Ignoring rental car parking fines if you live abroad. Any repurcussions?

Skypist

So after a 2 week holiday back to the motherland I'm onto charge number 3 emailed to me (and paid by) Hertz. Supermarket for going over time, out of town Leisure Centre for not realising you have to pay to park despite paying a ridiculously high hourly charge for a badminton court. My how things have changed in the UK. Machines linked to cameras everywhere. Anyway, I don't really have grounds to appeal except the supermarket where if you can produce proof of purchase (I can) it qualifies as an appeal. BUT no appeals if it's already been paid, as per the fine details.

Hertz tried to deduct the charges from my credit card abroad, but I'd already blocked international+online payments after my trip. So now they've emailed me the invoice totally over 200 GBP with of course their 42 GBP added on to each one.

My question is, if I don't pay up I can't see there'll be any repurcussions apart from the rental company blacklisting me based on a) my email address for bookings and b) my credit card number maybe?

What would you do? I do plan on getting rental cars in the UK twice per year, but don't HAVE to use the same company.

marlot

You don't say where your living/what the credit card jurisdiction is. But I would imagine the contract you signed with Hertz gives them the legal right to pursue you.

There are debt recovery agents who work across borders. I've no idea what will happen.

Skypist

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81995219#Comment_81995219

Hi Marlot, I live in Thailand so would pretty much assume that's out of jurisdiction. I could instruct my credit card company not to accept payments from the said company.

Grumpy_chap

When you book the hire cars, do you give your address in Thailand or a proxy address in UK?

Do you give your UK or Thailand driving licence details?

As well as blacklisting future bookings on email address or CC number, the car hire firm might block bookings for your driving licence number.

pramsay13

You got 3 charges in 2 weeks?

You maybe need to work on your reading and comprehension skills.

They will send a few emails, pass it on to a debt recovery agency who will also send a few emails.

They will also blacklist you from booking with them again, although not sure how that works in practice.

I doubt they will do anything further, although in theory that option is open to them, I imagine it would need to be worth it financially for them to pursue.

Car1980

But I would imagine the contract you signed with Hertz gives them the legal right to pursue you.

There is no such thing as an agreement giving permission to legally pursue.

There will be T&Cs, which may or not be enforceable. Usually they aren't because they don't differentiate between private invoices, PCNs, FPNs or NIPs. And plenty of their clauses will be in breach of the CRA 2015.

Anyway, I'd just ignore and use a different company next time. They can't share your personal details with other companies.

They're used to it all anyway. Plenty of people will go back home abroad never to be seen of again.

You may get some junkmail from an international debt collection company, but I'd be very relaxed over the whole thing.

Coupon-mad

"Hertz tried to deduct the charges from my credit card abroad, but I'd already blocked international+online payments after my trip. So now they've emailed me the invoice totally over 200 GBP with of course their 42 GBP added on to each one.

My question is, if I don't pay up I can't see there'll be any repercussions."

Yep, nothing will happen.

Safely ignore. It's their fault for paying a scam invoice instead of transferring liability to you. Use a different hire firm next time and ideally one that won't just pay any old PPC invoice that lands on their desk, wrongly treating it like it's a real fine!

Eejits!

Skypist

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81995241#Comment_81995241

I give my Thai driving licence. Good point, they could block the driving licence number, although I could give my UK number as a second chance!

Skypist

That's right, 3 charges in two weeks. Rushing in to a leisure centre with kids just not expecting a need to pay for car parking. Going over 30 min roadside parking for lunch. Going over time slightly in a supermarket car park while visiting father in hospital nearby. Reading and comprehension skills are fine. I just took risks and was careless, and I see that in 2026 there's no leeway for parking in the UK with cameras linked to parking ticket machines.

Skypist

Thanks for support @Car1980 and @Coupon-mad. It certainly is borderline scams or at least taking advantage of drivers to make extra money. Just incredible how it seems ALL rental companies I've come across (Thrify, Enterprise, Hertz) use the made M.O by not giving the renter time to appeal and slapping on 42 GBP.

So you've confirmed what I'd planned to do - ignore and rent elsewhere….until I run out of rental companies to use that is! :-)

Car1980

Fleas upon fleas 😉