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Thrifty Car Hire & Authorisation charges

Mat_Lock
Mat_Lock Posts: 2,386 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
They really know how to put you in the proverbial **** don't they.

Hired a car on Friday and paid £53 for the privilege. They asked for my Card Licence, Paper DVLA licence and 3 utility bills to go with it. I didn't have the paper DVLA licence to provide them so they charged me £5 to ring up DVLA for 1 minute so that I could say YES to a DVLA person on the phone.

They then told me they were taking an authorisation on my debit card of £150 which wasn't told to me prior to my booking. They said it was just an authorisation and wouldn't be a payment. I thought that will be ok so long as it is returned to me when I give the car back.

This authorisation has reduced my available balance on my account by £150 literally leaving me with about £20 in my account.

It has now been 3 days since I returned the vehicle and no sign of this 'authorisation' being put back on my balance. I got bills to pay !!!!!! !!

I rang Thrifty today and they said it could take 10 working days to return the balance and to speak to my bank about it. I spoke to my bank and they said this always happens and that it would only take 5 working days to return.

Why the hell should this 'authorisation' take 5 days to return to me. It's basically taken my money, it should be put back on the day I return the car.

Why is a system so quick to take the money but takes 5 days to return it, it's f'in bull**** that's why. These companies and banks are plain evil !!

/rant over

and resume to normal. If I go over my limit can I request Thrifty pay my charges for me as it's their fault ?

Comments

  • Has the monies for the car hire been processed on top of the £150 authorisation request applied to your card account?
    Bucket and Spade FC - Southend United - turning people to drink since 1906.
  • rs65
    rs65 Posts: 5,682 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Sounds fairly normal I'm afraid.
  • Your lucky that's all they took, some companies take more. Surely you knew you had a deposit to pay? On a cc it's normally what's called a pre approval but it's not possible to do this on a debit card.
  • Mat_Lock
    Mat_Lock Posts: 2,386 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I paid upfront for the hire car. I knew nothing of a authorisation payment until after I had done all my ID stuff. It's not the pre-approval that gets me, it's why it takes SOOOOO long to put it back when I give the car back, should be instant...they take it instantly so why can't they return it instantly.
  • Kilty_2
    Kilty_2 Posts: 5,818 Forumite
    This ALWAYS happens with hire cars - most companies would want a substantial cash deposit if you use a debit card.

    The last time I hired a car with my credit card they authorised £600 deposit.
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