Beware Avis car rental, fuel small print

DealDrivers_company_representative

2 of our staff hired a diesel Laguna from Avis at Inverness Airport this weekend. Having taken the option to pre-pay the fuel after 'advice' at the desk, they dropped it back at the airport with exactly half a tank left in it, they've just been billed nearly £56.70+vat (£66.62!) for the remaining half tank they had to re-fill.

The options it seems (all clearly explained NOW on complaining but NOT when hiring it at the airport) were to
i) pre-pay but if you don't use the whole tank you get no money back
ii) not pre-pay but they'll charge you £1.45/litre plus VAT (£1.70!) to top it back up themselves

The trick, clearly, is to never take the pre-pay option but return it filled up by yourself if you have time (there's no fuel station at the airport), as either of the other choices are reminiscent of Jack Turpin's antics.

If anyone has any experience of overcoming this poorly explained process and choices after they've been similarly fleeced, please let us know.

pompeyrich

Bit confused, you say they took the pre-paid option so there should be no re-fuelling fee as you/they have already paid for a tank of fuel, if this is the case then Avis have made a mistake and should refund you. If they have gone for NON pre-pay then it is common practice to charge a re-fuelling fee, either by charging pump prices + £XX fee or by increased per litre charges.

dzug

Those are the normal, well known options you have outlined. Can't see a problem, in understanding or otherwise. Most hire companies use both systems depending on what the customer chooses, some stick to one.

Or are you saying they paid Avis for a tank of fuel when they picked up the car, then paid AGAIN to refill it when they returned the car?

Takecareofthepennies

Now I don't generally leap to some company's defence, but as far as I am concerned Avis over the years have been a shining beacon of excellent customer service.

If Avis have made a mistake (happens to the best of us!) and charged you again although you pre-paid, I have no doubt they will refund you if you talk to them. If you did not pre-pay, then your rental contract will state exactly what you will be charged if you don't fill up. Either way, your original rental agreement will be perfectly clear on this.

Also, half a tank at £1.70/l is still cheaper bottom line than a full pre-paid tank at around £0.95/l - you just pay for the convenience.

From a money-saving point of view, it is rarely worth going for the pre-paid fuel. It's only an option if a) you can be fairly certain that you will use almost a full tank anyway AND b) you know things could get tight and you might not have time to fill up.

Was this the first time your staff rented a car?

espresso

No explanation/apology then DealDrivers?

plane_boy2000

Same as hertz who I have sued loads of times. Not that unfair as if the car has to be refuled then it take sthem time / effort to complete this task especialy if they dont have an on site refueling facility, but in the case of AVIS I have only used them twice and have been stiched up both times so no chance of me using them again.