Calgary Hire Car Trouble

DF_Racer

I recently hired a car online through Booking.com for a 16 day trip out of Calgary Airport. Unlimited mileage, etc. at a very good price.

The rental company was Routes.

On arrival at their offices I had a 2 hour wait to be served.

At the desk I was asked if I wished to purchase their CDW policy at CAD30 per day. 

I said NO as I had bought , as advised on MSE, a quality worldwide policy with Bettersafe.

Routes would not accept this policy. After 30 mins of arguing I had to submit and pay for their CDW as they insisted that I could not drive away without it. I also had to pay CAD 500 damage excess on my credit card.

Using the car outside of Alberta was an extra CAD10 per day, and additional driver, my wife , was to be CAD11 per day! Oh, and now limited mileage as I intented to drive outside of Alberta

I paid for 8 days , outside of AB, and decided that I would be the only driver!

THe following day I contacted Booking.com and Bettersafe.

 Bettersafe  emailed Routes, about 4 times explaining that I had been missold. Routes would not back down. They continually changed their argument as to why the Bettersafe policy was invalid. THeir final reason being that they only accepted policies from US/Canadian companies.

Booking.com were useless. I ended up with a string of emails , chatting to a BOT.

I paid for the Routes CDW via my credit card.

Do I have any grounds for Chargeback?

My advice. Steer clear of cheap deals, and rent from a big name.

DF_Racer

I recently hired a car online through Booking.com for a 16 day trip out of Calgary Airport. Unlimited mileage, etc. at a very good price.

The rental company was Routes.

On arrival at their offices I had a 2 hour wait to be served.

At the desk I was asked if I wished to purchase their CDW policy at CAD30 per day. 

I said NO as I had bought , as advised on MSE, a quality worldwide policy with Bettersafe.

Routes would not accept this policy. After 30 mins of arguing I had to submit and pay for their CDW as they insisted that I could not drive away without it. I also had to pay CAD 500 damage excess on my credit card.

Using the car outside of Alberta was an extra CAD10 per day, and additional driver, my wife , was to be CAD11 per day! Oh, and now limited mileage as I intented to drive outside of Alberta

I paid for 8 days , outside of AB, and decided that I would be the only driver!

THe following day I contacted Booking.com and Bettersafe.

 Bettersafe  emailed Routes, about 4 times explaining that I had been missold. Routes would not back down. They continually changed their argument as to why the Bettersafe policy was invalid. THeir final reason being that they only accepted policies from US/Canadian companies.

Booking.com were useless. I ended up with a string of emails , chatting to a BOT.

I paid for the Routes CDW via my credit card.

Do I have any grounds for Chargeback?

My advice. Steer clear of cheap deals, and rent from a big name.

oldernonethewiser

In their T&Cs they have this "Please note some online insurance coverages are not valid/recognised by Routes car Rental and Routes car rental have the right to refuse the same" which seems to be a broad brush excuse to exclude anything they fancy.

Link to policy here

born_again

Sadly not.

You could speak to your CC about it though & see what they say.