Avis - Contract not closed, so not billed 2.5 weeks later

I rented a car at an Avis airport location Sept 25 and returned it at 5 a.m. on Sept 26. Counter was closed, so I left the keys and the contract (as well as my gas receipt) in the drop box. I kept checking Avis online for my final bill and every time I click on the link, I get the following message:

Rental vehicle for rental agreement number XXXXXXXX Vehicle must be returned to the location and the contract closed in order to view rental information.

About 5 days after my rental, I called Customer Service and they said they would contact the location and I should be able to see my bill in about 30 minutes. Now it's Oct 13, and my bill still hasn't been closed out. :rolleyes:

Part of me wants to call up Avis and tell them off, while the other just wants to wait and see if they ever get around to closing the contract and billing me. It will be a very small charge as my rental rate was $28.99 and I had a $25 coupon, so I expect the total bill to be less than $10. I'd kind of like to get my FF miles as I earn 500 miles per rental with Air Canada.

Has this ever happened to anyone else?

I had the reverse happen. I picked up a car and when I returned it at the same location, they had no record that I had rented it!

I would be worried about how much the final bill will be...

I had a similar experience... twice:

In Detroit last fall, their computers were down and they gave me a blank contract with the only things listed being my initials and "Ford Explorer". I got pulled over in IN and the officer was P155ED that I didn't have any other proof that the vehicle belonged to me. Anyway, I took the car back 3 days later and the computers were still down! Our fiscal year ended in October, a few weeks after the rental return so I couldn't let this wait for the following year. I called the CHM desk and they couldn't find any record of it. I could have just hung up, but they got the date/time out and in and told me they'd have processed shortly. They called back and told me they put the charge through and gave me a $50 credit "for being patient." I'm guessing if I never called, they never would have charged me and I wonder how many people got free cars that week.

In EWR this spring, our flight was cancelled and I had to overnight. I made a last-second reservation as I walked through the terminal and got to the garage to find an STS in my spot. I sweet-talked the agent into an M35x. When we returned it, the scanner "couldn't locate it" at the check-in garage. We were in a hurry and I asked the guy to just give us the valet drop, and check it in later. A week later, I never got the bill and wasn't too worried about it (see above). However, I went to our local station in TX for another rental and she said I still had the EWR car out and didn't want to rent to me unless I called to close it out. I called the CHM desk and said I returned the car within 24 hours of picking it up, just so I could get my new rental car off the lot. It was another week or so 'til my email receipt came through.

.... However, I went to our local station in TX for another rental and she said I still had the EWR car out and didn't want to rent to me unless I called to close it out. I called the CHM desk and said I returned the car within 24 hours of picking it up, just so I could get my new rental car off the lot. It was another week or so 'til my email receipt came through.

Wow, thanks for that tip. As a matter of fact, I'm just on my way out of town and I have an Avis rental for this evening. I called Avis again and the CSR confirmed that I would not be able to get my rental car as long as the other contract was still open! :eek: So finally got it closed out ($9.17) and I should be good for my rental tonight. :)

However, I went to our local station in TX for another rental and she said I still had the EWR car out and didn't want to rent to me unless I called to close it out. I called the CHM desk and said I returned the car within 24 hours of picking it up, just so I could get my new rental car off the lot. It was another week or so 'til my email receipt came through.

Wow, thanks for that tip. As a matter of fact, I'm just on my way out of town and I have an Avis rental for this evening. I called Avis again and the CSR confirmed that I would not be able to get my rental car as long as the other contract was still open! :eek: So finally got it closed out ($9.17) and I should be good for my rental tonight. :)

I've had 2 or 3 cars out at multiple times (I travel with coworkers and the car is always in my name b/c I'm the CHM... If anyone stays behind, they keep the car & I fly to a new city and get another car) and it's never been an issue except that once when I was picking up the second car from a small station. She didn't reqire the car to be checked in before I got mine, but made me call to have them look into it (I could have fake dialed anyone, had a convo with myself in her lobby and she would have been happy).

I once had a weekend rental, returning the car Sunday morning before the counter was ope. So I dropped the contract, keys etc into the drop box and off I go.

About a MONTH later, I get a call asking me when I intended to return the car as my reservation was only for 2 days. I told them I had returned the car as planned. Her response was "ok". She didn't want any type of proof, not that I could provide it.

I was afraid my credit card bill would show a charge for a months rental or for a new car. But all was fine. Makes me wonder what would've happened if I had actually kept the car :confused:

And surely the car had been rented out several times after that. I'd think their computer would hic-cup if it still had the car in my name.

Steve