Car rental booking - can I be charged more?
Discussion
A month ago I was looking to book a car for a trip in Oman (for October). I used a price comparison website, which found the cheapest deal was with a well-established rental brand (not one of the top 2, but one of the top 5). The price was cheap, but not suspiciously so (£112 for 6 days rental, a similar car from other providers is ~£300). I booked using the website belonging to the rental agency themselves (so not via a 3rd party), and paid in full up front.
Come to today and the local office has claimed my booking has 'accidentally' been cancelled, and they'd like me to rebook. They can offer me a <20% discount to apologize. Fair enough, I go back onto the site to rebook and find out the rental has gone up to ~£700 (lets say £600 after discount).
A quick check (logging in, plus checking my credit card bill) shows my rental hasn't been cancelled. It would appear they're pulling a fast one as I've been accidentally charged a day's rate, not a week's rate.
So far, so 'normal' for a pricing error. Normally however, these are excluded in the T&Cs of the contract, however, from their own site, the conditions are :
All of these steps have passed. Additionally, it mentions
So far, the local office are refusing to budge, so I've escalated to their global head office. I guess my question is, if they continue to block, do I have an option in small claims court? It would appear to be a breach of contract, but I don't know much about these sorts of things. If I did choose to persue them there, would it be reasonable to sue for the original contract cost (£130), the cost of renting from a smaller operation (£300ish) or the amount they're now requesting for a rental from them (£600)
Come to today and the local office has claimed my booking has 'accidentally' been cancelled, and they'd like me to rebook. They can offer me a <20% discount to apologize. Fair enough, I go back onto the site to rebook and find out the rental has gone up to ~£700 (lets say £600 after discount).
A quick check (logging in, plus checking my credit card bill) shows my rental hasn't been cancelled. It would appear they're pulling a fast one as I've been accidentally charged a day's rate, not a week's rate.
So far, so 'normal' for a pricing error. Normally however, these are excluded in the T&Cs of the contract, however, from their own site, the conditions are :
online booking said:
I. Online Booking Process
The following are the main steps to making an online booking:
(i) First Step: Selection of the service
Enter your rental criteria in the online booking form including rental dates, rental locations and choice of vehicle.
(ii) Second Step : xxxx' s offer
Based on the criteria you provide, xxxx will provide you with an offer matching your needs in the form of a detailed recapitulation. The ‘offer' is legally defined as: - a service which includes a selected vehicle category available for a chosen duration with selected options (if any) - a rate which can be either a prepaid rate or a pay on arrival rate - some terms and conditions.
(iii) Third Step : Acceptance of the offer
You will be asked to accept the xxxx offer.
(iv) Fourth Step : Confirmation
You will then be asked to confirm this acceptance.
(v) Fifth Step : xxxx notification
xxxx will send you confirmation including the reservation number. The confirmation notice will include the details of your reservation.
The following are the main steps to making an online booking:
(i) First Step: Selection of the service
Enter your rental criteria in the online booking form including rental dates, rental locations and choice of vehicle.
(ii) Second Step : xxxx' s offer
Based on the criteria you provide, xxxx will provide you with an offer matching your needs in the form of a detailed recapitulation. The ‘offer' is legally defined as: - a service which includes a selected vehicle category available for a chosen duration with selected options (if any) - a rate which can be either a prepaid rate or a pay on arrival rate - some terms and conditions.
(iii) Third Step : Acceptance of the offer
You will be asked to accept the xxxx offer.
(iv) Fourth Step : Confirmation
You will then be asked to confirm this acceptance.
(v) Fifth Step : xxxx notification
xxxx will send you confirmation including the reservation number. The confirmation notice will include the details of your reservation.
All of these steps have passed. Additionally, it mentions
online booking said:
The rates are guaranteed for the rental associated to the confirmed booking.
