Missed pickup for postpaid rental still charged
 

Just a warning that if you miss your postpaid pickup you might still get charged. I'm PC and missed a pickup without cancelling. After the time of the original reservation return, I noticed that I'd both been charged and issued a receipt. When I called to complain they made me email them evidence that I hadn't rented it, perhaps because they'd flipped a single (middle) digit on the odometer and recorded a very round number of miles. TBD on how long it takes to get a refund.

How long did it say you had the car out for?

It said I had the car out for my whole reserved rental period (Fri-Mon) from 11:59pm on day of "pickup" to 2pm on day of "return". (I think that was my reserved return time.)

Any update on this? The same thing happened to me except I was charged twice for the same car and some tolls. Exactly 100 miles.

Ugh! I got a refund but I had to send them proof (!!!) that I had used other transport to/from the airport. Fortunately I had some. This 100 mile thing appears to be consistent across other instances I've heard of.

It also happened to me recently that they "pre-checked-out" my car, and it wasn't even there for me upon arrival. Where was it? Who knows! Glad I went to pick it up so there was evidence of me having another vehicle.

I wonder if we can submit a complaint to the FTC.

I had no problems with cancelling post paid after pickup time has past (no RA created).

If you select a car in app, a RA will be created. That is when you have to reach out to the station to be explain you didn’t pick up to void it out.

Sadly in both instances an RA was created without me selecting a car. In the most recent instance, the RA was created at precisely the pickup time while I was still in the air.

I was not able to cancel a postpaid reservation, but was charged for it despite not being there. The rental showed exactly 24 hours from pickup to drop-off and 100 miles.

Wow. This is a stupid practice.

i would dispute with credit card if Avis turns this into a hassle. It is Avis responsibility to verify the car didn’t leave the lot by pulling their security recordings.

The two times I did play around in the app and selected a car resulted in a RA but I was able to call the station and tell them in no uncertain terms I was not even on the premises. They voided out without issue.

While I agree that this is a pathetic business practice, one must fully think through a charge-back against rental companies. There have been reports of car companies placing customers on DNR lists if a charge-back is filed (even if the renter is fully in the right).

Calling the station (if you can get a direct number...) right away seems the best approach, but it's a huge pain. Like I said, the time I had a no-show they actually made me prove I'd never picked it up, though my opinion was that that was their responsibility.

It seems like this "100 miles" nonsense is pretty consistent.

Avis backup reservation
 

I am planning to have an Avis Backup Reservation and reading the rental agreement it is said that cancelation made within 48 hours before pick up date is charged, not sure how much but anyway. I wonder if that really happens and if I am risking being charged for this.

A penalty is typically only assessed on prepaid reservations. Generally, pay-at-counter reservations do not have a penalty for a no-show.

Thanks I contacted Avis Customer Help and they told me they would only charge in case it is a pre paid reservation.
Glad to know that!

This happened to me with Budget. Didn't pick up a car I had made a non-prepaid reservation for. Used Hertz which had a cheaper rate and neglected to cancel the Budget reservation. Got charged for the full Budget rental period despite not having set foot on the Avis/Budget property (same facility at RDU). Strangely they said I "drove" 56 miles and returned it at a time a few minutes after my return flight landed in Los Angeles. It's like they wrote a script for me.

After a few calls including to their "security" team - it was initially thought someone had fraudulently rented the car in my name - the charge was fully reversed.