Europcar requesting 2 credit cards in my name

AnnOyd_2

Hi there

We recently hired a car to be collected at Malaga airport. I'm going to skip details about hard selling all sorts of stuff and being told we need to pay for roadside assistance when that wasn't true!

On going through documents etc with a representative to get the vehicle I was asked for 2 credit cards in my name, including one I used to make the booking. I said I only had one, my wife had 2 in her name. One of these was for a joint credit card, which I had used to pay for the rental. They refused to accept this and stated their terms and conditions requested the 2 cards in my name. The representative then said we could have a lower class car for an extra €25 per day. Obviously we didn't want this so I again said we weren't aware of needing 2 cards in my name, otherwise I would have brought them. She asked to see my booking email which I showed her with the attached terms and conditions. Lo and behold, the Ts and Cs stated 2 credit cards, not specifying they had to be in my name. Anyway, by this point she refused to budge, pushed our paperwork towards us across the desk and told us to go away and think about it. We requested to speak with a manger at this point. She called someone then told us there was no manager on site but they will be there in about half an hour.

We went to sit down and wait then saw another representative was free after about 15 minutes so approached her and explained the situation. She told us we could add my wife to the insurance for the car we rented, then it was OK to use credit cards with different names, for an additional €10 per day. At this point we just wanted to get to our destination, having tired grumpy children, so rather than wait for a manager we agreed to this and were allowed to take the car.

Since returning I have contacted Europcar by email and they have declined my appeal to refund the extra money we had to pay. They have said that because we added another person to the insurance it was right to charge us for this. I have replied to ask for this to be reviewed, as we were in a position at the airport where we felt we had no choice. The Ts and Cs did not state what they were asking for.

I am awaiting a reply but wondered if anyone could advise me on what to do next if they decline a refund again.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

Westin

I think Europcar’s view would be that they offered you a solution to the issue which you accepted. No review is necessary.

shunsumaker

I wouldn’t worry about the additional driver costs with Europcar. After all, she was registered. What would bother me more is that this apparently only became necessary at the counter.

If your confirmation from back then only required two credit cards, I would attach that exact document again. Especially if it doesn't mention that both cards have to be in the same name. You did have two cards with you, after all. It was only because the names were different that the issue with the additional driver came up at the counter.

Today, this is apparently stated more clearly on the Spanish Europcar website. For certain vehicle categories, both credit cards must be in the driver’s name. For your booking at the time, however, this is only of limited relevance if this requirement was not stated in the same way.

If they reject it again, I wouldn't argue extensively, but would simply ask where it was stated in your terms and conditions at the time. Specifically, the passage where it says that both cards must be in your name. This will prevent them from dodging the issue again by pointing to the additional driver.

AnnOyd_2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82143904#Comment_82143904

Thanks for the replies both.

I accepted because it was that, pay more for a lower class car or leave with no car. Hobson's choice.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82143918#Comment_82143918

They have replied and again rejected my claim, saying that as I signed the agreement at the time I have no redress. The Ts and Cs may state that on the website, but should I be expected to be looking up all Ts and Cs when I have been sent them in an email?

This is from the actual Ts and Cs in the email:

Payment method accepted SPAIN
Cash 
Credit Card*
Two credit cards will be required for codes UDAE,
IDEA, FFAR, RFAM, LVAR, FMAR, SGAE,
UDAR, GDAR, XTAR, GFAR, UFAE, RFAR,
RVAM, RVAE, UFAR, XEAF, WFAE, WFAR
belonging to the Selection-Luxury category
vehicles.
Debit Card either VISA and MASTERCARD

Europcar Payment Methods 
Vouchers 

shunsumaker

I’d send them that exact excerpt again. Two credit cards for this vehicle class – OK, that’s what it says. But I can’t find anything there to suggest that both cards must be in the main driver’s name.

Given the reference to your signature, I’d still follow this up. Of course, you agreed to the additional driver at the counter. But that only came about in the first place because your wife’s second card wasn’t accepted. Where did it say beforehand that this second card also had to be in your name?

Something else I’ve noticed: on the current Spain pages, Europcar is much clearer. It explicitly states that the credit card must be in the main driver’s name. For certain vehicles, two cards may also be required.

In my next reply, I’d actually just focus on this one point: Where exactly in the terms and conditions of your booking at the time did it state that both required credit cards had to be in your name?

If the only response is once again the issue of the subsequent signature, I probably wouldn’t bother writing back and forth with Europcar indefinitely. In that case, the question would be whether you should formally escalate the complaint in Spain. There’s a complaint form available there for such cases.

luci

Just for info, there's no such thing as a joint credit card. You can be an additional card holder on someone's account. That said, did you have the credit card that you are an additional card holder on? They wouldn't have been able to tell that you're not the main card holder.

I may have totally misunderstood. Did you book the car using your wife's card with you as the driver? If that is the case, Europcar weren't too fussy then that they didn't match.

AnnOyd_2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82143970#Comment_82143970

It doesn't say anywhere the second card also has to be in my name. I've just checked the email again. At the bottom there's also a "what you need to bring" bit which says

The credit or debit card used to make this booking (Please note that for some Selection vehicles, two credit cards may be required).

That's it. Nothing about names on them.

I have asked if there's an appeal process to the decision that has probably been made by a first line customer services adviser.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82144000#Comment_82144000

We both have a credit card with the same numbers on them. I honestly can't remember which one I used to make the booking as it was in January, and the number shown in the confirmation email is just the last few numbers. This wasn't questioned, as the card with my wife's name has the correct number on it.

I think this all pins on them having different Ts and Cs at the airport to what were sent to me in the email. I don't think it's reasonable to expect me to know this before I left, given what they sent to me.

As for your point contacting them in Spain. I booked through the UK website, so isn't my contract with Europcar here in the UK, not the Spanish one?

luci

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82144035#Comment_82144035

I agree that it should have explicitly stated that both cards had to be in the same name. It should also have said that they should be in the driver's name if that was one of their requirements.

If you booked with Europcar in the UK, that is who your contract is with. Perhaps call Citizen's Advice to see if they can advise you.

AnnOyd_2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82144108#Comment_82144108

I don't want to burden an already overwhelmed CAB with what feels like a first world problem. I've asked to escalate it but not really sure where else I can go if the reject again. Small claims seems a bit risky.

Humphreyshalfmoon

If you reach a deadlock, and that seems to be the case, the European Car Rental Conciliation Service (ECRCS) may be able to help. It appears to be an offshoot of the British Vehicle Rental and leasing Association and helps with cross border rentals where you book in one country but rent in another.

AnnOyd_2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82144780#Comment_82144780

Great, thank you.