Car Hire Refund. How to proceed?

annoyedorange

We've all heard of car hire horror stories. Well mine is pretty straightforward and I hope someone could advise me on my next steps. Below is my email to them with details redacted.

"I placed a booking via your website with the booking number xxx for a 2-day booking with pickup and drop-off times of 10PM (17/9/15) and 10PM (19/7/15). Unfortunately, when I wanted to collect the car from Airport, I have been denied the collection as I was told that my age didn’t comply with the specified driver’s age. During the booking, I had selected 23 years old (as of the designated driver’s age) since technically I’m 23 years old in 2 months’ time but I realised I was very much mistaken about the age policy. The staff then advise me to call up your company to arrange for a change in booking to another car rental company.

My next course of action was to call your hotline. I have made several attempts to call up your operator between the times 9:15PM to 10PM 17/9/15, each call being put on hold by the machine-operator for 5-10 minutes. Unfortunately, there was no agent to receive my call and due to time constraint, I had to resort to making a new over-the-counter booking with one of the car operators at the airport.

As of today (20/7/2015), I finally managed to reach one of your agents and during the call, she did mention that I could have gotten a transfer to another car rental operator had I called up before the pick-up time, which I did, but to no avail despite after several attempts.

Hence, I’m writing this email to request for a refund on the basis that your company has failed to arrange a transfer of booking for me before the pickup time, which could have otherwise been resolved had someone at the desk answer my call. "

Despite my very detailed account, they turn to the REASON I wanted an amendment to use it to refuse me a refund but I can only blame myself for making it sound like that. So I replied them with this.

"I believe there’s been a misunderstanding - I intended to arrange for an amendment before the pickup time, not a refund, but the failure to do so due to the lack of resources on your end has made me lose my booking. I’ve made 4 attempts to call up your operator between the times 9:15PM to 10PM 17/9/15; however, each call was put on hold by the machine-operator for 5-10 minutes. From the underlined extract below, I understand that I am entitled to amend my booking anytime before the pick-up time free of charge. I had to make a new booking over the counter, which has cost me significant amounts of effort and time.

Extracted from the Terms & Condition:
Amendments
You can amend your rental online, free of charge, at any point before your rental is due to start. If you amend something that affects the rental price (e.g. location, car group or length of rental) you’ll be charged at the current published price, which may be different from what you originally paid.
Please call us if your pick-up time is less than 48 hours away and you wish to amend your booking.
Please note: prices are based on the pick-up and drop-off times and dates that you arrange before your rental starts. If you pick the car up any later or bring it back any earlier, you will not receive a refund for unused hours or days.

Hence, I’m requesting for a refund on the basis that your company has failed to arrange an amendment of rental at no cost in my circumstance."

Their customer service on the phone was even worse. I was put on hold for 30 minutes with no real resolution when I manage to let them hear my explanation. They just say so and so will call me back which they haven't.

pinkshoes

annoyedorange wrote: »

We've all heard of car hire horror stories. Well mine is pretty straightforward and I hope someone could advise me on my next steps. Below is my email to them with details redacted.

"I placed a booking via your website with the booking number xxx for a 2-day booking with pickup and drop-off times of 10PM (17/9/15) and 10PM (19/7/15). Unfortunately, when I wanted to collect the car from Airport, I have been denied the collection as I was told that my age didn’t comply with the specified driver’s age. During the booking, I had selected 23 years old (as of the designated driver’s age) since technically I’m 23 years old in 2 months’ time but I realised I was very much mistaken about the age policy. The staff then advise me to call up your company to arrange for a change in booking to another car rental company.

My next course of action was to call your hotline. I have made several attempts to call up your operator between the times 9:15PM to 10PM 17/9/15, each call being put on hold by the machine-operator for 5-10 minutes. Unfortunately, there was no agent to receive my call and due to time constraint, I had to resort to making a new over-the-counter booking with one of the car operators at the airport.

