ENTERPRISE CAR RENTAL - UNAUTHORISED DEBIT PAYMENT - HELP

Gloryb1964

Hi, 
I recently returned a rental car for  my son. At the time the young man told me the petrol guage was lower than it was when it went out.  30mins after returning home I got a call (I hadn;t given them my number) but the same young man said they had tried to debit £31 from my son's card without success. I gave him my card info and the payment was taken. Two weeks later I notice a further £115 had been debited from my bank account.  I contacted the branch where I returned the car, they said it was a traffic violation. I explained they never had my permission to take any additional monies from my account - the card info was given ONLY for the petrol. I was told to contact their head office. I did... some 5 calls later I eventually get a return call ... I go thru the story. They explain it was a traffic violation and not being able to obtain £115 from my son's account, they took it from mine instead. I was given confirmation that the money would be returned to me and that they would contact my son directly for the money. That was 2wks ago. I called this afternoon to chase my refund and was effectively told...because we were 'family' the money had been taken and to contact some other department and wait a week for a response.  I then said... oh... so if I give you my card info to pay for one thing, you're telling me because we're family, you have the right to debit what you like from my card???? I do plan to escalate this further and bitterly complain to a higher echelon at Enterprise but ... where do I stand with this?? I NEVER ever gave my permission, I only paid for petrol.  This surely cannot be right..... Please help as I want my money back and for them to go through the proper channels  - debiting the monies from my son.  By the way.... they haven't even issued any paperwork to prove this violation.  Why should I do all the running around when I had absolutely nothing to do with this rental?
Hope someone can help.

knightstyle

What type of card was it?  Best to go to the card issuer and say it was an unauthorised withdrawal and you did not authorise it.   Then you should get all of it back.

Highland76

You do know that you wouldn't be in this situation if your son's card wasn't declined in the first place? Moving forward, ask your son to give his own card details again to Enterprise, this is the only way Enterprise will get off your back.

Homer_home

So let me get this straight , enterprise paid a "traffic violation" without passing it on to your son and giving him a chance to appeal it?

You need to get the paper work off enterprise pronto and check their t &c about what it says about paying these things (this is important)

But yes as enterprise had no right to take money from a third party to the contract between themselves and your son they are on very shaky legal ground , firstly I would ask your bank for a charge back and at the same time be issuing an lba for your money bank and an apology 

Dr_Crypto

Some rental contracts allow for them to settle the fines/charges. Others pass them on to the renter (with an admin fee). 

Homer_home

Dr_Crypto said:

Some rental contracts allow for them to settle the fines/charges. Others pass them on to the renter (with an admin fee). 

That's why the op needs to read the t & c very carefully 

ontheroad1970

Homer_home said:

Dr_Crypto said:

Some rental contracts allow for them to settle the fines/charges. Others pass them on to the renter (with an admin fee). 

That's why the op needs to read the t & c very carefully 

You need to read the OP more carefully.  Enterprise has taken a payment without proper authority. 

AdrianC

The rental contract gave them the right to take those fees.
Your son's card should have paid them.
They said that that card had been declined.
You gave your card to be used in its place.
They used it as the contract permitted.

They should not have dealt with you over your son's rental. You should not have given your card. This was your son's situation...

If the money is refunded to you, your son will still owe it under the contract. So why not just get your son to pay his own debt...?

ontheroad1970

AdrianC said:

The rental contract gave them the right to take those fees.
Your son's card should have paid them.
They said that that card had been declined.
You gave your card to be used in its place.
They used it as the contract permitted.

They should not have dealt with you over your son's rental. You should not have given your card. This was your son's situation...

If the money is refunded to you, your son will still owe it under the contract. So why not just get your son to pay his own debt...?

But the father wasn't part of the contract, therefore there was no authorisation from the father beyond that first payment.  Enterprise assumed something that did not exist.

burlingtonfl6

Make your son pay you back and move on. 

AdrianC

ontheroad1970 said:

AdrianC said:

The rental contract gave them the right to take those fees.
Your son's card should have paid them.
They said that that card had been declined.
You gave your card to be used in its place.
They used it as the contract permitted.

They should not have dealt with you over your son's rental. You should not have given your card. This was your son's situation...

If the money is refunded to you, your son will still owe it under the contract. So why not just get your son to pay his own debt...?

But the father wasn't part of the contract, therefore there was no authorisation from the father beyond that first payment.  Enterprise assumed something that did not exist.

Yes. I know. I said as much...

They should not have dealt with you over your son's rental. You should not have given your card. This was your son's situation...

If the money is refunded to you, your son will still owe it under the contract.