HELP! Can someone give me urgent advice on a car hire confirmation

Captain_Flack.

arcon5 wrote: »

If as someone says the book now is before payment page - then card details page - you entered your details, then the form was somehow submitted, otherwise quite simply they wouldn't have your card details.

You left the laptop and somebody must have clicked submit, why would somebody do that? Makes no sense at all!!!

Short term memory loss? Not their problem.

One of the strangest threads I've seen in a while. May as well go get the car now

He must have also left his credit card too.

Iceweasel

Surely buying car hire on-line is just like buying anything else on-line.

Look at eBay for example - the paying details comes AFTER the commitment to buy.

Agreed - a very strange thread.

George_Michael

The_Edge wrote: »

What is my position here?? They are saying I made the Booking, I am saying I didn't. They say the The only thing I have come up with is I left the laptop for a minute to get a coffee and its feasible that someone else clicked it - that or I had short term memory loss for 5 minutes!!

Well, considering that you once managed to travel to the wrong airport for a flight, the memory loss scenario is very possible.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/58683421#Comment_58683421

Hi Guys,
I recently flew to New York for a few days, via Toronto to keep the cost down. I travel a lot so never print the itinerary or anything just trust myself. Really annoying one time when I raced to Heathrow for a flight only to realise I should have been at Gatwick!! (flew into Gatwick & out from Heathrow!!).

The_Edge

Hi,
Thanks for the interest, sorry I didn't reply sooner but I have been busy!

OK, if you go to their website:CarDelMar.co.uk

Choose Pickup Location & dates then Click Show Prices >
*********
Select Car
*********
You are then on the Extras page - you need to choose Drop off location to proceed. To proceed you click the button at the bottom of the page that says 'Book This Car Now' (surely I am not Booking legally at this stage - they don't even know my name!)
*********
The next page asks for 'Personal Info' - I have tried to recreate what happened to me here, and you can complete these details (no need for Registration) with any made up credit card number or personal data you wish. You then click Summary
**********
You are then taken to the Summary page - and must click BOOK THIS CAR to actually make the booking (again you can do this with any made up name or credit card number you wish).


I hope that makes the process clear. What I am disputing is whilst I got to the Summary page, I did NOT hit - BOOK THIS CAR.

Even if you do, no payment is actually taken - it appears only at this point they source the car then if they find something suitable take the payment.

The only time I knew anything about this was a few hours later when I checked my emails when I got home.

I hope this is clear.


Thanks in advance guys!

The_Edge

Thanks for the advice.

(Text removed by MSE forum Team)

I look forward to responses from the other contributors (text removed by MSE forum Team), hopefully my explanation makes it slightly clearer, and apologies if my initial thread wasn't clear.

The synopsis is simply this, at what point do I become liable - I have no idea how or why I received a booking, when I only went as far as a Summary page (that I then have to click a further button Book This Car Now).

I was hopeful of someone giving me the legal angle and if I have no recourse then so be it. Ignoring your responses, there have been a couple of comments that have quantified some things, and I have done some further research that has helped.

(Text removed by MSE forum Team)

I hope my explanation gives further insight into the whole process for the people who took the time to look at the website on which I made the booking. But I urge you to go thru the whole process if you want to (not you, the other contributors) and thanks again.

arcon5

Quite simply, legally...

If you didn't book it then the payment is unauthorised
If you booked it and they are unable to re-rent the car you'll be liable. If they re-rent it you are due a refund for which they will deduct their costs from it, such as marketing, admin, loss of income etc

Problem is you say you didn't book it, they say you did so in a court of law they'd make a judgement on what scenario is more likely (balance of probabilities) - and the problem is your scenario doesn't make sense imo and that of others so I'd say you would end up loosing.

Captain_Flack.

arcon5 wrote: »

Quite simply, legally...

If you didn't book it then the payment is unauthorised
If you booked it and they are unable to re-rent the car you'll be liable. If they re-rent it you are due a refund for which they will deduct their costs from it, such as marketing, admin, loss of income etc

Problem is you say you didn't book it, they say you did so in a court of law they'd make a judgement on what scenario is more likely (balance of probabilities) - and the problem is your scenario doesn't make sense imo and that of others so I'd say you would end up loosing.

Given what others gave said about the site someone has booked it. Someone with access to the ops computer and credit card. Would you waste your time in court with a balance of probabilities verdict?

photome

If you cant cancel and there is no chance of a refund which is how it seems, why not pick the car up and get what you paid for

The_Edge

Thanks for the responses today.

I was considering just going to collect the car as I understand my chances of winning were slim. I tried to called Avis at Birmingham Airport yesterday but their service is beyond belief. I was put in a queue by a machine for 25 minutes, before being told 'Unfortunately the Rental Station is extremely busy and cannot answer your call. Returning to main menu!' Of course, all on a premium number!! This is unacceptable!!

I detailed everything in a mail to CarDelMar last night. I then tried again to call the Avis Rental Station (on the number in my CarDelMar 'confirmation') this morning with the same result. But this time I then contacted Avis Central Reservations - which has put a new twist on this.

Avis have informed me that the Reservation was CANCELLED at 8:30pm on the day I was due to collect the car (Collection was due to be at 3pm & I only realised I had the booking at 5:30pm - when I immediately called CarDelMar).

Most importantly - NO CHARGE HAS BEEN MADE!

So, I have sent another email to CarDelMar explaining that I was assuming that you were going to advise me of this (I have heard nothing) and that I also assume this is case now closed and there will be no charge.

Remember, CarDelMar informed me it was 'impossible' to Cancel.

It would appear what happens here is CarDelMar take all the money for the reservation, but don't pay Avis anything. They then attempt to keep all the money for reservations not fulfilled. So, I hope that this information is useful to someone in the future.

I will let you know what happens next!

Captain_Flack.

The_Edge wrote: »

Thanks for the responses today.

I was considering just going to collect the car as I understand my chances of winning were slim. I tried to called Avis at Birmingham Airport yesterday but their service is beyond belief. I was put in a queue by a machine for 25 minutes, before being told 'Unfortunately the Rental Station is extremely busy and cannot answer your call. Returning to main menu!' Of course, all on a premium number!! This is unacceptable!!

I detailed everything in a mail to CarDelMar last night. I then tried again to call the Avis Rental Station (on the number in my CarDelMar 'confirmation') this morning with the same result. But this time I then contacted Avis Central Reservations - which has put a new twist on this.

Avis have informed me that the Reservation was CANCELLED at 8:30pm on the day I was due to collect the car (Collection was due to be at 3pm & I only realised I had the booking at 5:30pm - when I immediately called CarDelMar).

Most importantly - NO CHARGE HAS BEEN MADE!

So, I have sent another email to CarDelMar explaining that I was assuming that you were going to advise me of this (I have heard nothing) and that I also assume this is case now closed and there will be no charge.

Remember, CarDelMar informed me it was 'impossible' to Cancel.

It would appear what happens here is CarDelMar take all the money for the reservation, but don't pay Avis anything. They then attempt to keep all the money for reservations not fulfilled. So, I hope that this information is useful to someone in the future.

I will let you know what happens next!

Your first port of call should have been the credit card company who would have told you what had been debited and what was pending.