Another car rental scam

[Kev]

This is difficult to avoid - the "Admin" charge that companies like East Coast Rentals impose for processing a letter from a council about a parking infringement. Even if you pay it or have been in contact with the council, East Coast will charge you $120 for just receiving a letter. And they don't notify you of their "Admin fee" until you view your credit charge statement. And if you tell them you'll be warning others about their "Admin fee", the managers will threaten a defamation action. Little do they realise that companies with more than 10 employees cannot sue for defamation!

I've not had this experience with any other car rental company. It's the scams like this and the minor scratch charge that make the money.

 

[serfty]

Hi Kev, welcome to AFF

Most car rental companies charge a fee for things like this, but nothing like this $120 - that's ridiculous IMHO.

However, I'm not sure there is much you can do as this fee was probably referred to in the T&C when you hired the vehicle.

All you can do is tell as many as you can not to use the services of such a company.

 

[simongr]

Just try not paying the congestion charge in the UK... that will make your $120 look cheap...

 

[Mr Ed]

This is how Avis works.


Hire smallest, cheapset car at Launceston.

The time rented is shorter than requested.


Approxiamate Cost....................$125.74

Estimated Total........................$179.74

Final Cost................................$209.40

I sure wish I could do that to the next customer I sell a meat pie to.

 

[N860CR]

Unfortunatley, it seems rental car cos can charge whatever they want for these kinds of things (and don't need to have a written schedule of fees).

About 18 months ago I hired a car from Europcar and when returning it, as I was running a bit late, didn't refuel it and was happy to just accept the refueling fee - turned out to be $350!

 

[ChrisBNE]

This is difficult to avoid - the "Admin" charge that companies like East Coast Rentals impose for processing a letter from a council about a parking infringement. Even if you pay it or have been in contact with the council, East Coast will charge you $120 for just receiving a letter. And they don't notify you of their "Admin fee" until you view your credit charge statement. And if you tell them you'll be warning others about their "Admin fee", the managers will threaten a defamation action. Little do they realise that companies with more than 10 employees cannot sue for defamation!

I've not had this experience with any other car rental company. It's the scams like this and the minor scratch charge that make the money.

I think they have a right to charge a fee for handling this extra work, though the level of the fee is questionable. All car hire companies charge a similar fee for recouping the cost of customers missing toll road payments. There is a level of admin work involved and the cost of which needs to be covered.

 

[Commuter]

I think they have a right to charge a fee for handling this extra work, though the level of the fee is questionable. All car hire companies charge a similar fee for recouping the cost of customers missing toll road payments. There is a level of admin work involved and the cost of which needs to be covered.

I would have considered $30 to be fairly reasonable, but $120 for admin fees seem silly - either they are doing it because they feel they can get away with it or I want to work for them as their admin person. $120 for a 10 min work is more than what I get paid.

 

[straitman]

I think they have a right to charge a fee for handling this extra work, though the level of the fee is questionable. All car hire companies charge a similar fee for recouping the cost of customers missing toll road payments. There is a level of admin work involved and the cost of which needs to be covered.

In Florida "Thrifty work with the RTL (Rent A Toll) to determine when the violation occurred and the renter responsible for the car during the applicable rental period. Thrifty will then charge the rental customer for the tolls incurred, plus a $25.00 fee per violation"

This, plus a lot more detail is all spelt out in a leaflet which is given when the car is picked up.

To me this is reasonable but $120 is not and would steer me away from anyone imposing or threatening such a charge.

 

[AKALimmy]

I would have considered $30 to be fairly reasonable, but $120 for admin fees seem silly - either they are doing it because they feel they can get away with it or I want to work for them as their admin person. $120 for a 10 min work is more than what I get paid.

Fine processing is not really a 10 minute job and administration charges cover not only staff time required to complete and file statutory declarations but also postage and photocopying as well as any government / council imposed late fees which (exc camera related offences) are applied prior to the rental car company receiving the fine or parking ticket .

There is a very simple way to beat car rentals 'administration charges' on speeding and parking fines:

DO NOT BREAK THE LAW

You will then pay NO administration fees

 

[Mal]

Fine processing is not really a 10 minute job and administration charges cover not only staff time required to complete and file statutory declarations but also postage and photocopying as well as any government / council imposed late fees which (exc camera related offences) are applied prior to the rental car company receiving the fine or parking ticket .

Hi AKALimmy

Welcome to AFF.

I sense you're somehow connected to East Coast Rentals, but could be wrong...

I also disagree that $120 is a reasonable charge for processing a fine. I'm not 100% sure (and the website isn't co-operating), but Hertz charges about $40 to process an infringement notice (or $40 plus the fine if they are forced to pay the infringement). That is probably a much more realistic charge to make for the paperwork and staff involved.



BTW, Banks have recently been hammered and reduced their overdraw and similar rates based on a few factors including the threat of Govt action. Perhaps Rental companies are next on the list for action on "true cost of services".

 

[albatross710]

However, I'm not sure there is much you can do as this fee was probably referred to in the T&C when you hired the vehicle.

We make an unwarranted expectation that imposed charges will reflect the approx cost of the inconvenience caused to the supplier.

Slight OT: Recently reading What Would Google Do by Jeff Jarvis. Inspired reading on how to handle online criticism if you find your company the subject of some adverse publicity.

Bad: Posting as a random poster

Good: Posting as the company & understanding the the comments

 

[markis10]

There is a very simple way to beat car rentals 'administration charges' on speeding and parking fines:

DO NOT BREAK THE LAW

You will then pay NO administration fees

There is a very simple way to beat car rentals admin charges being so high, get more efficient staff and dont pay late fees that you have no liability for!

Seriously, a car rental company needs better staff and systems if its not a 10 minute job to match a rental with a fine and complete a stat dec on the back of the fine notification. And to say dont break the law is a good way to avoid the fine - bollocks - do you get a refund for the processing fee if you fight the fine and win, there are plenty of cases where the fine has been waived because an error occurred, I once had a car rental company ping me for a fine when it ocurred the day before I rented the car?

Of interest is the fact this car company is the same one that came to our awareness for pinging renters for the same damage multiple times last year???? Tripadvisor forums certainly have some no so happy experiences to report as well, where there is smoke........

 

[reflector]

I recently had a similar experience with an american car rental place, though the difference was a disagreement on whether i had paid in full at the beginning of the rental or paid a "deposit" as they'd claimed. Because I'd paid with money order, they couldn't simply charge it to my card as i'm sure they would have.

In regards to the original post, if you're sure it isn't in the terms and conditions, you could request a chargeback on your credit card through your bank and make the company chase you for the $$... depends on how brave / litigious you're feeling.

I for one won't be using this obviously (from other reports) dishonest company, and will be posting so on my facebook so my 300 or so friends can be warned too