us2

Returned a rental this morning before heading home. Had the car for 2 days. Car interior was clean when returned and not smoked in during the rental. Return goes fine; I catch my flight and head home. Upon landing, I have an email from Hertz adding $50 to the bill for a "cleaning fee", which I presume is related to the new no-smoking policy.

http://images.hertz.com/pdfs/No_Smoking_Policy.pdf

According to that, the instant return representative makes the determination on the spot as to whether such a fee would be assessed. The receipt I was given had no such fee on it.

This was my 8th rental of the year so far and I've had no issues with this in the past.

Hertz CS is closed for the weekend and the charge has yet to show up on my AMEX, so I can't dispute it yet.

I'm hopeful I can get this all sorted Monday, but it's an aggravation and seems grossly unfair as I have no idea whether this was a simple mistake or, if not, the basis on which this was assessed. It certainly doesn't seem as though Hertz followed their own policy in any event.

One possibility is that I've been suffering mightily from allergies lately that have impaired my sense of smell, which raises the possibility that the car smelled of smoke when I picked it up and I didn't notice it. I did find it odd that the driver's window was partway down when I picked up the car and it wasn't exactly warm out when I picked the car up.

I'll update this when I find out how this is resolved.

Any advice on how to approach this would be appreciated, particularly if any of you have run into this problem already.

Often1

1. Not just smoke, but if there were major spills or the car required more than routine cleaning. Let's presume that you returned it relatively clean (one candy bar wrapper doesn't count !)

2. Send Hertz a note on the webform. Wait 5 business days.

3. If no email advising of a refund (presuming that the extra charge actually does post), dispute $50 of the total charge (most cards now require an attempt to resolve w. the merchant -- that's what Step #2 is).

Don't go nuts if it doesn't pan out. It's entirely possible that it's assessed, that Hertz documented it and that the documentation results in the CC dispute being denied.

danville 1K

Was this per chance an LAX rental? LAX is well known for additional charges after the return receipt is printed. Although most often they try to hit you up for several gallons of gas.

us2

No, it was SLC. CS was unable to resolve, now have call in to the location manager. Did find out that it was for allegedly smoking in the car...

COSPILOT

I refuse any car that smells like smoke for this very reason. I don't have a problem personally with the smell, but I have no desire to get stuck with a cleaning charge with what becomes a he said/she said. Same with hotels, if it smells like smoke, I'm at minimum going to to have it documented to avoid issues like this.

Specific to Hertz, I refuse the car because I have zero confidence that Hertz software will reflect my complaint, thus the return agent will have nothing to reference when inspecting the car and issuing me a receipt. I wish I didn't have to think like this...

AndDee

Yep this is something else you need to add to the list when you rent a car now

us2

No update yet. CS couldn't resolve and a call to the SLC manager failed to yield a callback. And the charge has yet to post to AMEX, so I can't dispute yet.

us2

All of which makes me think the smart play here is to complain that every car smells like smoke when checking out and tell them that you're in a hurry and am willing to live with it....

randidliyo

Yes, you should note that your car smells like smoke time after time after time and continue to switch it out until they finally decide to just note in on the inspection sheet. If they can smell smoke when none exists, then so can we.

Often1

All Amex requires is that you have tried to resolve the issue. Don't waste another second on calling the CS. You called, he didn't call back. If and when the charge posts, dispute it and note that you called and did not receive a call back.

us2

Charge finally posted and still no callback from SLC manager. Charge disputed this morning.

TomBrady

Please let us know how it goes, I had a car the other week that I detected the slight odor of smoke, but I just said .... it and took it anyway. Luckily nothing came of it.

COSPILOT

I didn't follow my own advice this morning as I was in a hurry. I reserved an F car from my local HLE with Satellite Radio. Received the only car left, a filthy Malibu with non functioning Sirius. Didn't realize until later on when it was warmer out that the car smells of smoke. Not horrible, but noticeable.

Based on this experience I cancelled next week's reservation with the HLE and will drive further and spend more in tax's and use the Hertz location at the COS airport. A real pain considering I live on the north end of Colorado Springs...

dayone

An introduction to and a friendly conversation with the HLE manager may be a better plan.

dwbf11

+1 to that! If anything, in my experience you are much more likely to receive better service from an HLE than from an airport.