There is nothing about their ability to cancel, other than due to force majure (which I don't believe applies).So far, the local office are refusing to budge, so I've escalated to their global head office. I guess my question is, if they continue to block, do I have an option in small claims court? It would appear to be a breach of contract, but I don't know much about these sorts of things. If I did choose to persue them there, would it be reasonable to sue for the original contract cost (£130), the cost of renting from a smaller operation (£300ish) or the amount they're now requesting for a rental from them (£600)
Edited by 5lab on Thursday 6th April 00:12
Edited by 5lab on Thursday 6th April 00:17
Most car rental T&Cs state that there is no contract until you arrive at the desk and sign a rental agreement. Up until that point they can refuse to offer anything without really giving any cause.
You've booked through a broker, so visibility of those T&Cs is probably limited. Your best bet is to get your broker to use their clout to argue back with the supplier.
I'm going to hazard a guess that this was Europcar at Muscat Airport, because they did have a rate loading issue that I heard about last week. A couple of customers of ours were also affected. You've no chance of taking anyone to court over this (who?), but you should voice your irritation with your broker and force them to act.
You've booked through a broker, so visibility of those T&Cs is probably limited. Your best bet is to get your broker to use their clout to argue back with the supplier.
I'm going to hazard a guess that this was Europcar at Muscat Airport, because they did have a rate loading issue that I heard about last week. A couple of customers of ours were also affected. You've no chance of taking anyone to court over this (who?), but you should voice your irritation with your broker and force them to act.
Edited by Chucklehead on Thursday 6th April 07:52
Chucklehead said:
Most car rental T&Cs state that there is no contract until you arrive at the desk and sign a rental agreement. Up until that point they can refuse to offer anything without really giving any cause.
You've booked through a broker, so visibility of those T&Cs is probably limited. Your best bet is to get your broker to use their clout to argue back with the supplier.
I'm going to hazard a guess that this was Europcar at Muscat Airport, because they did have a rate loading issue that I heard about last week. A couple of customers of ours were also affected. You've no chance of taking anyone to court over this (who?), but you should voice your irritation with your broker and force them to act.
you're right about the vendor - however, I booked directly with them (not through a broker). There is nothing in any of their t&c that covers this sort of thing - I agree more paperwork would be given when I get to the pickup, but would that apply to the rental, not the booking\rate of the rental. Given I (think) I have a contract with them (which I've paid for), for provision of services which they're now refusing, what stops the court option being realistic? I'm not after compensation, I just want the use of a car as agreed. You've booked through a broker, so visibility of those T&Cs is probably limited. Your best bet is to get your broker to use their clout to argue back with the supplier.
I'm going to hazard a guess that this was Europcar at Muscat Airport, because they did have a rate loading issue that I heard about last week. A couple of customers of ours were also affected. You've no chance of taking anyone to court over this (who?), but you should voice your irritation with your broker and force them to act.
Edited by Chucklehead on Thursday 6th April 07:52
Living in the region, you typically will find that even global brands, are governed by local rules/regulations. What I am trying to say is don't expect even a global company to act the same way in this region, as they do in for example Europe or US.
If they have cancelled/made a mistake etc, I don't think you will have any recourse. Your only choice will be to name and shame and try and impact on their reputation via feedback, and hope that the global office gets involved with the local office, and intervenes,
Good luck - but in my experience you will be lucky to get anywhere.
If they have cancelled/made a mistake etc, I don't think you will have any recourse. Your only choice will be to name and shame and try and impact on their reputation via feedback, and hope that the global office gets involved with the local office, and intervenes,
Good luck - but in my experience you will be lucky to get anywhere.
5lab said:
Chucklehead said:
Most car rental T&Cs state that there is no contract until you arrive at the desk and sign a rental agreement. Up until that point they can refuse to offer anything without really giving any cause.
You've booked through a broker, so visibility of those T&Cs is probably limited. Your best bet is to get your broker to use their clout to argue back with the supplier.
