Every specialist company we could verify that hires or leases dual control cars to driving instructors in London, ranked for a working ADI or PDI. Phone numbers are tap-to-call. Details checked July 2026 from each company's own website.
How this list is ranked: by usefulness to a London instructor. We weigh local presence and delivery, range of hire terms, what is included (maintenance, insurance, replacement vehicle) and pricing transparency. We have no commercial relationship with any company listed and earn nothing if you call them. Prices and terms change, so always confirm directly.
| # | Company | Based | Terms | Advertised from | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drive Car Hire | Hainault, Ilford IG6 | Short or long term, ADI and PDI | Quote only | 0203 967 8070 |
| 2 | ADI Car Hire | London | 2 days to 4 weeks, plus monthly leasing | Quote only | 07894 854261 |
| 3 | Jarretts Driving School Car Rental | Harrow, London | 24 hours up to 24 months | Quote only | 0800 195 2454 |
| 4 | Dualdrive | Cheadle (nationwide delivery) | Leases up to 48 months, dedicated PDI packages | Quote only | 0161 822 8355 |
| 5 | Specialist Vehicle Rental | Walsall (nationwide delivery, dedicated London service) | Short, medium and long term, ADI and PDI | Quote only | 01922 624 967 |
| 6 | CA Cars | Leicester and Belfast | 36-month leases, ADI and PDI deals | From £382/month inc VAT (Toyota Aygo X) | 0116 284 9067 |
| 7 | 1st Dual Control Car Hire | Leicester (serves most UK cities) | Minimum 7 days | From £25/day | 0800 061 4777 |
| 8 | Volt-Age Electric Vehicle Hire | Portsmouth and Southampton (nationwide delivery) | Daily hire, nationwide delivery | From £40/day | 023 9277 6587 |
Keith's Dual Control Car Hire (0117 937 5494) publishes clear daily rates (£55/day manual, £50/day on hires of 7 days or more, VAT included, no mileage cap) and hires to badge-holding ADIs and PDIs only, but its branches are in the West Country and Yorkshire.
Arnold Clark offers hourly dual control hire from £18 per hour aimed at learners who want a car for test day, with insurance included. Its branches are in Scotland, the Midlands and the North though, with nothing in or near London.
Daily or weekly rates, from £25 to £58 per day at the companies above. Right for emergencies (your car is off the road), trying the job before committing, or covering a busy patch of test bookings. The most expensive way to run a car full-time.
Fixed monthly cost, typically with servicing, tyres and breakdown cover included, and a replacement car promise that keeps you earning. Published deals we found run roughly £382 to £712 per month inc VAT. The default choice for most working ADIs.
Cheapest per mile long term, but you carry depreciation, maintenance and downtime risk yourself, and you pay to have dual controls fitted. Makes most sense once you have a full diary and know exactly which car suits your patch.
Published rates we found in July 2026 ranged from £25 to £58 per day for short-term hire, and roughly £380 to £712 per month inc VAT for longer leases depending on the car. Minimum terms, mileage caps and what is included (insurance, maintenance, replacement vehicle) vary a lot, so compare the whole package, not just the headline rate.
Yes. Most specialists on this list take trainee instructors: Dualdrive has a dedicated DualPDI package with admin fees waived, CA Cars publishes PDI lease deals, and Jarretts, Drive Car Hire, ADI Car Hire and Specialist Vehicle Rental all state they serve PDIs. You will need your trainee licence (pink badge) to teach for payment.
No law requires dual controls in a tuition car. In practice almost every professional instructor uses them: insurers price for them, learners expect them, and they are the difference between talking through a mistake and physically preventing one. The DVSA has separate rules about which cars can be used for the practical test itself.
Usually you take the test in your instructor's car, which is the simplest option. Some rental firms hire dual control cars to learners by the hour for test day, but availability in London is thin. If you are learning with DriveThruL, talk to us about test day cover instead.
DriveThruL sends East and South East London instructors ready-to-book students. Free to join, 12-month trial, no card. You pay a single fee per student we send, and nothing else.