Caution on returning Budget car at MCO

[martinhay]

Have used this site many times in the past (always Dollar or Alamo) and found pricing keen and everything hassle free. So booked again without hesitation on our last trip (returned Nov 1st).

This time we chose Budget for first time as it was slightly cheaper. All went well until I and my brother-in-law each returned our 7 seaters at MCO.

We always pre-pay our gas so walk away with nil balance to pay. However on this ocassion it turns out Budget charged us both a refulling charge for a full tank of gas - in my case $180.69. my brother-in-law crica $160.00.

This was bad enough but went we got to the counter to sort it out (the paperwork clearly showing we were in the right and they were wrong) the rep stated he could not simply re-credit our credit card with the above amount instead Head Office would mail us a cheque to our home address - this despite the fact my brother-in-law has no US bank account into which he can pay the cheque!

So one week on and no cheque has arrived as yet - ok it's a bit early but I do wonder frankly whether I will see it and even if I do I still have all the hassle of mailing straight back out to our US bank etc. and worse still my brother-in-law has to try and credit a US $ cheque to his UK £ bank account!

How come Budget can instantly take money from a credit card but not instantly reverse a transaction like virtually any other retailer on the planet?

Maybe we were both just unlucky but if you have booked with Budget already be sure to look closely at the paperwork when you return the vehicle and if you haven't yet chosen betwen the 3 suppliers offered you might want to think carefully before you do.

For our part we'll be returning to either Dollar or Alamo for our next trip.

[CERICROWLEY]

Martin

If you have used the links to book the car, I am sure Roger would be able to sort things out, Just drop him an email.

[ellie]

Martin, I am so sorry to hear about your experience. However, if you have booked through this site then I firmly believe you have nothing to worry about, as I have every confidence that Roger will sort out any problems.

Roger deals with thousands of car hire bookings, and it is very rare that something goes wrong. However, I do not believe that any other site offers the personal customer service that uscar hire does.

If you do not receive a full refund directly from Budget, then I am sure that Roger will follow it up on your behalf and ensure that you do so.

What we need to remember is that people do not always post on the forum when they have received excellent service, and after all, if we all did that the car hire section of the forum would be millions of pages long![msnwink] As with most situations, understandably, people often only post when there has been a problem.

The vital difference is that if a problem occurs you can be sure that it will dealt with efficiently.

[FraserLynn]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:[i]

What we need to remember is that it is very rare that people post on the forum when they have received excellent service, and after all, if we all did that the car hire section of the forum would be millions of pages long! As with most situations, understandably, people often only post when there has been a problem.

[/quote]

I have always posted about the great service i have received, including the swift and full resolution of a problem i had.

Generally (like many) I am quicker to say thank you than complain [msnsmile2]

[roger]

I'm sorry to hear about that Martin. Just to clarifty, are you saying you returned both cars full of fuel and then Budget has charged both of you to re-fuel the cars?

Is so, then I confirm you are entitled to a refund and this should certainly be back to your card not via a US cheque.

As ever, I am here to help, and will pass this on to our supplier tomorrow to deal with. I just need you to confirm the fuel situation first then can do this for you.

[Robert5988]

Roger,

The OP stated that "We always pre-pay our gas so walk away with nil balance to pay" so presumably returned them empty.

Lately I have been using Budget and always return the car full - as I usually only use half a tank in 3 weeks.

On a couple of occasions I was 'given the sales talk' trying to get me to pre-pay petrol at the booth - I declined.

This last time I was told that I had pre-paid for the fuel and should bring it back empty. I knew I hadn't pre-paid so asked him to check again, which he did and assured me that I had pre-paid.

Despite what he said, I brought it back full. However I am pretty certain that had I brought it back empty, I would have been charged for the fuel. "A verbal statement ain't worth the paper it is written on!!"

[martinhay]

Roger,

Thanks for the offer or assistance.

On collection of the car I was told quite clearly to return the car empty - makes sense, had I returned it full I would have surely paid twice for the same tank.

In truth both car were returned approx 1/4 full.

I accept that the cost of the 1/4 tank was my loss. I cannot see why they have charged me for anything.

If you need it I can look out the two booking refs but both were taken out via villa ref 1555.

[roger]

This is the issue. Both your cars were booked on the Silver option.

As we clearly state on our website, with Budget you must return the car full. This is also stated on the voucher

As you did not return full, then Budget have charged you for a tank of fuel on each car, which is perfectly normal. It is also normal for them to charge at an inflated rate as compared to the gas station rate.

Unfortunately since you returned empty then Budget will not refund for the tank of fuel.

It's often worth going for the Gold to avoid the high fuel cost on Silver.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by martinhay
Roger,

Thanks for the offer or assistance.

On collection of the car I was told quite clearly to return the car empty - makes sense, had I returned it full I would have surely paid twice for the same tank.

In truth both car were returned approx 1/4 full.

I accept that the cost of the 1/4 tank was my loss. I cannot see why they have charged me for anything.

If you need it I can look out the two booking refs but both were taken out via villa ref 1555.
[/quote]

[roger]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Robert5988
Roger,
The OP stated that "We always pre-pay our gas so walk away with nil balance to pay" so presumably returned them empty.
[/quote]

Yes, that's why I questioned it, since he said he pre-paid the fuel, so in essence the charge Budget have made is correct as it is the pre-paid fuel fee. Returning full as per our instructions would have avoided this.

[steph_goodrum]

Can I just clarify Roger that with Dollar on the Silver option you can still return the car full and avoid the fuel charge, as we iintend to do Christmas, please?