer they spoil, in winter bottles can burst.

Modern vehicles

Between Hannover and Wolfsburg, many modern vehicles with electric or hybrid drives and numerous assistance systems are on the road. Explain to the employee in two sentences what they need to know: electric parking brake, keyless start, unusual gear selection, sensitive front apron. With electric cars, photograph the charge level. Car apps with location display keep running during the trip – this is normal.

Leased and company cars

When leased cars are returned, damage is examined closely. If you drive a leased car or company car, document particularly carefully and keep photos until the end of the contract. Also check whether the contract or employer allows the car to be handed over to a valet driver.

Handover with children

With children in the car, the handover can quickly become hectic. Split up: one adult stays with the children in a safe place away from the traffic lane, the other walks around the car with the employee. That way neither a child nor a photo gets lost.

Check on return

After landing, you are tired and want to go home. Two minutes for the walk-round are still worthwhile: compare the spots that were clean on your departure photos, check the mileage, use a light in the dark. If you notice anything, photograph it and raise it immediately. More: Returning: collecting your car at Hannover Airport.

If you notice damage

1. Photograph the damage together with its surroundings.
2. Inform the staff member and have it recorded in writing.
3. Have your handover photos to hand.
4. Contact the provider in writing; for Friend-Park bookings, also contact support via the contact form.

Discovered later?

If you only see damage the next morning in daylight, report it immediately in writing with photos, your booking number and your handover photos. The longer you wait, the harder it is to attribute.

Backing up photos

Also save the pictures in a cloud or email them to yourself. Otherwise, if your phone is lost on holiday, they are gone. Name the album with the date and booking number and only delete it once everything has been completed.

Parking site

Good providers describe where the cars are parked: fenced, lit, under video surveillance, outdoors or in a hall. This information helps with the choice: Choosing a parking service at Hannover Airport.

Seven steps for the handover

1. At home, clear out valuables, papers and the garage door opener.
2. Split your key ring, take only the car key.
3. At the meeting point, walk around the car together with the employee.
4. Take photos and a short video.
5. Photograph the odometer and the fuel or charge display.
6. Read the report and have missing existing damage added.
7. Mention any special features of the car.

Special vehicles and collector's items

Lowered sports cars, classic cars with carburettors or vehicles with air suspension need special attention. Ask before booking whether the business has experience with such vehicles and whether there are high kerbs or steep ramps on the way to the parking site. Write notes directly into the booking so that the employee also knows about them on the day of travel.

Who is liable?

While your car is with the parking service, their terms and the statutory rules apply. How the business is insured and how it handles damage should be stated in the terms. For valuable vehicles, read them before booking. Your photos and the report are in any case the basis for a fair resolution.

Handover with children on board

If children are with you, the handover quickly becomes restless. Split up: one adult waits with the children and the hand luggage in a safe place away from the traffic lane, the other walks around the car with the employee. That way the children stay safe and the photos are still complete.

Backing up photos

Also upload the pictures to a cloud or email them to yourself. Otherwise, if your phone is lost on holiday, the evidence is gone. You will find an album named with the date and booking number immediately on return.

If you are in a hurry

If you are running late, it is tempting to cut the handover short. A compromise: take the all-round photos calmly at home and at the meeting point only the four corners, the odometer and the fuel gauge. Still read the report before you sign. Two minutes are enough for this, and they can save you a lot of trouble later.

What the report should contain

A complete handover report states the date, time, registration number, mileage, fuel or charge level and all known existing damage with its location on the vehicle. Some businesses mark damage on a sketch, others take photos in an app and send you a link. What matters is that you receive a copy and keep it until after the return. If something is not right, have it corrected before you hand over the key.

With this routine, documentation only takes a few minutes on every further trip – and you fly off with peace of mind.

In brief

Take photos, check the report, hand over correctly, check on return. The valet procedure is explained in Valet parking at Hannover Airport; bookable offers are shown on Parking at Hannover Airport.