Charges for renting a van! Feel cheated!

sappy_2

Hi,

I rent vans, long term, untill recently for my business. I have a deposit of £150 in the form of an un cashed cheque.

I have had 2 bills:

1 for £164.50 for a windscreen as it had 1 single stone chip in the passenger side and has charged for a whole new windscreen.

2nd is for two lots of fuel - I had a can breakdown and had to be towed back they are billing me for 38 litres of diesel @ £1.65 per litre! The amount that was short was 28 litres but the thing broke down and I was there till 11pm on a Saturday sorting it out!

Another fuel bill for 50 litres, again at £1.65, for the van that was used as a replacement while the one that broke down got repaired (I got it back but it brokedown again!). Anyway my arguement is the replacement van was much much bigger than needed (luton size) which used twice as much fuel - where is my compensation for the first van breaking down, twice!

I have recieved a bill for over £300 how can they justify this? Can they do this, the fuel is unfair and highly inflated and could not be helped and the windscreen only have a small stone chip?

Any advise would be appreciated.

P.S. the vehicle was subcontracted from another company, while the company I actually have the agreement with got some of their vans back. The agreement was not with the company who actually owned the vehicle but the company I rent from.

Kilty_2

The windscreen thing is fair enough, most rental firms will shaft you for damage to glass.

Fuel for a van that broke down though? LOL. Definitely wouldn't be taking that.

KillerWatt

There is no such thing as an "invisible" repair for stone chips on windscreens (no matter how much the adverts say there is), so the windscreen bill is fair enough IMO.

As Kilty says though, I wouldn't be wearing the bill for fuel for one second when the van was broken down.

As an aside, £164.50 is more than reasonable for a windscreen....a new screen for my vehicle is £600.

skiddlydiddly

Always make sure that you check for damage before taking them out too, so you don't cop for someone elses damage.
Most hire firms rip you off on the fuel so always make sure they are full when you pick them up and take them back

sappy_2

Thanks for your comments, what do I say about the fuel though? I said I would pay pump prices but what about renting a van to me that was not fit for purpose as it broke down, twice! Also what about the larger van supplied that cost me £100-150 more in fuel! In one ear out the other.

I thought the max they could take was £150 which was the deposit anyway?

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

If you didn't sign off the damage to the windscreen when the van was returned, they cannot charge you for it. For all you know the damage could have occurred when someone else had the van.

As for the fuel, this is fuel charged to you, when the van broke down? Don't pay it. You had no opportunity to refill the van, and therefore it is unreasonable to charge you for it.

As for the larger van, check your paperwork to see if you're liable for this.

sappy_2

I want to use the company again - which is my problem. I have said I would pay petrol prices on the fuel not inflated prices but I have been put out quite a bit with all of this nevermind out of pocket on the replacement van.

I thought the company would have just taken the deposit and not expected me to pay £320! Had the vans not had a breakkdown, twice, we would not be in this position. Moreover, what about they supplying me a van with faults attempting repair which failed, resupplying only for it to fail again?

kwaks

And why on earth would you want to use this company again?

Fuel, no way. They returned the van to you after repair, they should have returned it to you without filling it up, simple. As for giving you the larger van, surely they know the difference in fuel economies and can adjust accordingly.