I'm going to hazard a guess that this was Europcar at Muscat Airport, because they did have a rate loading issue that I heard about last week. A couple of customers of ours were also affected. You've no chance of taking anyone to court over this (who?), but you should voice your irritation with your broker and force them to act.
you're right about the vendor - however, I booked directly with them (not through a broker). There is nothing in any of their t&c that covers this sort of thing - I agree more paperwork would be given when I get to the pickup, but would that apply to the rental, not the booking\rate of the rental. Given I (think) I have a contract with them (which I've paid for), for provision of services which they're now refusing, what stops the court option being realistic? I'm not after compensation, I just want the use of a car as agreed. You've booked through a broker, so visibility of those T&Cs is probably limited. Your best bet is to get your broker to use their clout to argue back with the supplier.
I'm going to hazard a guess that this was Europcar at Muscat Airport, because they did have a rate loading issue that I heard about last week. A couple of customers of ours were also affected. You've no chance of taking anyone to court over this (who?), but you should voice your irritation with your broker and force them to act.
Edited by Chucklehead on Thursday 6th April 07:52
Europcar said:
If you are booking a car through the UK website for a rental in a different country please refer to the terms and conditions of hire in the country where you are heading because it is those terms that will apply to your rental. They will be different to the UK T&Cs and the supplementary information provided below due to local legal requirements.
PLEASE NOTE THAT UNLESS YOU HAVE EITHER SIGNED THE RENTAL AGREEMENT TO ACCEPT THE VEHICLE OR TAKEN POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT SIGNING A RENTAL AGREEMENT THERE IS NO CONTRACT BETWEEN US.
It's even in capital letters! PLEASE NOTE THAT UNLESS YOU HAVE EITHER SIGNED THE RENTAL AGREEMENT TO ACCEPT THE VEHICLE OR TAKEN POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT SIGNING A RENTAL AGREEMENT THERE IS NO CONTRACT BETWEEN US.
The best thing you can do is kick up stink with Europcar's corporate office, twitter, facebook, blah blah.. They want those kind of things to go away, so often try to resolve quickly and quietly. They don't have to, but they might.
Failing that, why don't you get in touch with the offices in Oman directly? appeal to their better nature?
Chucklehead said:
It's even in capital letters!
The best thing you can do is kick up stink with Europcar's corporate office, twitter, facebook, blah blah.. They want those kind of things to go away, so often try to resolve quickly and quietly. They don't have to, but they might.
Failing that, why don't you get in touch with the offices in Oman directly? appeal to their better nature?
Interesting. I agree that text is in the bit you found (and can be found by googling) but I did not find that text when reviewing my T&Cs. Through the site :The best thing you can do is kick up stink with Europcar's corporate office, twitter, facebook, blah blah.. They want those kind of things to go away, so often try to resolve quickly and quietly. They don't have to, but they might.
Failing that, why don't you get in touch with the offices in Oman directly? appeal to their better nature?
https://www.europcar.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/sp...
'Oman' isn't in the dropdown box, so I assumed no additional T&Cs applied to that country. I don't actually know how to navigate to the document you found via the website, the text appears to be in the specific terms and conditions for the UK, but to get there I have to select UK under 'Please consult the specific hire requirements of the country where you will hire the vehicle ' - the answer to that is surely 'Oman'? All of the information within the T&Cs appears relevant to having one of their vehicles in the UK, not relevant to having one in another country
Edited by 5lab on Thursday 6th April 12:57
5lab said:
Are there other options to persue if talking to them (which I'm currently doing) doesn't provide a solution?
Okay, you want a solution?:Edited by 5lab on Thursday 6th April 10:43
1) Accept the fact that someone made an admin error at the car hire company and charged you the wrong rate originally.
2) Accept the fact that, whatever action you threaten them with, you're not going to get them to give you a weeks car hire for the cost of a single days hire.
3) Get your money back from the original car hire company.
4) Find the next cheapest hire company and car hire a car from them.
5)Move on with your life.
There you go!
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