One member is furious after being ripped off by car rental company Hertz. This member hired a car in Perth, returning it to the airport with a full tank of petrol. Despite this, their credit card was later charged $26.39 for fuel.
Another member reports a strikingly similar experience with Hertz. They not only returned the car with a full tank of petrol, but also showed Hertz the receipt. Their credit card was still charged retrospectively for a full tank of fuel. The company refused to provide a refund until our member initiated a credit card chargeback. To make matters worse, the car’s fuel tank was only-half full when our member picked up the car.
The rate at which the fuel was charged is also questionable. Many rental agencies, including Hertz, charge an eye-watering $3 per litre to top-up the vehicle. This is double the normal price for petrol.
To avoid this happening to you, our members recommend keeping receipts. Photographing the fuel gauge when collecting and returning rental vehicles is also advisable. Finally, our members recommend waiting until that the car has been checked for damage and fuel before returning the keys. Otherwise, provided the rental company has your credit card details, there is little opportunity to dispute erroneous charges.
Sadly, this is not the first time our members have had problems with car rental companies. Last year, Hertz was accused of falsely charging customers for damage they did not cause. Hertz was later ordered by the ACCC to repay hundreds of thousands of dollars to its customers. Given the frequency of complaints about car rental companies, one member has called for an industry ombudsman.
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