As of today (20/7/2015), I finally managed to reach one of your agents and during the call, she did mention that I could have gotten a transfer to another car rental operator had I called up before the pick-up time, which I did, but to no avail despite after several attempts.

Hence, I’m writing this email to request for a refund on the basis that your company has failed to arrange a transfer of booking for me before the pickup time, which could have otherwise been resolved had someone at the desk answer my call. "

Despite my very detailed account, they turn to the REASON I wanted an amendment to use it to refuse me a refund but I can only blame myself for making it sound like that. So I replied them with this.

"I believe there’s been a misunderstanding - I intended to arrange for an amendment before the pickup time, not a refund, but the failure to do so due to the lack of resources on your end has made me lose my booking. I’ve made 4 attempts to call up your operator between the times 9:15PM to 10PM 17/9/15; however, each call was put on hold by the machine-operator for 5-10 minutes. From the underlined extract below, I understand that I am entitled to amend my booking anytime before the pick-up time free of charge. I had to make a new booking over the counter, which has cost me significant amounts of effort and time.

Extracted from the Terms & Condition:
Amendments
You can amend your rental online, free of charge, at any point before your rental is due to start. If you amend something that affects the rental price (e.g. location, car group or length of rental) you’ll be charged at the current published price, which may be different from what you originally paid.
Please call us if your pick-up time is less than 48 hours away and you wish to amend your booking.
Please note: prices are based on the pick-up and drop-off times and dates that you arrange before your rental starts. If you pick the car up any later or bring it back any earlier, you will not receive a refund for unused hours or days.

Hence, I’m requesting for a refund on the basis that your company has failed to arrange an amendment of rental at no cost in my circumstance."

Their customer service on the phone was even worse. I was put on hold for 30 minutes with no real resolution when I manage to let them hear my explanation. They just say so and so will call me back which they haven't.

So basically you lied about your age to get a hire car, so they would not give it to you?

When you say you were put on hold each of the four times you called for 5-10 minutes, then what happened? Why did the call end? I imagine at that time of night, they have very few staff answering phones.

bod1467

annoyedorange wrote: »

We've all heard of car hire horror stories. Well mine is pretty straightforward and I hope someone could advise me on my next steps. Below is my email to them with details redacted.

"I placed a booking via your website with the booking number xxx for a 2-day booking with pickup and drop-off times of 10PM (17/9/15) and 10PM (19/7/15). Unfortunately, when I wanted to collect the car from Airport, I have been denied the collection as I was told that my age didn’t comply with the specified driver’s age. During the booking, I had selected 23 years old (as of the designated driver’s age) since technically I’m 23 years old in 2 months’ time ...

I stopped reading after I reached that point.

Westin

Ditto pink shoes above.

You booked giving them the wrong age and when caught out created a problem of your own doing.

This 'before the pick-up' time story is also a lost argument. It was AT THE PICK-UP time that this was highlighted.

Your mistake and I don't think you are due anything back unless they decide to make a good will gesture. To get that I think you should be eating humble pie and not banging on about why they don't pick up the phone very late at night when they are either probably closed or on reduced manning, or trying to be clever on quoting them 'terms' when you clearly decided to bypass those yourself in the first place.

RosiPossum

If you're 23 in 2 months, then you're 22. So why say you're 23? I could understand if the booking was for after you turn 23.

annoyedorange

Wow guys put down put down your pitchforks. I admit that it was an oversight on my part as I've booked with other car rental companies with a diff age policy. Unfortunately this time, I selected 23 instead of 22 in the search criteria as I booked in a haste.

@pinkshoes I was put on hold by the machine and nobody picked up. the other car rental counters were closing so I had to arrange for another booking with a different company.

@bod1467 Then I guess I failed delivering the message intended. Sadly.

