Avis car rental charging dispute when renting via BAEC
Aug 11, 2019, 7:16 pm
#16
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,076
Re fuel - I once had the same issue and the charge was refunded after I sent a receipt from a gas station close to the rental location.
Re Avis in general - I've had a variety of mysterious charges over the years, usually takes a couple of round of back and forth before they're refunded. Slightly annoying.
Re Avis in general - I've had a variety of mysterious charges over the years, usually takes a couple of round of back and forth before they're refunded. Slightly annoying.
Aug 11, 2019, 10:55 pm
#18
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, M&M, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,223
I've never had problems with Avis, but was charged for non-existent damage with Hertz. Every customer has different story. So choose whichever company is cheapest/ most convenient, read all documents, take pictures of the car and use external excess insurance.
Aug 12, 2019, 12:57 am
#19
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: London
Posts: 85
I had an issue at CFU where the car had 3/4 tank of fuel despite booking a full-to-full policy and with no other vehicles with full tank being available.
Having had a similar issue in the past with another (massive cowboy) agency in Valencia and was charged €40 for 2 litres of fuel, I wasn't taking any chances. Called the Duty Office on the first day of rental and the agent assured me to refuel to the same level on a best efforts basis and they will ensure that any follow up charge, if any, will be reversed by them. Thankfully we didn't need this to happen.
Always worth a try pursuing through BA first. Failing that I've found the Avis preferred helpline to be pretty helpful too.
Having had a similar issue in the past with another (massive cowboy) agency in Valencia and was charged €40 for 2 litres of fuel, I wasn't taking any chances. Called the Duty Office on the first day of rental and the agent assured me to refuel to the same level on a best efforts basis and they will ensure that any follow up charge, if any, will be reversed by them. Thankfully we didn't need this to happen.
Always worth a try pursuing through BA first. Failing that I've found the Avis preferred helpline to be pretty helpful too.
Aug 12, 2019, 1:07 am
#20
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Berkshire
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold, GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Accor Plat, Pucci Fan Club
Posts: 1,779
I had a similar experience with AVIS at Almeria airport in Spain. We landed, were told they didn't have a car in our category (quite common, we accepted that) and we had been upgraded. I rejected the Seat estate they gave us, so they substituted it with a Renault Kadjar, which was acceptable to me. I asked how much the full insurance was for the whole trip, and was encouraged to come round the counter and look at the figure on her screen of - an extraordinarily low - 42 euros for a long weekend (it was about 4-5 nights). Clearly I accepted and the documentation was emailed to me. When we dropped the car off (full of fuel) we were hurried into a minivan from the compound to the main terminal. I later checked my CC statement and we had been charged 260 euros. I then asked AVIS via social media to address this and eventually they admitted their error and a refund came through. Being an AVIS preferred customer and having used them countless times I was less than impressed.
Aug 12, 2019, 1:12 am
#21
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Plymouth, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,159
I was overcharged nearly £1000 when I rented a car at Chicago through BA Holidays. BA Holidays were not interested in helping me and I had to deal direct with Avis. They did eventually refund me but only after several months of emails and telephone calls.
Aug 12, 2019, 1:21 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,471
Car hire are high up on my list of industries which ought to be regulated within an inch of their lives - ironically just behind insurance. Actually surprised it's not something the EU have stepped in on yet - charging for scratches which are never actually repaired, absurd fuelling costs, etc seem like they fit right alongside things like roaming charges in the consumer exploitation sector.
But another plus one for separate insurance - I don't hire that often but never feel like £60ish for a year is bad value even though I've yet to have to claim.
But another plus one for separate insurance - I don't hire that often but never feel like £60ish for a year is bad value even though I've yet to have to claim.
Aug 12, 2019, 1:27 am
#23
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Alameda, CA, US
Programs: BAEC Gold (GGL/CCR), HHonors Diamond
Posts: 1,346
Also remember many Avis locations are franchises. I had issues with the local stations, but when contacting Avis corporate it go fixed. Also had times where corporate wouldn't move a finger but I did a charge back and Avis never responded when they got the inquiry by Visa.
Aug 12, 2019, 1:38 am
#24
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Cheltenham
Programs: KLM Plat for Life , BA Gold, HH Silver, (Other half Diamond), IHG Gold
Posts: 2,398
We have had issues with Avis And Hertz . Just back from Durban where we hired a car from Hertz . Refuelled the car at the airport Petrol station , attendant squeezed every last drop in . Signed off at Hertz but then got charged £1.19 for fuel and a £5.69 admin charge a week later .
Aug 12, 2019, 1:45 am
#25
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, HH Diamond, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,219
In my experience of a number of years as a regular Avis renter, any queries I've had have been fixed, and a couple of times I was charged for damage it was explained to me and I was charged a pretty fair price (£90 for kerbed wheel etc.).
I know it's easy to feel victimised in these cases, but in reality that's not what's happening, they're just overworked people on low wages making mistakes.
If you get badly treated just complain in a professional fashion and it should be fixed for you.
Aug 12, 2019, 2:02 am
#26
Join Date: May 2016
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, Accor Gold
Posts: 1,429
I had a location surcharge once in Germany, due to the Avis location staying open late because the BA flight was delayed which took us past the official closing time. I argued the case with both BA and Avis, that if they're in partnership and the flight is delayed it's hardly the fault of the user. I didn't get very far.
In the Baltics (both Latvia and Estonia) I've been charged a late fee for picking up past 7pm even though the location is open until 11pm. Again Avis not particularly interested and the local franchisee just laughs at you. They all go on my do not use list.
In the Baltics (both Latvia and Estonia) I've been charged a late fee for picking up past 7pm even though the location is open until 11pm. Again Avis not particularly interested and the local franchisee just laughs at you. They all go on my do not use list.
Aug 12, 2019, 2:14 am
#28
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,683
Specifically to OP I’d start with BA travel if that was the rental starting point.
One thing to mention is I like the security of full insurance cover and have used insurance4carhire - note that the fairly standard policy I had included an upper value limit on the car, which if you rent big SUVs could possibly exceed that limit.
Aug 12, 2019, 2:25 am
#29
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Tampere
Programs: BA EC Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,237
Collecting a car a few years ago at ORD, I was standing at the counter whilst the Avis man did his thing. Lying between us was a sheet of paper, a wee bit off to the side but basically right there. It was facing him but I could read it upside-down. The headline, in 14-point bold, said Upseller of the Week Contest and the text described the prizes available to the agent who persuaded his/her marks to spend more more more.
Now, I wasn't in the least surprised that they had such an in-house competition -- but for him to leave it out like that, in full view of the customer, that was a new low.
Aug 12, 2019, 2:51 am
#30
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Tampere
Programs: BA EC Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,237
"What's not included
Below are some of the key exclusions you need to be aware of.
Full details can be found in the policy wording.
<snip>
- Cover for policyholders that are not resident in the UK, Channel Islands, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, The Netherlands, Republic of Ireland or Germany."