National - Is it generally a bad idea to not wait for your receipt

For the first time, I did not wait for my receipt at BOS and the results were surprising. On a Sunday night, the returns area was swamped so I just left the car in the return row and left ~around 5 PM Sunday. When I finally got the emailed receipt, they charged an extra day. The receipt did not have times on it just rental and return dates so I complained to corporate and was give the return time of the car as 11:55AM on Monday. They told me to call the location if I wanted to dispute further.

So first off I am surprised by this since I would have expected the returns folks to process the cars in order.

Is this what generally happens when you dont wait for your receipt?

Not sure how I could even dispute this since I have no proof I left the car Sunday night....

any comments/experiences appreciated

I rarely leave without a printed receipt in hand precisely for 2 reasons - the one you mentioned (to make sure that the charges are as expected - usually it's right on) and also, perhaps more importantly, since the return clerk does at least a cursory check of the car you can dispute any subsequent damage claim (which has happened to me once).

However, having said that, I rent from PSP a couple of times a year and usually fly out very early in the morning (before the staff arrives), so in that case I do have to leave without having a printed receipt in hand (have not had any problems though).

In your case, at BOS, did you fly out? If so, perhaps a boarding pass / your frequent flyer account posting would be some evidence that you had returned the car.

I just had some fun along these lines also at BOS. I've been told before that if I don't need the paper copy just leave the car and go. It usually hits my email a few minutes later. This time I was in a hurry - my flight was boarding in ten minutes and I still had to take the shuttle to terminal C AND check two bags (not my fault - I was already driving to the airport when my flight changed). I left the car in the return queue but by the time I landed at SFO I still hadn't received the receipt. Just called and was told they don't have a record of the car being returned and my contract is still open.

I'll bet they skipped my car in the return queue and then drove it off to be cleaned with the contract still open. They probably will find it and correct it when they computer says it is still checked out as they try to put it back in inventory - but still, I'm not crazy about them not having any record of me returning the car at this point. The call center called the BOS location and I made sure that they put in the notes that I returned it at 5pm because I don't want to get charged for an extra day which would have started at 6pm.

It's been 28 hours and they still haven't "found the car". Not getting a good feeling. Will definitely risk missing my flight and wait for the receipt next time.

It's been 28 hours and they still haven't "found the car". Not getting a good feeling. Will definitely risk missing my flight and wait for the receipt next time.
Hopefully the cops can read the VIN when they eventually recover it. Can you say, "premium increase?"

I wouldn't in a million years leave the car unlocked with keys in it and no receipt. At a minimum, lock the car and hand the keys to an employee even if s/he doesn't want to take them. Forget about damage to the car -- if it's stolen and hits someone who suffers serious injury, this can become a lifelong financial hit.

It's been 28 hours and they still haven't "found the car". Not getting a good feeling. Will definitely risk missing my flight and wait for the receipt next time.

Have they located your vehicle yet?

It's been 28 hours and they still haven't "found the car". Not getting a good feeling. Will definitely risk missing my flight and wait for the receipt next time.

Definitely - receipt, receipt, receipt. Not just for an instance such as this, but having been to some seriously inferior locations - you can just tell when something might go a little henke.

Have they located your vehicle yet?

Still haven't gotten a receipt. Called yesterday and said "they were working on closing it out". I asked if they verified the car is in the lot and she said she personally didn't know. :rolleyes:

That sucks. I had something similar at EWR - due to poor signage I couldn't find national and was late for my flight - so I just took the car to Alamo said "You're the same company, I'm leaving the car here, and it's your problem now (Here = return line, where there were spikes to prevent someone from exiting), and I got a receipt from National e-mailed to me the next day. Sorry yours isn't going as smoothly :(

Hopefully the cops can read the VIN when they eventually recover it. Can you say, "premium increase?"

I wouldn't in a million years leave the car unlocked with keys in it and no receipt. At a minimum, lock the car and hand the keys to an employee even if s/he doesn't want to take them. Forget about damage to the car -- if it's stolen and hits someone who suffers serious injury, this can become a lifelong financial hit.

Once the car is back on the lot/drop off lanes, whether or not it has been logged back in, I'm not convinced that the renter has possession anymore. Just because a contract is open does not mean it is in effect. Other than an employee stealing the car, how is a person going to get it out of there without going through a gate/checkpoint? Would it be a hassle to deal with fallout from a car stolen off the lot? Sure it would be and best avoided. In a case like this it shouldn't be too hard to find a dropbox and drop the keys in there. At least they are secure then.

