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Car rental problems
sophiedophie
Posts: 37 Forumite
I used airmiles with BA to pay for some car hire in the US over Christmas. We signed to pay $147 at the counter despite it being prepaid as when questioned were told it was fees or taxes and we were really tired after travelling for 18 hours.
When I checked later on in the trip, I saw that all taxes and charges were included and we shouldn't be charged this amount. Looking at the receipt it appeared to be an error in how they had applied the voucher. We phoned the company and BA. The car hire company were no use whatsoever and were adamant it was taxes and BA said we just needed to pay and bring the receipt back to file a claim. We left it, not wanting it to overshadow the trip, and intended to question it on return of the car.
Fast forward a couple of days and we had a nail in the tire causing it to go flat. We phoned up the number we were given for these things and were told they would happily send someone but as we hadn't paid for breakdown cover, it would be at a cost. As a result we agreed with the person over the phone to have the tire repaired at our own cost.
Arrived back at the airport, asked how much we had been charged. We were told it was a $0 balance and so happily walked away. Checked the CC a few days later to see a charge. Queried this with BA as we were told and had half of it refunded as there was an error in how the voucher was applied, but the other half was for breakdown cover+ or whatever it is called.
We were never told about this when we signed the paperwork at the start and when we phoned with tire issues we were told we didn't have it!
Any advice on what to do in this situation (other than never take the car when they are adamant they have to charge you more!)?
When I checked later on in the trip, I saw that all taxes and charges were included and we shouldn't be charged this amount. Looking at the receipt it appeared to be an error in how they had applied the voucher. We phoned the company and BA. The car hire company were no use whatsoever and were adamant it was taxes and BA said we just needed to pay and bring the receipt back to file a claim. We left it, not wanting it to overshadow the trip, and intended to question it on return of the car.
Fast forward a couple of days and we had a nail in the tire causing it to go flat. We phoned up the number we were given for these things and were told they would happily send someone but as we hadn't paid for breakdown cover, it would be at a cost. As a result we agreed with the person over the phone to have the tire repaired at our own cost.
Arrived back at the airport, asked how much we had been charged. We were told it was a $0 balance and so happily walked away. Checked the CC a few days later to see a charge. Queried this with BA as we were told and had half of it refunded as there was an error in how the voucher was applied, but the other half was for breakdown cover+ or whatever it is called.
We were never told about this when we signed the paperwork at the start and when we phoned with tire issues we were told we didn't have it!
Any advice on what to do in this situation (other than never take the car when they are adamant they have to charge you more!)?
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Comments
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Perhaps they applied breakdown cover retrospectively, rather than charging for the tyre. Check the cost for breakdown cover+ on their website.0
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NiftyDigits wrote: »Perhaps they applied breakdown cover retrospectively, rather than charging for the tyre. Check the cost for breakdown cover+ on their website.
I would have happily accepted this, if the breakdown service had come to our rescue! Instead we paid out of pocket for the repair as they said we could.0 -
sophiedophie wrote: »I would have happily accepted this, if the breakdown service had come to our rescue! Instead we paid out of pocket for the repair as they said we could.
Aaah...I see. Then raise a dispute with your CC provider. They can't charge you for a service that they told you did not have and did not allow you to utilise in any case.0
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