How can a car hire firm just take money from my credit card without authority? | Money
Consumer championsMoney This article is more than 7 years oldHow can a car hire firm just take money from my credit card without authority?
This article is more than 7 years oldI had given my details to Fleet Rent a Car in Dubrovnik and my bill was settled. But months later charges appeared on my statement
Back in June I rented a car for a week from Fleet Rent a Car at Dubrovnik airport via the Holiday Autos website. The plane was slightly late and Fleet charged me an extra £32 for late pick-up. It also took my card details for pre-authorisation of £1,250, which was refunded at the end of the rental when the car was returned on time, full of petrol and with no damage.
I assumed that was the end of it but then, in September, two payments were taken from my credit card, amounting to £325. I immediately contacted Holiday Autos with the reference number of the booking, and was eventually told it was a late pick-up charge. I pointed out that this was already paid and sent it my credit card statement, but this has been ignored.
How can a car hire company just take money without any authority and the agent not do anything about it? MW, Cambridge
Receiving unexpected charges on your credit card months after the event is just one the pleasures of hiring a car in Europe these days. This one was at least relatively easy to sort out. Holiday Autos claimed the additional charges came as a result of a “clerical error on the supplier’s part”. The “supplier” has now agreed to refund you in full for the £325. Additionally, Holiday Autos is sending you a token of goodwill for the inconvenience caused by the issue.
European consumer bodies really need to tackle the car hire industry and put in place ways to stop these spurious charges appearing on renters’ bills.
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