THE daily rental sector is promising a new era of partnership with car manufacturers and the fleet industry to help guarantee greater residual value stability in the future. The move comes as Ford, Vauxhall and Rover maintain their strategy to minimise business with the fast churn rental sector in a bid to improve residual values. Ford alone has pulled around 30,000 units a year out of the sector.

Daily rental companies say they are trying to change their image by working with the car manufacturers to steady the market. 'We have to make sure we do not surprise each other,' said Europcar's UK managing director Roeland Moens. 'Cars must be disposed of by daily rental companies in an orderly fashion.'

Moens wants to usher in a new period of co-operation between rental company and car manufacturer, where the disposal conditions are agreed at the time of vehicle acquisition to avoid any sudden dumping of stock.

At the BVRLA Donkin said: 'Now a greater sense of responsibility has crept into the industry, there are informal partnerships and agreements springing up everywhere - between rental companies, between rental companies and manufacturers, and through to auction houses.'