Unexpected car hire charge by Avis
Sep 21, 2017, 12:51 am
#121
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Plymouth, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,159
Called Avis CS this morning... all I can say is WOW!
He listened to my description of what happened and agreed completely that I should not have been charged anything extra. He has taken it on himself to resolve this issue, apologised and said he will keep me informed by email on progress. He is totally certain I should not have been charged extra!
He attitude was simply superb.
He listened to my description of what happened and agreed completely that I should not have been charged anything extra. He has taken it on himself to resolve this issue, apologised and said he will keep me informed by email on progress. He is totally certain I should not have been charged extra!
He attitude was simply superb.
Sep 22, 2017, 7:05 pm
#122
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: Seigneur des Tarifs Utils First Class Mucci with Honours :) - BA GGL / CCR
Posts: 1,551
Called Avis CS this morning... all I can say is WOW!
He listened to my description of what happened and agreed completely that I should not have been charged anything extra. He has taken it on himself to resolve this issue, apologised and said he will keep me informed by email on progress. He is totally certain I should not have been charged extra!
He attitude was simply superb.
He listened to my description of what happened and agreed completely that I should not have been charged anything extra. He has taken it on himself to resolve this issue, apologised and said he will keep me informed by email on progress. He is totally certain I should not have been charged extra!
He attitude was simply superb.
Sep 23, 2017, 8:24 am
#123
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: UK (NE)
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 223
We have an Avis booking that was made through BA and paid in full. When collecting the car there was a balance due - around $60 - that the Avis clerk could not fully explain and suggested could be due to currency fluctuations since when I booked it to now, as I paid in GBP. I should have challenged further but we were in a hurry to collect so I will take it up with BA holidays when I return home. Be interesting to see what they say as from reading this it seems a common thing to add on unspecified vague charges...
Sep 23, 2017, 9:46 am
#124
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 6,344
Sep 23, 2017, 1:09 pm
#125
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 774
We have an Avis booking that was made through BA and paid in full. When collecting the car there was a balance due - around $60 - that the Avis clerk could not fully explain and suggested could be due to currency fluctuations since when I booked it to now, as I paid in GBP. I should have challenged further but we were in a hurry to collect so I will take it up with BA holidays when I return home. Be interesting to see what they say as from reading this it seems a common thing to add on unspecified vague charges...
Oct 31, 2017, 9:50 am
#127
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: UK
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 66
I had a couple of Avis reservations this year because they were far cheaper than my usual Hertz - neither was trouble free.
I had a pre-paid Avis Preferred rental, dropped the car off only to find out later that I had additional charges levied. When I examined the receipt in detail (I wasn't given one at the time of drop-off) I deduced that the problem occurred because they treated my GBP pre-paid amount as USD and charged me the difference!
I had a pre-paid Avis Preferred rental, dropped the car off only to find out later that I had additional charges levied. When I examined the receipt in detail (I wasn't given one at the time of drop-off) I deduced that the problem occurred because they treated my GBP pre-paid amount as USD and charged me the difference!
Oct 31, 2017, 12:02 pm
#128
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Surrey
Programs: BAEC - Gold
Posts: 885
We have an Avis booking in the USA in March 18. It was due for collection on landing. I was worried I might not be able to drive the car on landing (first First, so likely to indulge!) and BA confirmed with Avis that it would be ok for me to go back to the airport and collect it within 24hrs of the arranged pickup.
Oct 31, 2017, 2:12 pm
#129
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: Honors Diamond
Posts: 1,639
I had a couple of Avis reservations this year because they were far cheaper than my usual Hertz - neither was trouble free.
I had a pre-paid Avis Preferred rental, dropped the car off only to find out later that I had additional charges levied. When I examined the receipt in detail (I wasn't given one at the time of drop-off) I deduced that the problem occurred because they treated my GBP pre-paid amount as USD and charged me the difference!
I had a pre-paid Avis Preferred rental, dropped the car off only to find out later that I had additional charges levied. When I examined the receipt in detail (I wasn't given one at the time of drop-off) I deduced that the problem occurred because they treated my GBP pre-paid amount as USD and charged me the difference!
Oct 31, 2017, 5:15 pm
#130
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Plymouth, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,159
I am still in dispute with Avis over this.
3 times now they have said they would get back to me within a week and 3 times now they haven't. When I call I find the case is closed so I get them to reopen it only to find it closed next time I contact them... all without them contacting me at all.
I have had enough now. I am going to make a Section 75 claim.
3 times now they have said they would get back to me within a week and 3 times now they haven't. When I call I find the case is closed so I get them to reopen it only to find it closed next time I contact them... all without them contacting me at all.
I have had enough now. I am going to make a Section 75 claim.
Oct 31, 2017, 10:16 pm
#131
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Kobe, Japan
Programs: Bonvoy Platinum, IHG Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 1,532
Not with Avis, but when a returned a car (Nissan Rogue 2WD) after a 12 days prepaid rental out of Denver, Thrifty hit me with an $8000 upgrade charge.
The guy in the lot caught it and took me inside where a manager got it removed. Turns out a worker had parked the car in the wrong row. The key fob said B4 on it, and it was parked in row B, which is where I was told to select from. Some of the Hyundai compact sedans were around the same size, so I didn't think much of it.
Scary to think you can mistakenly "self-upgrade" and take the wrong car and get hit with a charge like that on the return.
