My primary vehicle broke down and I was required to get a rental. I went to Budget and got a mid-sized vehicle for 186/wk. I told them I was not sure how long I would need the vehicle since it was dependent on when my van would be ready. Knowing that it would be at least a week, I paid a weekly rate plus a deposit ($350.00 was charged to may card). I later found out that it was going to to be over a week, so I called Budget to let them know... I did not know how long, just that it would be over a week. The representitive looked at my account and said that "everything was fine." I specifically asked about the charges and she said, "that will be settled when you return the car and you will be charged accordingly by the number of additional days."
That weekend I was balancing my checkbook (online) when I noticed a charge of $246.00 made to my account. I later learned that it was Budget who went ahead and charged me for an ENTIRE additional week WITHOUT MY AUTHORITY or PROPER NOTIFICATION! I had only had the vehicle 3 days at that point! It is my understanding that a company cannot charge for services that I may not use! I was charged to two weeks, what if I only needed the car 10 days? What gave them the right to go ahead and process a charge... AND WITHOUT NOTIFYING ME! This was especially unsettling after I had spoke to the Budget representitive and she informed me that all used charges would be taken care of when I returned!
This put me in a very tight spot. I had already shelled out a lot of money to fix my vehicle and the last thing I needed was for my account to be short $246 dollars! I was forced to borrow money till payday to cover my account!
I immediately called Budget, and they said that the only way to get refunded would be to return the car (With up to 14 days for a refund) and get a new rental agreement which would cost me ANOTHER $350.00!!! So they would have $596.00 of my money, that I would get back in two weeks, and I would have to give them an additional $350.00 so that I could get back the $296.00 they falsely charged on my credit card two weeks later!?!?!?!
Then to top it all off, they did not tell me that they charged me for TWO WEEKS and told my wife the car needed to be returned monday (only 12 days). So I pre-paid, not my choice, for two weeks without telling me, and they said told my wife the car is due on monday the 12th day... When we returned the car, the representitive slipped by saying I had paid for two weeks. I asked why I had to bring the car back today... So she offered me to have it for an additional day... Which she probably knew was unlikely since I had already went through an ordeal making arrangements to get picked up at the airport!
This is a shady deal! It is not proper business to charge for services that MAY not be used, especially without the consent of the consumer! If I reserved the car for a specific return date, that would be something else, but what is to prevent them from charging me a whole months rental only to promise they will reimburse me two weeks later???
It would be nice to have some retribution! It is hard enough being short a car, but even more so when you have to deal with people taking money out of your account whenever they feel like it! I do not recommend this company!
Joel
Chambersburg, PA
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