I'm surprised by this - I rent about a dozen times a year and almost never get my receipt. Never once had a problem.

I'm surprised by this - I rent about a dozen times a year and almost never get my receipt. Never once had a problem.

Ohh the stores I could tell you when I didn't wait for a receipt. I'm still fighting a triple day charge in FLL for a 24 hour rental! All because I didn't wait for a receipt as I had to catch a flight as well. Always get a receipt!

Just to let you know the one that the vehicle inspector gives you is often just an Estimate charges with your contract still being open (meaning they can add additional charges later).

The secret is to ask them to close out the contract and print you a receipt (which some can) and if not, go inside and ask for one. Once its closed (and you've paid with whichever method), they can't apply additional charges (and your CC info drops off along with the pre authorization)

Btw often times the online receipts are wrong (mileage, car class, even the daily rate!). However my CC always gets charged right so I don't complain.

Always am surprised of the frequency of Murphys law with National Billing when you DONT get a receipt.


The fact that they advertise to EE you don't need to wait for your receipt as an added benefit!

Just to let you know the one that the vehicle inspector gives you is often just an Estimate charges with your contract still being open (meaning they can add additional charges later).

The secret is to ask them to close out the contract and print you a receipt (which some can) and if not, go inside and ask for one. Once its closed (and you've paid with whichever method), they can't apply additional charges (and your CC info drops off along with the pre authorization)


Yeah - this is not at all true. In any way. Once your contract is closed out, they rental agency can, in fact, still apply additional charges. This is how previously undetected damage gets charged - which has been reported in this forum many a time.

And no, the pre-auth, or auth, doesn't get "automatically dropped". Not at all. Depending on the individual rental agency's billing procedures, along with the credit card processing processing, the auth can remain on the account anywhere from 1 day up 21 days (in rare cases, longer). These facts are known - and have been discussed ad naseum in this forum.

Yeah - this is not at all true. In any way. Once your contract is closed out, they rental agency can, in fact, still apply additional charges. This is how previously undetected damage gets charged - which has been reported in this forum many a time.

And no, the pre-auth, or auth, doesn't get "automatically dropped". Not at all. Depending on the individual rental agency's billing procedures, along with the credit card processing processing, the auth can remain on the account anywhere from 1 day up 21 days (in rare cases, longer). These facts are known - and have been discussed ad naseum in this forum.

They cannot reopen a closed contract. If you paid with your CC then that's certainly a possibility for future charges as there would be a trail record. Paying by cash/debit removes your CC info from the contract when its closed out.

Yes it takes time for the pre autho to show up as dropped on the users end, but it is immediately dropped on the rental agency side. That was my point.

Getting the inspector/greeter to write "no new damage" and have them intial or write their employee ID prevents any future surprises.


Back OT now...

They cannot reopen a closed contract. If you paid with your CC then that's certainly a possibility for future charges as there would be a trail record. Paying by cash/debit removes your CC info from the contract when its closed out.

Yes it takes time for the pre autho to show up as dropped on the users end, but it is immediately dropped on the rental agency side. That was my point.

Getting the inspector/greeter to write "no new damage" and have them intial or write their employee ID prevents any future surprises.


Back OT now...

Yeah, you can say it as many times as you like - but as someone who has had additional charges added onto contracts days and even weeks after the contract was closed (ie. flat tire damage, previously undetected windshield hairline cracks, seat damage, etc), I can tell you firsthand that when a contract is closed out by the return agent or at the desk inside, it can be reopened. As someone who has had a vehicle out from National every day since mid-2006, and has had well over 100 30-day RAs in that time, I state this as fact. Disbursing of the return charge via cash or debit card most definitely does not exempt one of possible future charges placed onto the RA after the fact. Enterprise, for one, is notorious for doing this.

Having the return agent writing "no new damage" on whatever you think they should write it on (your receipt, the RA, notation in the computer?), might help when disputing surprises that come up in the future - but it certtainly doesn't prevent anything.



Yes it takes time for the pre autho to show up as dropped on the users end, but it is immediately dropped on the rental agency side. That was my point.

