Bárbara Pérez, a user of a peer-to-peer car rental platform: "I can earn up to 600 euros in a month, and I don't have to meet with clients to hand over the keys."

If a private vehicle sits idle most of the time, why not rent it out and make a profit? This is what Bárbara Pérez, a Madrid resident, thought when she saw an advertisement on social media for Amovens, a platform that connects individuals to rent their cars to others. It's that simple, as in some cases—like hers—there's no need to meet with the clients to hand over or pick up the keys.

Carpooling with strangers. That sounds harsh at first glance...

At first, yes, if you don't know what it's all about. When I saw an Amovens ad on Instagram, I did what almost everyone would do: I ignored it, but then I got curious. I started researching what it was and liked the idea. When I saw it had so many users and so many registered cars, I started considering renting my car. I also looked at the comments and saw they were very positive.

Even so, wasn't it difficult for you to take the step?

The truth is, no, because I don't use the car for much of anything. I work remotely from home, so I don't need it on a daily basis, not even to go to the supermarket, since it's close to my house. My boyfriend doesn't use his car every day either, because he walks to work. He only needs it occasionally, for errands, but nothing more.

So you don't have just one rental car, but two...

First, in March of this year, we registered my boyfriend's car, an Opel Corsa , on the platform, and since we saw that things were working well and that people were respectful of the car, the following month we added mine, a Kia Rio .

And how was the experience?

Well, very well. Just saying that the day after we put the first car up for rent, we already had a reservation, says it all.

This is cold, hard cash…

I'd say the average is around €400 to €550 per month, although it can also reach €600. Because there are months that are better and others that aren't worse, but I've had to block the car for a few days for my personal use. So I'd say the average per car is between €400 and €600 per month.

A great business.

I use it to cover maintenance costs and to have some extra money. After all, rather than having the car sit around collecting dust, it's better to get some mileage out of it.

Aren't you afraid that your car might be returned to you with a dent in it or that the driver might commit an infraction and then get fined?

No, no... During the rental, the car has comprehensive insurance , so any eventuality is covered, no worries. And as for fines, the driver is identified , so you don't have to pay that fine either. Plus, if you read the terms of the policy, the insurance and everything else gives you security. So, I haven't made a mistake because everything has gone very well for me so far.

In what condition do renters return the cars?

Well, very good. People are usually very respectful of other people's cars. At least that's what we're finding. They leave the car clean , and one girl even gave it such a thorough cleaning that it was in perfect condition.

What do the people who rent you cars use for?

There's everything... Some people rent it for a one-off, just a day, or others go on vacation for a couple of weeks. In the summer, many have told us they take their cars to the beach, to Valencia.

Any red lines that can't be crossed...?

No, the only thing is that sometimes, if we need one of the cars on vacation, for example, we don't list it on the platform. But then, we don't set minimum or maximum rental day limits either. The platform allows you a lot of flexibility in this regard.

And have any customers returned because they liked the Corsa or the Rio?

Yes, we've come across some repeaters, hehe... And also a client who rents the Rio almost every weekend.

Are both cars rented equally, or do customers show a preference for one of them?

I'd say both are equally priced. Keep in mind that the rental prices, 24 and 28 euros per day, are similar, although the platform then adjusts them based on demand.

How do customers get into the car?

Very easy. I was very clear about it from the start and opted for the keyless system. The only requirement is that you have to install a mechanism in the car that allows it to be opened and started using an app. This way, I don't have to leave work to meet a client and hand over the keys, and they have greater flexibility when picking up the car. They don't have to tell anyone they'll be half an hour or an hour late.

So you have no contact with customers?

There's a messaging service in the app to contact them. Sometimes I tell them to leave the car at least as clean as they found it.

And they should tell you where they leave it at the end of the rental, right?

Yes, of course. They have to leave it within a 500-meter radius of the pickup location. If they leave it outside that radius, you can complain to the platform and they'll apply a penalty. But generally, they leave the car where they should.