I drove off in a CarRentals.com bargain, then got hit with a big bill. Why?
http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/apr/01/carrentalscom-bargain-big-bill Version 0 of 1. Last July, I needed a hire car to get from Gibraltar to Malaga airport. CarRentals.com quoted me £10.66 for a vehicle from Budget, which seemed surprisingly cheap. I was reminded by the company the day before pick up, with a repeat of the quote. However, when dropping the car off at Malaga I was forced to pay €180 for the privilege of using the car for three hours! I was given various excuses upon demanding an explanation for this huge difference, but in the end was forced to pay to avoid missing my flight. CarRentals.com were unresponsive so my card issuer tried to recoup the money, but it has now told me that because I signed the rental agreement at Gibraltar airport I am liable, despite my belief that I was signing for £10.66 to be taken from my account. SS, Spain It is a pity that due to broken reading glasses you did not scrutinise what you were signing before collecting the vehicle – for it turns out that you were committing to collision damage waiver and theft protection. Usually you would expect basic insurance to be included in the quote, but Budget explains that you booked through a US website, which omitted insurance cover as US credit cards include this. Since you did not use a US card the cost was added when you collected the car. However, that only explains part of the price increase. Another hefty tranche was a drop-off fee because the hire was one-way only, and this should definitely have been included in the original quote. Budget blames a system error for adding it when you dropped the car off instead of at the outset, and CarRental.com says it can only display the prices relayed to it by Budget. Since you signed up to both of these compulsory “extras” before driving off, Budget and CarRental.com are refusing to refund them – but even without them the quote was still £63.51, and so Budget is refunding you this sum. A sorry saga all round and one that illustrates the cliche that if something looks too good to be true it probably is. If you need help email Anna Tims at your.problems@observer.co.uk or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number. |