Your point is addressing the fact that once an RA is closed out, the auth drops off with any stored CC info in National's computers. I know this is not the case, as I've been in the processing office when an RA is closed out, and early on I used to close my RAs out via cash. And yes, the CC info stays (and shows on the receipt how the any auth(s) were originally obtained). Further, most of us in this forum are members of the Emerald Club, and one of the requirements is to store a CC. One can only assume that the CC stored is the one used to rent (for many of us), as we would want to use the EC benefits of rapid drop-off/return. Therefore, the CC info is stored in the system for furure use (and National's potential billing beyond vehicle return).

Still haven't gotten a receipt. Called yesterday and said "they were working on closing it out". I asked if they verified the car is in the lot and she said she personally didn't know. :rolleyes:

LOL. I had a return a couple years ago where I couldn't get a receipt...same thing, they said they'd email it. I forgot about it.

3 days later, I get the "hey, when are you bringing our car back?" call. A little unsettling to say the least... Fortunately, after I told them what happened they were able to locate it on the lot.

Seems like they'd have a better system for this. Data should tell them a reliable flow rate for returning cars during normal operations, probably with a rather small variance. In the absence of severe WX or other unusual operations, they should have people there to process your return receipt. Even in a highly irregular situation, you'd think they could get the receipt to you within an hour or two. It truly sounds like a broken process.

I usually don't wait for the receipt unless the person is coming right over. If I don't get the email receipt within a few minutes then I know they failed to check my car in (probably just skipped over it).

A few examples:

One time it was malicious as I was running late and told the agent that I couldn't wait as I was trying to get to a bus that was about to leave. Now since she knew this it was obvious she choose not to check my car in.

The few times I don't get the email, I make a quick call to the local station and they probably check the lot and then I get the email receipt. It usually helps to do this same day as the return but sometimes I've done it the next day. The return time that usually comes back is due time.

Once when I waited until the next day I was billed for an extra day (and I didn't fight it - even though I should have).

And finally, one time, I forgot to call and it wasn't until the next week (I think the day I checked out another car at the same location) that I got the receipt and it was correct.

Perhaps I am playing with fire a bit here but waiting to return a car and missing the shuttle is one of the things I hate most about car rentals. And since its their stated policy I go with it.

Finally as a small side - usually when I don't get the email right away they always don't charge me for gas - so in the case of the woman who wanted to flex her 'power' over me she actually cost her location a few gallons worth of revenue!

Yeah, you can say it as many times as you like - but as someone who has had additional charges added onto contracts days and even weeks after the contract was closed (ie. flat tire damage, previously undetected windshield hairline cracks, seat damage, etc), I can tell you firsthand that when a contract is closed out by the return agent or at the desk inside, it can be reopened. As someone who has had a vehicle out from National every day since mid-2006, and has had well over 100 30-day RAs in that time, I state this as fact. Disbursing of the return charge via cash or debit card most definitely does not exempt one of possible future charges placed onto the RA after the fact. Enterprise, for one, is notorious for doing this.

Having the return agent writing "no new damage" on whatever you think they should write it on (your receipt, the RA, notation in the computer?), might help when disputing surprises that come up in the future - but it certtainly doesn't prevent anything.

Your point is addressing the fact that once an RA is closed out, the auth drops off with any stored CC info in National's computers. I know this is not the case, as I've been in the processing office when an RA is closed out, and early on I used to close my RAs out via cash. And yes, the CC info stays (and shows on the receipt how the any auth(s) were originally obtained). Further, most of us in this forum are members of the Emerald Club, and one of the requirements is to store a CC. One can only assume that the CC stored is the one used to rent (for many of us), as we would want to use the EC benefits of rapid drop-off/return. Therefore, the CC info is stored in the system for furure use (and National's potential billing beyond vehicle return).

Then we've obviously have different experience in renting cars. You live in the US and I'm in Canada, different laws apply in terms of how information is stored, collected, and used.

I cannot speak for your experience although I have a car out almost every other day via Ent Holdings (the owners of National and Enterprise) since 2008.

My info is derived from a combination of: privacy law, personal experience, and on good authority from people in Ent Holdings.

Moral of the story: everyone should ask for a receipt and appropriate documentation to insure against any future problems.

So you are giving extremely mater of fact advise to readers here who are primarily located in the US that is based on Canadian law?

It is one thing to state your experiences or opinion, but to assert that "this IS the policy of National" etc without some sort of disclaimer that you are actually talking about Enterprise Canada policy is a bit reckless IMO.