@Westin Relax man. I'm not being whiny about my own mistake. It was an oversight my part which I have admitted in the text as I've made many other bookings without a problem. The staff over at the counter said I could get a transfer of booking to another car company. The agent that picked up my phone 2 days later said the same thing too. If I didn't have a chance, I'd stop pursuing this. But they did mention that if I did call up prior to the pick up time, I could've gotten a transfer.

@Rosipossum Mistake on my part on the age issue.


Guys, I'm just saying I could've said that I didnt like the shade of blue the sky was or 10 other more valid reasons for a last minute change in car booking but there was no on there to facilitate the transfer. They only knew about the age thing because I told them so. On their end, I'm just a guy who didnt collect my car.

And like I said, their CS agents were hopping from one thing to another with nobody giving me a direct answer. Throughout 4 days of email correspondence, they have gave me various reasons for not refunding like:
-its a no show
-your age (which isnt my reason for requesting a refund)
-that number you called wasnt ours (which it is, I called during the day and spoke with their agents)

I spoke to one agent the other day and she heard my case out and decided there was some merit to it. She said that she'll obtain a no-show documentation to prove that I didnt pickup the car and then we'll take it from there. But after a few days later she emailed me back and bring out the age thing again which like I'm trying to say isn't the reason for me requesting for a refund.

Now, I'm just here for some advice. If I stand no chance because I'm just knit-picking the TnC (which I thought is what they are doing too?) then I guess I concede. No need to attack me, guys.

cono1717

The on hold thing is a bit strange - if I was told that I had to ring a number to swap the cars and get a refund 5-10 minutes on hold would be nothing and I'd sit there until someone answered (unless of course they were closed). If the terms of service state that they wont refund you because you lied about your age then I wouldn't expect a refund.

Think how many other people "Make a mistake" on the booking hoping that no one notices...

You say you informed them but how quickly? Reading your post it seems like you got there and they said "You're not 23" - did you not double check your details / the confirmation email they sent you?

Valli

How was lying about your age an 'oversight'?

Until you got there to pick up the car that had no reason to suspect that there was an issue with your booking, so no reason to facilitate a transfer. you are hoist by your own petard, it's entirely your responsibility and they are quite within their right to refuse to refund imo

annoyedorange

@cono1717
Thanks for your objective reply other than just attacking me. I tried 3-4 times and since at that point of time I was not expecting a refund so I didn't really pursue it much longer. I had to arrange for new bookings. It was only I asked about this 2 days later through their cs agent that they said "oh if you called up prior to the pickup we could've gotten you transferred" that I thought, hey, I might be able to salvage what's left of my booking.

I double-checked on the parts about car damages because that's usually where the outrageous charges come up and I honestly didn't think of the age issue until I arrived at the counter.

@valli if you really wanna know the details then my friend did the booking for me while I was sat beside busy chatting with friends. My friends and I all thought that as long as you're below 25 and above 22, you just pay a young drivers charge. We didn't know one company had age policy of 21, another 22 and this one 23. So yes. Oversight it is

If I intentionally wanted to lie about it, I wouldn't waste my effort going all the way to pick up the car. I know how car rental collection works. They'll ask for your age.

Valli

annoyedorange wrote: »

During the booking, I had selected 23 years old (as of the designated driver’s age) since technically I’m 23 years old in 2 months’ time but I realised I was very much mistaken about the age policy.

annoyedorange wrote: »

@valli if you really wanna know the details then my friend did the booking for me while I was sat beside busy chatting with friends. My friends and I all thought that as long as you're below 25 and above 22, you just pay a young drivers charge. We didn't know one company had age policy of 21, another 22 and this one 23. So yes. Oversight it is

So you booked...oh no you didn't...

and what you (or 'they') "thought" is not relevant. You failed to read their T&Cs; you failed to ensure the details you gave were accurate.

Detail really isn't your strong point.

ChumLee

So you knew it was 23 to hire a car and technically you are in a couple of months but wanted the car when you were 22. So they lost the booking and profit because technically you lied, so why do you actually think you should have a refund?

You're luck you're not being done for fraud.