Enterprise Rental Car trying to charge for citation AFTER I returned the vehicle

vaderag

I rented a car at the back end of last year, and a few weeks ago I received a mail from Enterprise claiming a citation.
On checking all the details, it seems it was shortly after I had returned the car and left the branch.
I mailed them to tell them such (with evidence) and they are now trying to claim that " customer is liable for the fine as this has been incurred before closing time  ."

This is clearly rubbish as I was no longer in control of the vehicle and they could have done anything with it. So far they haven't provided any of the evidence or even the citation other than telling me I have one and charging me an admin fee...

What should my next steps be?

saajan_12

What is the citation? Surely if you're returning the car to their parking lot, who is issuing citations? 

vaderag

God knows... they haven't shared it with me (despite me asking in my initial email)
I have an assumption, but until they share something I honestly can't say

Coupon-mad

vaderag said:

God knows... they haven't shared it with me (despite me asking in my initial email)
I have an assumption, but until they share something I honestly can't say

There's not really such a thing as a citation (or a parking lot) in this Country so ask for proof.

LDast

Is you even hire the car in the UK?

Half_way

vaderag said:

I rented a car at the back end of last year, and a few weeks ago I received a mail from Enterprise claiming a citation.
On checking all the details, it seems it was shortly after I had returned the car and left the branch.
I mailed them to tell them such (with evidence) and they are now trying to claim that " customer is liable for the fine as this has been incurred before closing time  ."

This is clearly rubbish as I was no longer in control of the vehicle and they could have done anything with it. So far they haven't provided any of the evidence or even the citation other than telling me I have one and charging me an admin fee...

What should my next steps be?

Where in the world are you? And where in the world did this take place?

The following

"received a mail"

"mailed them"

"citation"

All point to you being/from the USA or Canada. is this relating to a hire car in the UK?

 

vaderag

Half_way said:

vaderag said:

I rented a car at the back end of last year, and a few weeks ago I received a mail from Enterprise claiming a citation.
On checking all the details, it seems it was shortly after I had returned the car and left the branch.
I mailed them to tell them such (with evidence) and they are now trying to claim that " customer is liable for the fine as this has been incurred before closing time  ."

This is clearly rubbish as I was no longer in control of the vehicle and they could have done anything with it. So far they haven't provided any of the evidence or even the citation other than telling me I have one and charging me an admin fee...

What should my next steps be?

Where in the world are you? And where in the world did this take place?

The following

"received a mail"

"mailed them"

"citation"

All point to you being/from the USA or Canada. is this relating to a hire car in the UK?

 

London, took place in Birmingham 

This is a UK car hire, and I'm using the language in the emails from Enterprise

Mail is a pretty common British word, I'm not sure why you're getting caught up on that... E-mail

The citation is the terminology from the enterprise rent a car emails

BlueonBlue

Sounds like they are trying it on using Debt collector language ie, utter rubbish aimed at low hanging fruit silly enough to pay.
I would be intouch with the bank card you used to find out if they will/can debit it and how to stop it or perform a chargeback if and when they do .

vaderag

BlueonBlue said:

Sounds like they are trying it on using Debt collector language ie, utter rubbish aimed at low hanging fruit silly enough to pay.
I would be intouch with the bank card you used to find out if they will/can debit it and how to stop it or perform a chargeback if and when they do .

They've charged £35 to my card (an admin fee), but also claim (although so far have not) they will be sending across the "citation" from the person that is charging them which I will need to pay direct

Right now I have no idea if the "citation" would be arguable since a) they haven't provided it and b) it was issued outside of my rental period...

I am pursuing the latter point with them via email which is the only way to get in touch with the department at Enterprise, because i feel that given it's outside my rental it's irrelevant what it says - it should be them sorting it

The_Slithy_Tove

vaderag said:

BlueonBlue said:

Sounds like they are trying it on using Debt collector language ie, utter rubbish aimed at low hanging fruit silly enough to pay.
I would be intouch with the bank card you used to find out if they will/can debit it and how to stop it or perform a chargeback if and when they do .

They've charged £35 to my card (an admin fee), but also claim (although so far have not) they will be sending across the "citation" from the person that is charging them which I will need to pay direct

Right now I have no idea if the "citation" would be arguable since a) they haven't provided it and b) it was issued outside of my rental period...

I am pursuing the latter point with them via email which is the only way to get in touch with the department at Enterprise, because i feel that given it's outside my rental it's irrelevant what it says - it should be them sorting it

Whatever this "citation" is (OK Enterprise is an American company, but they really should use words which have a specific, known meaning in UK English), it should be none of your business for the reasons you state.

However, the method of handling it may differ, depending on what it is. If it is something official from the police, for example an NIP, then it needs to be treated differently from a PPC's parking charge. And a council ticket will need a different approach again if you need to engage with the "charging" party to ward them off.

Suggest you continue to chase over the exact nature of the "citation" while simultaneously denying any responsibility for it whatsoever.

BTW, you say that this arises from after you handed the car back, yet have no details of it. How come? Have the said the exact time on this "citation"?

vaderag

The_Slithy_Tove said:

vaderag said:

BlueonBlue said:

Sounds like they are trying it on using Debt collector language ie, utter rubbish aimed at low hanging fruit silly enough to pay.
I would be intouch with the bank card you used to find out if they will/can debit it and how to stop it or perform a chargeback if and when they do .

They've charged £35 to my card (an admin fee), but also claim (although so far have not) they will be sending across the "citation" from the person that is charging them which I will need to pay direct

Right now I have no idea if the "citation" would be arguable since a) they haven't provided it and b) it was issued outside of my rental period...

I am pursuing the latter point with them via email which is the only way to get in touch with the department at Enterprise, because i feel that given it's outside my rental it's irrelevant what it says - it should be them sorting it

BTW, you say that this arises from after you handed the car back, yet have no details of it. How come? Have the said the exact time on this "citation"?

They sent details of the citation, but not the actual citation:

- Issuing Agency: Premier Parking Enforcement Ltd (B18 6EA)
- Issuing Time 11:53
- Violation Type: PARKING

What's frustrating is that I have GPS data showing me as being out of the store by 11.50, but they seem to have rounded up the "Contract Close Dte/Time" to 12:00 (which I believe is when the branch closes on a Saturday)

But the closing time is not in line with when the actual end of the rental was since I was only in the branch from 11:43-11:50 so would have closed the rental during that period - I have asked them to corroborate this with their CCTV and systems

The whole thing was a shambles as they said I would receive an email on closure which I never did and had to call to confirm - really feels like they try this on regularly

And it's all doubly complex as I don't have any visibility on the actual citation, any evidence of the infraction, and I'm having to argue through a third party that just wants to keep that £35 admin fee