The guy in the lot caught it and took me inside where a manager got it removed. Turns out a worker had parked the car in the wrong row. The key fob said B4 on it, and it was parked in row B, which is where I was told to select from. Some of the Hyundai compact sedans were around the same size, so I didn't think much of it.
Scary to think you can mistakenly "self-upgrade" and take the wrong car and get hit with a charge like that on the return.
Nov 1, 2017, 1:06 am
#132
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Kendal, Cumbria and Luzon
Programs: BA Silver, PR Elite, Avis Preferred Plus, PC Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 1,126
Not had a problem with Avis now for several years - with 5 to 10 rentals per year. Leeway on return - to franchisees who know me, even a minor bump. But was warned by a UK franchisee back in August - after complaining about a messed up booking - that the competent team leader at Avis UK had recently left.
Just had a credit card debit for about £2 and another relatively enormous one for what I guess is 10-15L fuel at MAN. Mea culpa in the second case but the small one on a prepaid booking is irritating but not worth a call or letter
Consumer Rights Act 2015 may be the way to go to stop Avis wasting time and gouging
Consumer Rights Act 2015
Just had a credit card debit for about £2 and another relatively enormous one for what I guess is 10-15L fuel at MAN. Mea culpa in the second case but the small one on a prepaid booking is irritating but not worth a call or letter
Consumer Rights Act 2015 may be the way to go to stop Avis wasting time and gouging
Consumer Rights Act 2015
Last edited by Modo; Nov 1, 2017 at 1:08 am Reason: Typo - freudian
Nov 2, 2017, 11:00 pm
#133
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Plymouth, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,159
The travel Gods must be happy with me because I received an email today from Avis Customer Service informing me that they are refunding my £900+.
It is a bit weird though...
Just as a recap (for those not remembering the start of the thread)... I was informed by Avis I had a 15hr grace period to pick up a rental. Well, it appears that the 15hr grace period does exist. They will hold a booking for 15hrs after the original booked pick up time before releasing the car back to the pool. What they failed to tell me was that although they will hold the car they don't hold the rate. The rate can change!
It would have been nice to have been told that my rate may significantly change if I pick up the car late.
Never mind... lesson learned... for both me and hopefully Avis!
It is a bit weird though...
Just as a recap (for those not remembering the start of the thread)... I was informed by Avis I had a 15hr grace period to pick up a rental. Well, it appears that the 15hr grace period does exist. They will hold a booking for 15hrs after the original booked pick up time before releasing the car back to the pool. What they failed to tell me was that although they will hold the car they don't hold the rate. The rate can change!
It would have been nice to have been told that my rate may significantly change if I pick up the car late.
Never mind... lesson learned... for both me and hopefully Avis!
Nov 2, 2017, 11:47 pm
#134
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Programs: Mucci, FB Gold, Skywards, MK Kestrel Flyer, BA Gold, M&M FF, UU Capricorne, ACCOR Gold
Posts: 676
I rented a car through BA/AVIS this summer in the UK.
Whilst parked outside my parents house the I noticed the car had a flat tyre. Looked in the boot for the spare and the jack. Nothing whatsoever, everything had been removed. I phoned AVIS to report and was told it was current practice and was put in touch with a 'rescue' company. The rescue company was great and the tyre was repaired within 30 minutes.
Two months later I received the bill for the tyre repair (£250) of which a large proportion (£110) was a "call-out fee". How on earth can they justify taking all of the spares out of their cars and then charging you a call out fee when you are obliged to use their rescue service is beyond me.
I got the bill refunded through Amex, who were great.
Whilst parked outside my parents house the I noticed the car had a flat tyre. Looked in the boot for the spare and the jack. Nothing whatsoever, everything had been removed. I phoned AVIS to report and was told it was current practice and was put in touch with a 'rescue' company. The rescue company was great and the tyre was repaired within 30 minutes.
Two months later I received the bill for the tyre repair (£250) of which a large proportion (£110) was a "call-out fee". How on earth can they justify taking all of the spares out of their cars and then charging you a call out fee when you are obliged to use their rescue service is beyond me.
I got the bill refunded through Amex, who were great.
Nov 3, 2017, 1:33 am
#135
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 10,709
I rented a car through BA/AVIS this summer in the UK.
Whilst parked outside my parents house the I noticed the car had a flat tyre. Looked in the boot for the spare and the jack. Nothing whatsoever, everything had been removed. I phoned AVIS to report and was told it was current practice and was put in touch with a 'rescue' company. The rescue company was great and the tyre was repaired within 30 minutes.
Two months later I received the bill for the tyre repair (£250) of which a large proportion (£110) was a "call-out fee". How on earth can they justify taking all of the spares out of their cars and then charging you a call out fee when you are obliged to use their rescue service is beyond me.
I got the bill refunded through Amex, who were great.
Whilst parked outside my parents house the I noticed the car had a flat tyre. Looked in the boot for the spare and the jack. Nothing whatsoever, everything had been removed. I phoned AVIS to report and was told it was current practice and was put in touch with a 'rescue' company. The rescue company was great and the tyre was repaired within 30 minutes.
Two months later I received the bill for the tyre repair (£250) of which a large proportion (£110) was a "call-out fee". How on earth can they justify taking all of the spares out of their cars and then charging you a call out fee when you are obliged to use their rescue service is beyond me.
I got the bill refunded through Amex, who were great.