Issue with Expedia/Goldcar

Paul_Sparrow

Hello everyone,

I recently had a negative experience with a holiday car rental involving Expedia as the broker and Goldcar as the car rental company, which is the low-cost subsidiary of Europcar. Goldcar refused to provide me with the car, citing the reason that my Business Visa credit card (with my name printed on it), issued by Capital One, was not accepted for the deposit because they only acknowledge Visa cards from banks with physical branches. This requirement was not mentioned in either their terms and conditions or the Expedia voucher. As a result, I had to rent from Avis directly at the airport at a premium price, using the same credit card to pay the deposit without any issues.

I attempted to contact both Goldcar and Expedia regarding this issue, but they seem to be avoiding responsibility, each blaming the other. I am not overly concerned about the financial loss, but I am deeply frustrated by the breach of contract. There is no indication anywhere that your Visa must be from a major bank with physical branches.

I'm seeking advice on whether there is an ombudsman to address this matter or if I can take legal action against Expedia, the broker with whom I signed the contract. To clarify, my primary concern is not the financial aspect, but rather the desire to prevent others from facing similar injustices.

Thank you for any guidance or insights you can provide.

eDicky

Paul_Sparrow said:

...not accepted for the deposit because they only acknowledge Visa cards from banks with physical branches.

As far as I'm aware this is unheard of and obvious nonsense. How did they ascertain the nature of your card provider? Goldcar are notorious for putting the squeeze on unwary renters - was a remedy offered at extra cost such as extra insurance removing the excess and need for deposit? What was the rental location?

Paul_Sparrow

The rental location was Milan Bergamo. They informed me that due to the absence of a valid card, even if I opted for the full insurance, they wouldn't provide me with the car. I perceive this as a breach of contract. Here are the steps I've taken since the incident:

1. Contacting Expedia via phone, where I lodged a complaint.

2. Reaching out to Expedia in writing, and their response was as follows:

"We're following up on our recent conversation where you requested us to contact the car rental company regarding a possible refund for the cancellation fee. Despite multiple attempts, we couldn't secure approval from the responsible manager to waive the fee. Consequently, the current rules and restrictions for your booking apply, and a refund cannot be granted. We apologize for this situation, as we always aim to advocate for our travelers in such cases. Car rental companies often have stringent refund policies, leaving us with limited options in this instance. We regret that a refund is not possible. If you have further questions, feel free to reach out."

My email was explicit, emphasizing the need for Expedia to update their website and inform customers that Visas and Mastercards from non-major banks are not accepted. They chose to ignore this concern, seemingly indifferent to the fact that they are selling a product inconsistent with their advertisement. I urged them to update the website telling people their visa must be from a bank with physical branches but they showed no interest.

3. Contacting Goldcar via email, where I even mentioned an upcoming booking in March 2024 and inquired about the acceptance of my card. They maintained their stance that refusing my Visa was justified, without providing any terms & conditions reference.

I came across an article about a man winning a case against Wizzair in a small claims court: [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-64999557]. 

Paul_Sparrow

since they are a US company with their european base in the Netherlands I was wondering if I should apply here: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/consumers-dispute-resolution/formal-legal-actions/index_en.htm#inline-nav-2