This may be specific to Alamo, but I'm posting here because I want to lnow if any other companuies do this...

I rented a car at Alamo @ YYC, reserved as a 4 day rental, $35.69/day, picking up Mon 2:30 pm, returning Fri 1:00 pm. Actual pick up time was 2:10 pm.

At the rental counter, the agent confirmed that I planned to return the car Friday at 1:00. I said yes. Then, after the rental agreement is all printed, he pointed out and had me initial terms that stated:

"If I violate the rental agreement by failing to return the car by <fri> 13:00, I understand that I will be assessed an overstay fee of $10.99 per day in addition tro my other charges"

Below that, and not initialed:
"I understand that if I do not return the car as specified above, I will be charged retroactively for the entire length of the rental: daily $41.99, weekly..."

Now, I did return the car before 1:00, and was not charged.

But my understanding is that if I had returned the car at 1:30, then I would have been charged $10.99 for the overstay plus $25.20 for the higher daily rate. Even though the rental period would still have fallen within the 4 days elapsed. Note that we're not talking about crossing a rate boundary, like a Monday noon drop off for a weekend rental, or a minimum 5 days for a weekly rental.

Are other companies doing this? Is Alamo doing this everywhere, or is this a Canadian thing? Do we need to start telling the agent that I'll be returning in 3 days, 23 hours and 59 minutes, just to err on the side of traffic delays?

Comments?