Hidden Hire Car Charge

[Muppdog]

Hi guys


We picked up a car from Europcar at Luton Airport this morning. Only went for 30 minutes drive and spent the day on carpets and with overshoes, and returned the car 8 hours later. The guy comes out to check the car over and gets inside straight away. Looks around and says:'We are running a clean car return policy now. There are dirt marks on the foot mats. Got to charge you £12.50 for getting them hoovered. Should have taken out our cleaning insurance for £7.50 on pick up.' He then points out a print out pinned to a wall in the office explaining it. But you cannot see it from the desk. Its on the other side of the office and behind you. And nobody mentioned it. Although they tried to sell all the other excess insurances.

He then pointed also out the dirty foot mats in the back and the dirty boot. Nobody sat in the back and the boot we never even opened. Obviously we refused to pay and he generously was letting us cover just the £7.50. We refused on which he pointed out that they would keep £12.50 from our deposit if we would not pay the £7.50. As it had taken more than half an hour and we were about to miss our plane we paid him.

So please guys, if you need to hire a car don't use Europcar. Its a rip off. And since when do they put foot mats in hire cars? Only since they are easier to hoover. And they don't even do that so can charge the next person again.

Thanks for listening


Rob

[dablik]

Oh that kind of stuff makes my blood boil, in fact it makes feel like spilling some, they have you by the balls then with the credit card details :rant:

 

Dare say the rest will jump on the wagon eh.

[Kelpie]

Send a formal complaint to their HQ and find them on Facebook and torment them.  We managed to rap up issues with BT by tackling them on Facebook.  We'd tried every other avenue for a good 6 months before that.  They hate bad press.  Lodge an issue with your credit card people too.  

[fruitcake]

Did you raise the point of the mats being dirty when you picked the car up?

 

With hire cars you should do a walkaround with them before taking the car away and they point out any damage etc and you have the opportunity to raise any issues and get them to note it.

 

Sounds anal, but that's your defense in these circumstances.  If you didn't do this they have you by the family jewels.

 

If you really want to go over the top to protect yourself, film the walkaround with your camera phone, and cover all aspects of the car inside and out.  Then if they make an issue out of it you can play back the footage.

 

Generally I stay away from the budget rentals like these for reasons like this.  It's initially cheap but they sting you elsewhere to get the money up.  The reason the rear mats were dirty is they don't bother cleaning them but strip everyone for the money to clean them.  The last people probably got done for the cost too and they left them dirty for you guys.

[fixitsan]

Did you raise the point of the mats being dirty when you picked the car up?

 

With hire cars you should do a walkaround with them before taking the car away and they point out any damage etc and you have the opportunity to raise any issues and get them to note it.

 

Sounds anal, but that's your defense in these circumstances.  If you didn't do this they have you by the family jewels.

 

If you really want to go over the top to protect yourself, film the walkaround with your camera phone, and cover all aspects of the car inside and out.  Then if they make an issue out of it you can play back the footage.

 

Generally I stay away from the budget rentals like these for reasons like this.  It's initially cheap but they sting you elsewhere to get the money up.  The reason the rear mats were dirty is they don't bother cleaning them but strip everyone for the money to clean them.  The last people probably got done for the cost too and they left them dirty for you guys.

i wouldn't call filming it anal. It is really a wise thing. It is general knowledge that hire companies try to overcharge, and even charge for damage yet have no interest in fixing it. ££££'s to them


filming and photographing is your best option, the best hirers do it when they rent out their vehicles anyway.


I've been stung in a similar way a couple of times too

[dandywarhol]

Bastards! I make a point of filming and make sure they know I'm filming before I drive off. If you raise it on Twatter you'll get a response as it becomes very public

[peter-may]

Had a similar experience with Europcar in Dublin and Cork a couple of years ago. Had us off with a bigger car than we'd booked, diesel cost and other stuff. Promised to never use them again.....sheisters!

[TKH]

Another off my list. Running out of car hire places now......

[pilninggas]

I wouldn't pay it, they could try to escalate it, but would never take to county court over a few quid. I'd also be tempted to threaten a counter claim for something spurious for the craic.

[Muppdog]

Thing is that I did not book it. The company I worked for that day did. And they would have taken it from the deposit. Which I did not pay. The MD was with me and he paid. Just the principle of it.

I often use Enterprise and they were as good as gold, so far.


Rob

[Robodene]

Not one hire company is any better than the other. They are all up to tricks. Obviously we now need to pack a pan and brush and sponge as well as our bucket and spade...

[dandywarhol]

Almost worth paying the £7.50 and having a shite on the back seat  :pimp:

[Studley Ramrod]

[fixitsan]

haha !

[zardoz]

Shite OK, Milk better.  Into air vents just before return. Milk goes sour and only petrol and matches will get rid of smell

[TDMick]

Shite OK, Milk better.  Into air vents just before return. Milk goes sour and only petrol and matches will get rid of smell

 

Half a Mackerel under the rear seat?

[fixitsan]

Half a Mackerel under the rear seat?

What should we do with the other half ?

[Rallyist]

tie it to the cat

[Muppdog]

This thread is getting nasty! Stop it as you are tempting me.

 

Rob

[James]

Eurocar are notorious for bad service, wrong spec cars, shitty attitude, etc. I've used them twice - once in France with no issues, second time for a work trip over to Ireland. On my return they queried a gouge on the inside wall of one of the tyres (invisible from a walk round inspection). I made a formal complaint to the effect that they had rented a car that was unsafe. I got an apology and nothing more came if it.


Enterprise are a far better bet. I've never had a problem with them over many rentals.