Vehicle Handover at Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport: Photos, Key, Handover Report
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Whether you use a driving service at Baden-Airpark or leave your car on a site between Hügelsheim and Stollhofen: for the duration of your trip, someone else is responsible for your vehicle. So that there is no argument afterwards about whether the dent on the passenger door is new or old, a small routine when handing over and collecting is worthwhile. It takes a few minutes, creates clarity for both sides and quickly becomes a habit. The following ten steps show what this routine looks like – from clearing out the car at home to a careful look after landing.
Key facts at a glance
- Tidy up before the handover and only hand over the vehicle key.
- Take photos systematically, including mileage and fuel gauge.
- Read the handover report and have missing existing damage added.
- Compare immediately after your return and report anything unusual.
Step 1: Prepare at home
Start before you set off. Whatever is lying around inside goes into the house or your hand luggage: laptop, wallet, documents, headphones, the garage door remote and the vehicle registration certificate. The emptier the car, the more meaningful the photos, and the less can go missing. If the child seat stays in, include it in the pictures. A quick look at the fuel or battery gauge tells you whether you need to plan a stop for the drive home after the holiday.
Step 2: Split the key ring
Only hand over the vehicle key. House, office, cellar and letterbox keys stay with you, as do key fobs with your address. Leave the spare key at home in a safe place. For digital keys via an app or key cards, clarify the procedure with the provider before the trip.
Step 3: The round of photos
At the meeting point or site, walk systematically once around the car. It has proven useful to always start at the same point, for example the driver’s door, and continue clockwise. For each side take an overall picture, then close-ups of bumpers, wheels, door mirrors, door edges and windows. Then the interior, the boot and the roof, as far as you can reach. A short video is a good addition, but does not replace sharp individual pictures.
Step 4: Mileage and fuel
Switch on the ignition and photograph the display with mileage and fuel or charge level. That way you can see immediately after your return whether and how much the car was moved. Small differences from the drive to the parking area and manoeuvring are normal; mention significantly more kilometres.
Step 5: In the dark and rain
Early departures and late return flights fall in darkness in autumn and winter. Then the phone torch helps if you hold it at an angle to the surface – that makes scratches and dents visible. In rain, wipe the camera lens and briefly dry the most important areas. If it is very dark, ask the employee to drive briefly to a lit spot. In autumn, fog can also restrict visibility; then it is better to take a few more pictures.
Step 6: The handover report
Most businesses document the condition themselves – some on paper with a vehicle sketch, others on a tablet with their own photos. Only sign or confirm once you have checked it. If you know of a scratch that is not noted, ask for it to be added; that is not mistrust, but care. Keep the copy – as a slip or an email – until the return and then compare it with the condition of the car.
Step 7: Explain special features
If your car has an electric parking brake, keyless start, a particularly low front apron, a detachable tow bar or a roof box, tell the employee. With electric cars, clarify whether it should be charged, and only hand over charging cards if that has been agreed. One sentence at the handover prevents misunderstandings.
Step 8: Leased and company cars
When leased cars are returned, every scratch is assessed. If you drive a leased car or a company car, document particularly carefully. With company cars, also check whether your employer allows handing the car over to a driving service. Time-stamped photos are then the best basis for any clarification.
Step 9: Back up the photos
Upload the pictures to cloud storage or email them to yourself. Otherwise a phone lost or stolen on holiday takes the evidence with it. A separate album with the date and destination helps you find the pictures quickly later. Leave location and time data switched on in the image data.
Step 10: Check after your return
Even if everyone is tired: walk once around the car before setting off, compare it with your photos and read the mileage. If you notice anything, photograph it immediately and speak to the employee. Have the finding recorded in writing. If you could not see everything in the dark, look again the next morning in daylight. More on the return: Return: collecting your car at Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport.
If damage is discovered
- Photograph the damage with its surroundings and close up.
- Inform the employee and have the finding recorded in writing.
- Have the handover photos ready and compare.
- Contact the provider in writing, with booking number and photos.
- For Friend-Park bookings, also inform support via the contact form.
If you only notice the damage at home, report it in writing as quickly as possible. The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to attribute.
Who is liable?
For the time the business keeps your car, its terms and conditions together with the law determine who is responsible for what. Especially with a new or high-quality car, it is worth reading these terms in advance and asking if anything is unclear. If there is a disagreement, your dated pictures and the jointly prepared handover report are what both sides can rely on.
Forgot something in the car?
If you notice at the terminal that the charging cable or your sunglasses are still in the car, call the provider. Whether and how they can help depends on the situation. Information: frequently asked questions about forgotten items.
Where the car is parked
Reputable providers describe their parking area: fenced, lit, monitored by video, with staff, hall or open-air area. This information helps with your choice. More: Choosing a parking service at Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport.
Summer heat on the Upper Rhine
The Rhine plain is one of the hottest areas in Germany. If your car stands in the sun for two weeks in August, the interior heats up considerably. For the handover this means: remove things that do not tolerate heat – aerosol cans, lighters, power banks, medicines, chocolate, drinks in plastic bottles. Also photograph the dashboard in case something later discolours or comes loose due to the heat.
If the car has a dashcam
Some cars are fitted with a dashcam that keeps running while parked. Whether you leave it switched on while the car is in storage should be clarified with the provider – also for data protection reasons, because it could film staff and other customers. If in doubt, switch it off and mention it at the handover.
Handover when time is short
A traffic jam at the Karlsruhe interchange, a diversion on the A5 – and suddenly there is hardly any time left at the meeting point. Still, do not skip the documentation entirely. Four quick pictures of the corners of the car and a photo of the mileage display take a minute and are better than nothing. Do the full round on your next trip.
What the business should know from you
- Your mobile number for the return, ideally with the country code.
- The flight number of the return flight.
- Special features when starting, manoeuvring or locking.
- Whether items stay in the boot.
Photos with location data
Leave your phone’s location and time data switched on for the handover pictures. They later prove when and where a photo was taken – helpful evidence if there are questions.
Summary
Tidy up, hand over only the car key, take photos systematically, read the handover report and compare immediately after your return – with these steps the handover is properly documented in a few minutes. The procedure with the driving service is described in Valet parking at Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport; bookable offers are shown at Parking at Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport.
