Holiday Autos Car Rental, anything to worry about?

topdaddy_2

Sidnick wrote: »

Been trying to contact Holiday Autos about our booking. The UK Freefone number listed put me through to a guy in Poland who said he couldn't help and had no access to the headquarters in N Ireland. We have a 'guaranteed' model on our booking voucher but the voucher also states OK car rental may offer a similar model. Holiday Autos clearly advertises 'guaranteed' models - I have screenshots - yet then says, no our website says 'or similar'.
Does anyone have the phone number of their headquarters?
They are on Twitter...

Will it be a problem if they give you a similar vehicle? Some companys "similar" can be a bit off though.

cardinalbiggles

Also remember that while they quote in £ you will get billed from the country the car is in, I was stung with this in January and they don't want to hear about it.

Altarf

Holiday Autos was sold last year by Lastminute.com to CarTrawler.

So experiences prior to last June may not represent the service from the new owners.

gmania

Hi

I used Holiday Autos in April this year in Lisbon. I booked a category H car which is described as a Mercedes C class or similar (Group H and photo of a Merc. C on voucher). When I got the Budget rental desk in Lisbon Airport they informed me that Holiday Autos had in fact only reserved a category E car which was a Ford Focus or similar. I called the Holiday Autos number immediately and they spoke to the Budget desk agent but the only help they could offer was to either accept a Ford Focus or pay €160 extra for a group H car. I had to pay as a Ford Focus was too small for 5 people with luggage and ended up with an Audi A4 Avant (which was group H).

I was advised by the Holiday Autos agent that there had been a mistake with the booking system and to contact Holiday Autos when I leave the car back and get my final bill. I contacted Holiday Autos 25th April and they have been 'investigating' ever since.

I have used Holiday Autos for years for the very reason that they protect you from questionable hire car company practices but it now seems with their sale to cartrawler and HQ relocation to Dublin (applicable law = Irish) that they offer no protection and have simply become another 'lowest cost' provider.

My refund request is ongoing with no commitment for a resolution at all. Dismal! Trading Standards cant help as Holiday Autos are now an Irish Company and Section 75 protection does not apply as you purchase a 'rental voucher' from Holiday Autos rather than the rental it's self.

Baz_M

Picture the scene.
Its late Thursday night youre late back from your sister's shes just told you shes getting married at Stonehenge. So there I am tired, looking frantically for a hire car for the following day. After trying a few & finding out they only took credit cards I came across Holiday Autos who would take my debit card by the logo on their website. I booked & was hit with scare tactics to buy extra insurance. Already my instincts were telling me this was a bad idea but Id booked my car & I was going, job done. It wasnt until I checked the confirmation I noticed Id be picking up the car from Europcar in Sheffield, a train & a bus away.
When I got there I was told they could only take a credit card for the deposit & refused me a car.
So back home & called Holiday Autos they said theyd launch an investigation which means giving you your very own portal that no-one reads because they never did. A week later they told me they wouldnt be refunding my £113 because Europcar still charge them. I wrote to Europcar they said they had refunded Holiday Autos & they could now refund me.

I called Holiday Autos they asked via email to provide the name of the person at Europcar who said this but you couldnt reply to the email & Lynne Doran head of customer care has a telephone number that doesnt exist. So I call them again & Ms Doran tells me flatly that although Europcar have refunded them they would not be refunding me. She also admitted to me during our call that this very thing had occurred before, how many times I wonder & why are they in no hurry to stop this happening to anyone else?

Thanks Holiday Autos at the end of the day you can stuff that money where the sun dont shine I dont care about that I care that I missed my sister's wedding which was infinitely more important & all I can do is wish your eternal damnation in the lowest bowels of Hell right now :mad: