GreenMotion London Gatwick
Jun 19, 2018, 10:13 am
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 5
GreenMotion London Gatwick
Be very wary of using GreenMotion if renting a car at London Gatwick airport.
We made a booking months in advance but when we got to the desk it had been cancelled, simply because we were four hours late, and we ended up having to pay three times as much for a larger vehicle.
Their (eight pages of) terms and conditions do allow for treating someone more than two hours late as a "no show", but this is hardly reasonable (or adequately disclosed) at an airport rental location where such delays are commonplace, especially as our non-refundable deposit was equivalent to over one day's rental charge. They should, at least, have held our booking until that prepaid period had expired.
Be aware: GreenMotion uses several rental agents under different names so, while you may think you are booking through a reputable supplier, you may end up with GreenMotion - and regret it.
We made a booking months in advance but when we got to the desk it had been cancelled, simply because we were four hours late, and we ended up having to pay three times as much for a larger vehicle.
Their (eight pages of) terms and conditions do allow for treating someone more than two hours late as a "no show", but this is hardly reasonable (or adequately disclosed) at an airport rental location where such delays are commonplace, especially as our non-refundable deposit was equivalent to over one day's rental charge. They should, at least, have held our booking until that prepaid period had expired.
Be aware: GreenMotion uses several rental agents under different names so, while you may think you are booking through a reputable supplier, you may end up with GreenMotion - and regret it.
Jun 19, 2018, 12:49 pm
#3
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Any suggestions as to where else I can publicise their bad practices? I'd like to warn as many people as possible.
Jun 20, 2018, 1:27 am
#4
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This is why you should always enter your flight number. Good rental companies monitor these and hold your car accordingly. Otherwise I think it’s fair to assume you’re a no show after four hours, and if there is no longer a car of that type there, why should you not pay the going rate?
Jun 20, 2018, 3:43 am
#6
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I am merely making the point that I consider it fair game for a rental company to cancel a non-prepaid booking after four hours. It's the airline equivalent of a no-show, and probably far more prevalent than in the airline/hotel business because there is no cost associated with making multiple bookings. In this case, I think it's a bit of a grey area as there was a deposit paid, but I suspect there is a cut-off disclosed in the T&C.
There is little excuse for not calling the rental company if you are going to be four hours late. There will have been an opportunity at some point. I will always call hotels and car rental companies to let them know if I'm going to be significantly late.
As to the wider complaints about this company I really have no idea. I had never heard of them before.
There is little excuse for not calling the rental company if you are going to be four hours late. There will have been an opportunity at some point. I will always call hotels and car rental companies to let them know if I'm going to be significantly late.
As to the wider complaints about this company I really have no idea. I had never heard of them before.
Jun 20, 2018, 4:39 am
#7
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Posts: 5
The deposit I paid is the key part of my being upset, LondonElite.
It was equivalent to more than one day's rental so, even if Green Motion had treated me as a "no show" at the end of the business day, they would still have made money from me.
Cars are rented out for 24-hour periods so, if I know I will return it at noon, why should I not expect to have it available for me from noon? Then, if I end up collecting it at 4pm, that should be my choice. If I return it early I won't get a refund, so if I pick it up late I certainly shouldn't have to pay extra.
As I mentioned, there is a cut-off of two hours in the T&C's but is it adequately disclosed? (GreenMotion has eight pages of T&C's, whereas other car rental companies have two pages); is it a reasonable time limit?; and is it fair when more than a full day has been prepaid? I would have to say "no" to all three questions.
It was equivalent to more than one day's rental so, even if Green Motion had treated me as a "no show" at the end of the business day, they would still have made money from me.
Cars are rented out for 24-hour periods so, if I know I will return it at noon, why should I not expect to have it available for me from noon? Then, if I end up collecting it at 4pm, that should be my choice. If I return it early I won't get a refund, so if I pick it up late I certainly shouldn't have to pay extra.
As I mentioned, there is a cut-off of two hours in the T&C's but is it adequately disclosed? (GreenMotion has eight pages of T&C's, whereas other car rental companies have two pages); is it a reasonable time limit?; and is it fair when more than a full day has been prepaid? I would have to say "no" to all three questions.
Last edited by GlobalTravellers; Jun 20, 2018 at 4:50 am
Jun 20, 2018, 5:06 am
#8
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To answer your questions, I would say:
1. There are certain key points you should be able to pick out fairly quickly, caveat emptor
2. That's not your call, you accepted the T&Cs (two hours seems fair to me)
3. I think you have a point here.
1. There are certain key points you should be able to pick out fairly quickly, caveat emptor
2. That's not your call, you accepted the T&Cs (two hours seems fair to me)
3. I think you have a point here.
Jun 21, 2018, 7:33 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2015
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GreenMotion is one of those rental agencies that is consistently the cheapest on Kayak and other sites. Sometimes renting cars for single digit amounts per day. You know what they say: If it sounds too good to be true...
Jun 22, 2018, 1:43 am
#10
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Green motion features in the Guardian's personal finance problem page far more often than other car rental companies. I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole.
They're also not very "Green". Most of their cars are the same type of petrol or diesel car as from other rental companies.
They're also not very "Green". Most of their cars are the same type of petrol or diesel car as from other rental companies.
Jun 22, 2018, 4:41 am
#11
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Posts: 5
This time, I rented through Budget. I decided to see what their policy is, as I couldn't find mention of it in the Terms & Conditions. This is what their reply was to my question about arriving four hours after the scheduled pick-up time:
"With Budget, cars are held until the close of business that day before being classed as a no-show, so if you do collect a few hours later this will not be a problem."
That is what I expected from Green Motion, especially since I had paid them a deposit (whereas I hadn't with Budget).
"With Budget, cars are held until the close of business that day before being classed as a no-show, so if you do collect a few hours later this will not be a problem."
Jun 22, 2018, 8:20 am
#12
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As to the wider complaints about this company I really have no idea. I had never heard of them before.
Jun 22, 2018, 8:45 am
#13
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Marks & Spencer for example will refund customers if they change their mind about an item they bought. Other retailers will merely offer a credit note. 'But M&S do it ...' won't help you get a refund in another shop.
It's a regular comment on the airline boards on flyer talk such as
'XX airline will tag my bags through on separate tickets so I expected airline YY do the same'
'Because airline A will let me do a free same day change I thought B would as well'
Jun 22, 2018, 9:17 am
#14
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Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 5
Agreed.
Having rented cars from numerous companies over the years I just didn't even think that Green Motion would have a "non-standard" policy.
As someone said earlier, it smacks of them setting customers up for a fall, so that they can extract large penalties.
Either away, Green Motion has lost my business (and we have used them five times in the past few years)
Having rented cars from numerous companies over the years I just didn't even think that Green Motion would have a "non-standard" policy.
As someone said earlier, it smacks of them setting customers up for a fall, so that they can extract large penalties.
Either away, Green Motion has lost my business (and we have used them five times in the past few years)