Avis Car Rental - nasty little e-rate scam

[tim.100]

I have just sent the mail below to Avis Customer services. Not happy!

Hello,

I am a frequent traveller and have used Avis cars on my company contract. I made a private booking with Avis from Catania Airport, details as follows:


Rental Agreement No. xxxxx
Start: xx/4/12
End [7 days later]

Price: EUR 629

I know that some restauranteurs offer to bill me in GBP at some ludricous exchange rate, but this trick was pulled on by a a fast-talking Avis rep at Catania airport. I was told that the "Car here is all OK, sign to acknowledge"

To my horror, I was charged in GBP at EUR:GBP 1:15, whereas my xxxx credit card was charging EUR:GBP 1:213204 for transactions charged in EUR.

So my rental, if charge in Euro, would have cost GBP519, whereas you actually charged me GBP549.13

In other words, you deceived me of £31. I acknowledge the small print stated I had agreed to be charged in GBP- BUT you agent specifically said I was signing to acknowedge the return of the car in good order.

If you would like to rectify this mistake, please reply or phone me on +44 xxxx

Finally I note that a number of businesses in Sicily now proclaim they do not pay mafia protection money "pizzo." Sadly Avis is not among these companies.

Regards

 

[MOCAŠ]

Surely this would have been covered in the agreement you signed when you took the car out, rather than the form you signed when returining it.

I'm hiring a car from Avis next week, and (so far) it all seems very straightforward - price and refundable excess deposit agreed in advance.

 

[markjay]

I seem to remember that when booking a rental online for the US I was given the choice of being charged in either USD$ or GBP£. Was there no such option when you booked? As MOCAS said, this would have been included in the booking form rather than just I the form you signed when returning the car.

 

[mejermy]

Not only car rental. I was offered the choice of euros or sterling for settlement when paying my bill at the Meridien Penina in March. The rate looked low-ish so I took a flyer and went for sterling. When I checked later I would have been out by around £180 if I'd accepted the euro rate offered rather than my (SAGA) vard conversion rate. Who benefits? The banks or the hotel/car hire company?

 

[Alfie]

I had a similar issue with Avis once. Basically they told me there were compulsory add-ons as I had booked on the American Avis site but was taking a car in europe. This was never explained until I returned the car. They then claimed I had damaged the car sometime after the rental ended. I hadnt.

I wont ever use Avis again.

 

[tim.100]

I seem to remember that when booking a rental online for the US I was given the choice of being charged in either USD$ or GBP£. Was there no such option when you booked? As MOCAS said, this would have been included in the booking form rather than just I the form you signed when returning the car.

No such option. I didn't make any payment as part of the reservation - just gave them my details and BA Executive CLub membership number.

 

[MOCAŠ]

No such option. I didn't make any payment as part of the reservation - just gave them my details and BA Executive CLub membership number.

But there must have been terms and conditions associated with the hire. Did you not even ask about these?

If you opt for the convenience of not reading them (as I have myself on occasion) you leave yourself open to unexpected consequences. Caveat emptor?

 

[GP801]

Lots of companies try this trick. Its nearly always better to pay in the local currency. Your own bank/card provider nearly always gives a better rate than the local agent.