Car Hire dispute

peteukmcr

Not sure if I've got the right forum, but I need some advice. I pre-paid a UK internet car hire trader for car rental in the US. They booked my car with a well known chain in the US and provided me with a voucher which I presented to the car rental company when I picked up the car.

10 days after I returned from the US I noticed my account had been debited with the full cost of the rental.

I contacted the UK trader and asked them to investigate with the US rental company. They say the voucher was not applied to my rental by the US company correctly. I contacted the US company directly as I can still see the reservation on their system. I have faxed and emailed all the paperwork to both the UK and US companies.

The US car rental say the voucher is invalid, the UK company say it is.

The UK company told me to get my credit card company to dispute the charge and credit my account. Although my card is Visa, it is a debit card and my bank will not do this.

I wrote to the UK company claiming a refund of the amount from them and advised them to resolve the dispute between them and the US company. They refused, saying that although they offer customer service they are doing me a favour my contacting the US company, but really I should be doing that. They also said that as I signed the rental agreement, then that removes all responsibility from them.

As it stands a UK company has £178 from me and the US company has £142 from me and I can't see anyway of resolving this.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Premier_2

What type of voucher did the UK company give you? When I've used vouchers, I've never had to back up the voucher with a card. (Mind you the vouchers I had were either full value, or later for huge values because our travel agent got worried about effectively writing open cheques)

Ask the UK company for the £178 back as you have paid for a service you have not received.

If they don't pay up, sue them.

peteukmcr

Premier wrote: »

What type of voucher did the UK company give you? When I've used vouchers, I've never had to back up the voucher with a card. (Mind you the vouchers I had were either full value, or later for huge values because our travel agent got worried about effectively writing open cheques)

Ask the UK company for the £178 back as you have paid for a service you have not received.

If they don't pay up, sue them.

The voucher was for the total value of the rental, but the US company insisted on a security deposit secured by credit card.

plane_boy2000

Small claims court for the UK company would be one way if they wont budge. Try telling them thats how you intend to proceed and see their reaction.

Also thought that Visa debit cards had similar rights to credit cards but someone else will know better

Premier_2

peteukmcr wrote: »

The voucher was for the total value of the rental, but the US company insisted on a security deposit secured by credit card.

Didn't that raise your suspicions at the time?

If the voucher was "total value", then no security deposit is required. By definition, all costs incurred under the contract would be met by the agent supplying the voucher.

Premier_2

plane_boy2000 wrote: »

...
Also thought that Visa debit cards had similar rights to credit cards but someone else will know better

Credit card transactions may be covered by the consumer credit act; visa debit cards are not as no credit is provided.

peteukmcr

Thanks for all your feedback. Just to let you know it appears a recorded delivery letter claiming the amount back from the UK supplier has worked.

Mark_Hewitt

Your contract is with the UK company, not the US company, and has such they are legally required to sort it out. Clearly it's an administration problem between the US and UK, but this is *not your problem* and it's now down to you to sort it out.

Getting your credit card is standard practice when you hire a car anywhere, I don't know of any company that does not do it!

Premier_2

Mark_Hewitt wrote: »

...Getting your credit card is standard practice when you hire a car anywhere, I don't know of any company that does not do it!

Hertz, Avis, Budget...to name just a few.
They have never requested any other form of additional monetry security when presented with a full (or extremely high) value voucher

iolanthe07

I have rented a car with Alamo at San Francisco Airport every year for many years. I always use a voucher from a UK agent and Alamo always take an imprint of my credit card to cover any uninsured costs (such as damage through driving off road). I have never had any problem with this, and assumed it was normal.

peteukmcr

Premier wrote: »

Didn't that raise your suspicions at the time?

If the voucher was "total value", then no security deposit is required. By definition, all costs incurred under the contract would be met by the agent supplying the voucher.

Actually no, it did not raise suspicion as every time I've used a voucher from several different suppliers, the conditions of each rental company state that a valid credit card with sufficient funds available for any possible addtional charges up to a approximately $350 will be authorised. This value changes depending on the rental company, but they all do this. It is in the conditions of all companies I've used previously and has previously never been a problem.