WARNING: HERTZ Europe Cashflow Problems?

TurnUpForTheBooks_2

We hired a cheapish car online from Firefly (Hertz 'older cars' hire brand) in Milan Bergamo in mid September for 120 euros and it was debited from our card at the time as "CARHIRE" but with little or no extra info.

We checked very carefully when we returned it that all was in order (fuel correct/no damage) and nothing more to pay. I am a moneysaving expert, an insurance expert (cut my teeth in the industry - we use our own annual rental car insurance and never buy any extra cover from the car hire company) and for years have been very adept at detecting credit card malpractices such as DCC and strange practices like double-swiping the card in a second machine. I question everything. I am no pushover for hidden charges. I even got them very reluctantly to sign the papers "CAR CHECK OK" because their off airport pound was not manned when we returned the car.

I did not make any driving or parking faux pas so nothing should be debited late on that score either.

On 30th December AUTONOLEGGIO HERTZ have debited 135 euros.

Do they have year end cashflow problems ?

redcard

TurnUpForTheBooks wrote: »

Do they have year end cashflow problems ?

Quite a bizarre conclusion.

Why not call and ask them?

TurnUpForTheBooks_2

redcard wrote: »

Quite a bizarre conclusion.

Why not call and ask them?

Because I can't elocute or swear well enough in Italian.

Why is the conclusion bizarre ?

Are you customer facing in business?

Would you use an old mandate to take a double-whammy from a customer more than three months after the contract was completed without telling the customer ? There is never a good reason for such behaviour so I think I am quite entitled to assume the worst of them.

NiftyDigits

Full to Empty policy?

budgetflyer

Speed camera?

WTFH

TurnUpForTheBooks wrote: »

I even got them very reluctantly to sign the papers "CAR CHECK OK" because their off airport pound was not manned when we returned the car.

Are you saying you got someone to sign for the car without them seeing/checking it?

Oh, and could you edit your title to something more meaningful, either it is a warning or it is a question, but it is not both. Alternatively, you are trying to get around internet defamation by making a claim about a company then sticking a question mark at the end. Bad form.

TurnUpForTheBooks_2

WTFH wrote: »

Are you saying you got someone to sign for the car without them seeing/checking it?

Yes. I offered them the chance to check it. They didn't want the inconvenience of going to check it. I said please sign then, I've done my bit and I want no comeback later. They did and then wished to explain profusely that they were different to other companies - they rarely charged for minor damage as the cars were generally 18 months old with some dings.

Oh, and could you edit your title to something more meaningful, either it is a warning or it is a question, but it is not both. Alternatively, you are trying to get around internet defamation by making a claim about a company then sticking a question mark at the end. Bad form.

I think the bad form is unnannounced double-debiting against customers over three months since the contract was completed and one day before the last day of their financial year, don't you? Nothing untoward with me stating the experience and questioning the obvious conclusion, now is there? Be warned, and if you can answer the question convincingly, be my guest.

If Hertz had written to say what it was for, then we might all be the wiser.

Meantime if you have hired from Hertz in 2013, check your card December card transactions - there might be an extra one you weren't expecting with their name on it.

WTFH

But you didn't ask a question. You made a statement and put a question mark at the end.

So, can I check, it appears you returned the car to a different company and asked them to sign, but your argument being they are part of the same group. Is that correct?

whatmichaelsays

For a debit to come off three months after the hire (depending on when you returned it of course), it sounds a lot like a parking ticket or something similar.

You need to get Hertz to explain the charge.

WTFH

whatmichaelsays wrote: »

For a debit to come off three months after the hire (depending on when you returned it of course), it sounds a lot like a parking ticket or something similar.

You need to get Hertz to explain the charge.

I agree, but it's also worth noting that the OP didn't rent from Hertz, but their subsidiary, Firefly.

opinions4u

It's a hell of a leap to decide an eronious charge is a big company about to go under.

I'd consider error or inappropriate practice as 99% likely the reason.