avisbudgetgroup Charge for vacuuming "Animal Hair" after rental of vehicle 11 days Hopkins Minnesota
I nor anyone in my family have an animal (I wonder how frequent they pull this on other customers). Myself, My wife, Son (leave from military) and 2 grandchildren drove down to Tx for another sons wedding. On the way back it was Myself, My Wife, 1 son and 1 daughter
We returned vehicle on May 2, received a letter dated May 9th on May 16th from AvisBudgetGroup stating we owe and additional $450 for cleaning of Animal Hair from inside of the rental vehicle, We do not own an animal and have not for over 5 years. So where does animal hair come from?
I have written 2 Complaints to the Avis Budget Group (Customer Service), 1 on May 17 or 18th, the other May 23rd. I still today (May 24th) have not heard a response.
I also filed a dispute over the charges with AMEX for the amount of $449.00 on May 22, 2022. What could be my next steps? Something also happened several years ago -- flat tire on rental vehicle and they said I owed $275 for a ruined tire? I did not pay
This may be the last time I ever rent from Budget Car Rental Company
Frustrated
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Mamacita
North Hollywood,United States
Video tape it!
#2General Comment
Wed, May 25, 2022
Here is my advice for anyone who rents a car, truck, or any other vehicle. When returning the vehicle, do three things. One, do an inspection of the car before you drive it off the lot. Inside and out. Anything with noting documented with your phone/camera and bring it up to the attention of the staff.
If it's not noted on the paperwork, demand that they make a note in the paperwork. Two, use you phone or camera to film the condition you are returning the car in. Include a detail walk around the car. Including the inside with the shot of the instrument panel that shows the fuel level and no check engine light on (the car must be running) and seats and floors.
Three, request for an employee to go out to the car with you and do a walk around inspection of the vehicle, inside and out. Record your conversation with her/him. You don't need to film it, just record audio if the person is uncomfortable being filmed. Some people don't mind a conversation being recorded but don't want to appear in a video.
Don't forget that you are on private property and they have a right to tell you not to film them. Unlike when you are in a public place. Some think that because a business is open to the public, it is the same as being in a public place, NO IT IS NOT!
Make sure you let the person know that you are recording them to make it legal (depending what state you are in). Also make sure that in the video you show that the car is in the parking of the rental agency. As a patrol office I recommend that you get an app that stamps the date, time, and location (gps coordinates) on the video or images.
The best app I've seen so far is called "Timestamp Camera Pro." There is a free version and the Pro. The Pro is only 5 bucks but worth it. This is important because it documents the date, time, and location that you returned the vehicle. Otherwise they can claim that it could had been taken before the damage was done, which would had happened before you got in their lot.
I had a friend who followed my advise with a rental. Later he got a letter from the rental company telling him that the car had a dent on the rear passenger side door of the car and wanted him to pay around 1,200 bucks for damages. He refused to pay and they threaten with sending him to collections and possible legal action against him.
Almost a year later he got served with a law sue. He was being sued by a some collection company that had bought the file. The Judge threw out the case when my friend produced the video tape of the walk around the car at the parking lot of the rental company.