Interrent/Goldcar/Europecar SCAM

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CJSimmo
CJSimmo Posts: 5 Forumite
in Flights, currency & car hire
In November 2018 I arrived at the Stansted airport hut for Interrent/Goldcar. After handing over the required mandatory documents as advised by the link from Ryanair,) from whom I had booked the car through, I was presented with a list of other required documentation highlighted and on a clipboard. These included an original bank statement and utility bill (no longer than three months old) proving the address of the credit card used to pay for the car rental. Needless to say, I was not prepared for this demand, nor were three other customers who appeared after me. The staff ignored my request to see the results of their “third party authentication checking system” as presented to me in their Terms and Conditions, I continuing to demand the paperwork or else they would not rent me a car. Despite numerous telephone calls after an hour they would not budge or allow me to take a car for which I had already paid. I decided to try to hire another car in the main Car Hire Village building. None were available. The only alternative was to return to the Interrent/Goldcar desk and agree to take out their insurance and that resulted in a “no questions asked” solution. This cost me an extra £130, I did not need to take out this insurance as I already had a yearly agreement, the desk staff were not aware of this as we did not even get to their sales pitch for their insurance at the beginning, ( I was prepared with the one time pass code details for a licence history check from gov.uk but not asked for it) . I am currently seeking advice and action from our credit card company, “WHICH” and considering a small claims court action. DO NOT HIRE FROM INTERRENT, GOLDCAR OR EUROPECAR. THEY ARE ALL THE SAME COMPANY ON THE SAME SCAM !

Have you suffered a similar experience with InterRent, Goldcar or Europecar ? 11 votes

Yes
36% 4 votes
To a degree
18% 2 votes
No
36% 4 votes
Heard of similar from someone else
9% 1 vote
«1

Comments

  • cubegame
    cubegame Posts: 2,042 Forumite
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    Sorry for saying this, but you probably presented yourself as an easy mark.

    Hire car companies work on the business model where they don't make money on the headline price and therefore have to sell other products to subsidise those of us who don't let them rip us off.
  • Alan_Bowen
    Alan_Bowen Posts: 4,850 Forumite
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    I rented from Europcar at Christmas, they sent an email a week in advance advising of their requirements, which did indeed ask for bank or CC statements and a utility bill. I was reminded of the essentials a couple of days in advance again, in the event I was asked for none of them. If you didn't read what was sent, then the fault is yours....
  • CJSimmo
    CJSimmo Posts: 5 Forumite
    edited 12 January 2019 at 1:09PM
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    CUBEGAME :
    Well, thank you for your condescending reply. If, at any time I had thought that I had not prepared myself fully for renting the car from InterRent, I would not be bringing this issue into a public forum. I mean, WHAT WOULD BE THE POINT ?
    In none of the communication from InterRent /Goldcar was there any mention of the extra original paperwork required., I stated this in my my post.
    I mention Europecar as they are the parent company and when I have rented from them before, I have never been pre-warned of extra paperwork requirements.
    I do not regard myself as an easy target nor responsible for the rental car company’s behaviour to myself or the other customers confronted with exactly the same demands.
    The actions of the above companies borders on contravention of the Trades Description Act and posing misleading demands in their initial information. This is why I am taking the issue further with the appropriate authorities, as well as airing the problem/s with these companies here.
    Please look at other reviews on other “review sites” regarding the general abuse of consumer rights by these companies before laying the blame at at my door for my predicament.
    Have a nice weekend.
  • CJSimmo
    CJSimmo Posts: 5 Forumite
    edited 12 January 2019 at 1:10PM
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    ALAN BOWEN :
    I am aware of how these sharks work, hence my airing the issue on a public forum.
    However, I do not see myself as an easy target, nor do I see the other customers there on that evening, in the same light. They were as appalled as much as I, never having being asked or prepared for the extra paperwork demanded.
    Have a nice weekend.
  • cubegame
    cubegame Posts: 2,042 Forumite
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    CJSimmo wrote: »
    CUBEGAME :
    Well, thank you for your condescending reply. If, at any time I had thought that I had not prepared myself fully for renting the car from InterRent, I would not be bringing this issue into a public forum. I mean, WHAT WOULD BE THE POINT ?
    In none of the communication from InterRent /Goldcar was there any mention of the extra original paperwork required., I stated this in my my post.
    I mention Europecar as they are the parent company and when I have rented from them before, I have never been pre-warned of extra paperwork requirements.
    I do not regard myself as an easy target nor responsible for the rental car company’s behaviour to myself or the other customers confronted with exactly the same demands.
    The actions of the above companies borders on contravention of the Trades Description Act and posing misleading demands in their initial information. This is why I am taking the issue further with the appropriate authorities, as well as airing the problem/s with these companies here.
    Please look at other reviews on other “review sites” regarding the general abuse of consumer rights by these companies before laying the blame at at my door for my predicament.
    Have a nice weekend.

    You would stand out as an easy target as soon as you join in their game. My approach on the one occasion I had a "difficult" agent was to make sure they knew that I literally wasn't going to let them hire another car to anyone until I had mine.
  • Alan_Bowen
    Alan_Bowen Posts: 4,850 Forumite
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    edited 13 January 2019 at 6:19PM
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    I did not suggest you were an easy target but if no one knew the rules,. there would be no cars being rented at all and then they couldn't claim all the alleged damage to the cars. I booked directly with Europcar so they had my email address and asked me to check in online giving driving licence details etc and was twice reminded of the need for evidence of who I was and where I lived. If you booked via an airline, and I used to book Europcar through Easyjet for many years, even though I was flying with BA, then maybe no warnings are sent anymore in which case the argument may be with the airline ? But then again, I have just been to Ryanair and looked at booking Europcar at Stansted and under "important information" its states
    "UK residents will have to pass an Experian Authenticate check in order to get the vehicle. In some cases where the Experian Authenticate check has failed, an additonal form of identification showing their home address (in form on bank statements or utility bills no older than 8 weeks, issued by post) may be sufficient."
  • brianposter
    brianposter Posts: 1,291 Forumite
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    Alan_Bowen wrote: »
    But then again, I have just been to Ryanair and looked at booking Europcar at Stansted and under "important information" its states
    "UK residents will have to pass an Experian Authenticate check in order to get the vehicle. In some cases where the Experian Authenticate check has failed, an additonal form of identification showing their home address (in form on bank statements or utility bills no older than 8 weeks, issued by post) may be sufficient."
    I am not sure that that clause would get past a court. The authentication should be done at the time of booking if they want to use a service which may have suspect results.
  • richardw
    richardw Posts: 19,458 Forumite
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    I’ve hired a very expensive new Ford Mustang convertible through Alamo and Avis in the US with a credit card, passport and photo driving licence. No other documents were needed. I’ve hired cars at UK airports with the same requirements. It seems Europcar are being deliberately difficult.
    Posts are not advice and must not be relied upon.
  • EssexExile
    EssexExile Posts: 6,139 Forumite
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    richardw wrote: »
    I’ve hired a very expensive new Ford Mustang convertible through Alamo and Avis in the US with a credit card, passport and photo driving licence. No other documents were needed. I’ve hired cars at UK airports with the same requirements. It seems Europcar are being deliberately difficult.

    That's probably because you had CDW so there was no risk to the company. I've been renting cars since the 60s & never had a problem, probably for the same reason.
    Tall, dark & handsome. Well two out of three ain't bad.
  • brianposter
    brianposter Posts: 1,291 Forumite
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    In contrast, there are some companies that I do not deal with because of their ID requirements.
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