RENTAL operators stepped into a row with the founder of cut price airline easyJet when he announced plans to launch a new daily rental operation. easyRentacar will launch in April with a single make and model marketed solely through the internet.

Prices expected to start from £9 a day, the firm claims, substantially below prices charged by, 'fat, complacent' rivals. Stelios Haji-Ioannou, founder of easyGroup, parent company to the airline and rental operations, has unsettled an already-struggling rental industry which is burdened with residual value losses and rental rates already claimed to be at rock bottom.

A spokesman for easyGroup said prices could be profitably driven down further just by shedding excess costs, such as high street offices, loyalty card schemes and multi-marque fleets. But Hertz has jumped on admissions by Haji-Ioannou that 'on the day' prices could be as high as £25. Hertz quotes £21 for self-insured business users. easyRentacar will start with 5,000 vehicles operating from three low-rent sites based close to its airline's destination airports, including Luton, Scotland and Spain are two other likely locations.