Often1

First, social media is the worst way to reach many companies. While there are some companies which use it as a channel to appeal to a younger demographic, National is not one of them. All that you've got is a low-level clerical who has a selection of canned responses.

Second, if this really was a serious problem, call the police. But, it wasn't. You don't need a paper "contract" and most locations haven't issued them in years. There are documents in the vehicle which direct law enforcement to call for verification. There are tens of thousands of rental vehicles on the road every day and this is simply not an issue.

Third, if you do have a customer service issue, either call (and set your mind at ease by having customer service email you your contract) or use the website customer service portal (which won't solve your immediate concern).

cblaisd

First, you're right. I have had the most amazing service from Twitter reps for some travel outfits (like Hyatt). On the other hand, I have looked up more thn one hotel's Twitter profile and see that they last posted five years ago.

Second, the last time I rented from National (as I said, several years ago) I received a paper contract. That's obviously changed from the comments above. I still find that worrisome and concerning. Others may not

Third, you're probably right, but, late at night the last thing I want to try to do is talked to an overseas outsourced (I don't know whether National's are or not, but it's an exercise in agony with some companies that are) rep and try to explain my issue.

If any of the THREE SEA employees had explained the situation to me as some of you good people have, that would have been helpful.

It also looks like I'm not the only one with the concern about not having a contract in-hand; it also sounds like Hertz may be going to the system that National uses http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27261987-post8.html

Yellowjj

That's been my experience 99% of the time. I have one printed contract out of all my rentals.

This.

Yllanes

You can normally ask for a printed copy at the exit booth with Aisle reservations. They have always given me one when I asked.

cblaisd

Thanks for that info. That's exactly what I wanted, but since the "computer is always down on Sunday nights" (can that really be true?) National really should have some simple alternative to a computer generated/printed contract.

dwbf11

Why do you need it though? The only scenario that I can see need a contract is if you plan to cross into Canada as sometimes they ask to see the agreement.

Finkface

I had a similar issue when I was due to return my National car on a Sunday night before flying out. I decided to extend my trip a couple of days and called the location to extend the rental. The rep said it was no problem but she couldn't actually change it for me as their computers were down on Sunday nights but she would enter it in the next day. As you can imagine, I was definitely worried as there was nothing to show that I hadn't just kept the car without approval but I rolled with it, got her name and, sure enough, no problem when I returned it. I think I actually posted about it on here at the time. But yes, the Sunday night outages are a bit of an inconvenience when you need something on a Sunday evening.

cblaisd

I guess I am just more worry-wart-y than some. I just would not want to necessarily trust that a random police officer in North Polyp, Washington, or wherever, would believe me that National issues no contracts, or would take the time to have me or him/her call National, etc. Far far more reassuring for me to have a contract I can hand him or her.

Yllanes

I was stopped once in a highway in Indiana with a National car. The patrolman was slightly annoyed that I didn't have a contract with me, but no problem (I showed him the app). For crossing into Canada (and back) it is probably better to have the printed agreement, though.

zachary

I wonder what National could have done. With the computers down, there was no agreement to print. They could have written something on a piece of paper, but I police officer might have found that just as suspicious as having nothing. And, of course, the App wouldn't show the car being rented to you because until they input your rental into the computer system, it doesn't know that you've rented the car.

This "computer down" thing happened to me once in TPA renting from Alamo. I just took the car and didn't worry about it.

cblaisd

If this is a routine occurence, it would be easy enough to have a boilerplate stash of authorization letters on National letterhead at the exit onto which the agent could fill in the contract number, dates of possesion, and renter's name -- with numbers to call if police or other authorities wanted to verify.

roymustang

I'm asked more often than not for the actual rental agreement when I've needed to drive onto military bases. I don't think it's technically required, but it does make life easier.

Just to add a data point.

whimike

I think you are needlessly worrying. I am sure the rental car companies know what they are doing, and with many of them going paper-contractless, corporate would have verified with the necessary agencies that this is ok.

When you get pulled over the registration of the car will let the officer know it is a rental. Unless the rental company reported the vehicle stolen, I wouldn't expect an issue.

sosafan

I always go to the counter and they try to send me to the aisle and I always politely refuse. (I wouldn't use National but it was my company's preferred rental agency.) The reason is that on four of my last six rentals, the rate that they have in the system differed from the rate on my confirmed reservation, and it is better to straighten this out when I don't have a plane to catch upon return.

cblaisd

To add to the festivities with this rental, I just discovered that National charged my credit card $576 (!) instead of the receipt's $19.96 (used three free-day electronic certs).