Sixt UK, Boot carpet cleaning fee? help from forums members!
Sixt UK, Boot carpet cleaning fee? help from forums members!
Jun 7, 2015, 3:17 am
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
Posts: 21,690
It sounds like a scam. Escalate to the manager at the branch, and then to Sixt corporate. If that doesn't work, consider challenging the charge as unauthorized with your credit card.
Jun 7, 2015, 12:38 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 4
I called the branch to speak to the manager, but he was out of office. But the lady I spoke to was terrible customer service experience as she kept repeating the same words "we had to clean the car for other customer and there is nothing we can do" whatever I said. I thought I was speaking to automated response ARS.
Even after she repeated that stupid phrase three times, she started to giggle which made me really upset. Maybe something funny was happening in the office, yeah could be, but I felt that was to me. A very rude type of attitude to speak to other people on the phone, even when they are complaining.
I have rented several times with Sixt this year and got gold membership, and have another pre-paid booking soon, but am looking for a way to cancel the booking.
Even after she repeated that stupid phrase three times, she started to giggle which made me really upset. Maybe something funny was happening in the office, yeah could be, but I felt that was to me. A very rude type of attitude to speak to other people on the phone, even when they are complaining.
I have rented several times with Sixt this year and got gold membership, and have another pre-paid booking soon, but am looking for a way to cancel the booking.
Jun 8, 2015, 2:51 am
#4
Company Representative, Sixt Customer Service
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 469
Hi,
I wold like to look into this for you. Can you please send me a private message with your reservation number?
Thanks, Ruth.
I wold like to look into this for you. Can you please send me a private message with your reservation number?
Thanks, Ruth.
Hi, yes I am kind of new to this forum, although I have checked this website since 2010 for other travel information.
I rented a car from Sixt and returned it this morning with greeting chat with the staff, and happily signed up the end of contract and left. But I was surprised on the way back to home after I looked at the invoice email.
Sixt charged me ￡60 for cleaning. I immediately contacted the branch and the problem was some hair on the boot carpet. They insisted that it is animal's hair and they do not have equipment to clean the car. And they do not allow pets in the car.
However, the story on my side is that I knew there were some hair (I can ensure you that the boot was not really messed up. Just few hair like you can find in your shower booth or bath tub).
They are not animal's as they argued (I don't have any animal). I moved my nasty old sheepskin carpet, so some dusts and hair could be dropped on the boot carpet. I strongly believe the carpet can be cleaned up with a cheap primark roller or vaccum cleaner. I am not the person who abuses rental cars with food, dumps or wastes, but if we think of the purpose of the boot, it is simply to carry any items on the car. The sheepskin.
I would like to ask opinions from you:
1. Do you think ￡60 cleaning charge for the boot carpet is understandable and acceptable if other parts are tidy clean?
2. I belive it is their job to inspect all parts of vehicle on the return, before I sign up the end of the contract. Are they allowed to charge me for any other costs (except excess fee for any damage on the car)?
3. It is just my personal curiosity, but is it true that pets are not allowed to carry with sixt cars? I think I received a promotional letter saying that "sixt cars-travelling with pets" something like this.
I rented a car from Sixt and returned it this morning with greeting chat with the staff, and happily signed up the end of contract and left. But I was surprised on the way back to home after I looked at the invoice email.
Sixt charged me ￡60 for cleaning. I immediately contacted the branch and the problem was some hair on the boot carpet. They insisted that it is animal's hair and they do not have equipment to clean the car. And they do not allow pets in the car.
However, the story on my side is that I knew there were some hair (I can ensure you that the boot was not really messed up. Just few hair like you can find in your shower booth or bath tub).
They are not animal's as they argued (I don't have any animal). I moved my nasty old sheepskin carpet, so some dusts and hair could be dropped on the boot carpet. I strongly believe the carpet can be cleaned up with a cheap primark roller or vaccum cleaner. I am not the person who abuses rental cars with food, dumps or wastes, but if we think of the purpose of the boot, it is simply to carry any items on the car. The sheepskin.
I would like to ask opinions from you:
1. Do you think ￡60 cleaning charge for the boot carpet is understandable and acceptable if other parts are tidy clean?
2. I belive it is their job to inspect all parts of vehicle on the return, before I sign up the end of the contract. Are they allowed to charge me for any other costs (except excess fee for any damage on the car)?
3. It is just my personal curiosity, but is it true that pets are not allowed to carry with sixt cars? I think I received a promotional letter saying that "sixt cars-travelling with pets" something like this.
Jun 8, 2015, 6:08 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: GYD
Programs: Azerbaijan Airlines Gold, Turkish Miles and Smiles, IHG Plat
Posts: 663
There is so much crap in Sixt's reponse here - 'We don't have the equipment to do the job" BS. Assume they have a hoover? If not they should take it to the local garage and use theirs. It costs about a quid. And how do they justify 60.00 to hoover out the boot of a car? I always get the car hire company to check the car and give me a FINAL invoice before I leave. That way, I feel justified if I ever have need to question and scamming charges they try to put on when I've left.
Jun 8, 2015, 7:00 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
All too often, complaints on this board are met by a company representative asking for a PM who then fixes the immediate problem. That is an easy and cheap way for a company to then get a positive statement about how pleasant it was to have the problem resolved. At the same time, there are likely hundreds, if not thousands, of others who got defrauded and did not complain.
No matter what Sixt does for OP in this situation, there are too many similar complaints. OP does not give a country or location either for his residence or the rental. I would recommend that no matter what Sixt does, he file a complaint with the relevant consumer agency in both places.
Someone should take a broader based look at this company's practices.
No matter what Sixt does for OP in this situation, there are too many similar complaints. OP does not give a country or location either for his residence or the rental. I would recommend that no matter what Sixt does, he file a complaint with the relevant consumer agency in both places.
Someone should take a broader based look at this company's practices.
Jun 8, 2015, 7:10 am
#7
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: GYD
Programs: Azerbaijan Airlines Gold, Turkish Miles and Smiles, IHG Plat
Posts: 663
Agree. Assume he/she is in the UK due to reference to 60 pounds charge but yes, Sixt do seem to get a lot of negative publicity on this site. I've only used them once and found them to be OK (though rather expensive).
Jun 8, 2015, 7:26 am
#8
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,454
There is so much crap in Sixt's reponse here - 'We don't have the equipment to do the job" BS. Assume they have a hoover? If not they should take it to the local garage and use theirs. It costs about a quid. And how do they justify 60.00 to hoover out the boot of a car? I always get the car hire company to check the car and give me a FINAL invoice before I leave. That way, I feel justified if I ever have need to question and scamming charges they try to put on when I've left.
I _absolutely_ understand a charge of this amount IF the car indeed would have been returned dirty, which according to the OP, wasn't the case.
Dirty car = cleaning fee ^
Normal usage/not dirty = cleaning fee
