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Beware of HERTZ

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  • 25-05-2011 10:02am
    #1
    kcb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 992 ✭✭✭


    Hertz just took €36 from my credit card without any notification of the reason.

    When I spoke to Hertz Ireland they could see that it related to a rental in Italy in January. But no more info.

    Now have to wait 10 working days for them to get info back from Hertz Italy.

    Amazing the way these big companies can pass the buck to another part of the same company and leave people completely powerless.

    BEWARE OF HERTZ.


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Comments

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    #2
    Mr. Presentable
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,496 ✭✭✭Mr. Presentable


    You probably picked up an out of hours fine. It'd be in your agreed terms that any fines etc can be charged to your card. You ought to know why the charge was made prior to reacting on a public forum


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    #3
    kcb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 992 ✭✭✭kcb


    Mr. Presentable wrote: »
    You probably picked up an out of hours fine. It'd be in your agreed terms that any fines etc can be charged to your card. You ought to know why the charge was made prior to reacting on a public forum

    Hertz ought to inform me prior to taking the cash from my card.


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    #4
    Paulw
    Registered Users Posts: 13,381 ✭✭✭✭Paulw


    kcb wrote: »
    Hertz ought to inform me prior to taking the cash from my card.

    They did, it's the form you signed upon renting the vehicle.


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    #5
    pleasant Co.
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 7,406 Mod ✭✭✭✭pleasant Co.


    It takes Hertz 4 months to process a fine? Hmmm that sounds quite peculiar....unbelievable even.


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    #6
    whippet
    Registered Users Posts: 7,690 ✭✭✭whippet


    it could be anything from a parking fine to a speeding ticket ... which was sent to hertz and they then pass the fine on to you.

    It could possibly take a number of weeks / months for fines like these to be processed .. like here.


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    #7
    abouttobebanned
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,943 ✭✭✭abouttobebanned


    Hertz were the focal point of the consumer programme on RTE last night. Very interesting

    http://www.rte.ie/player/#s=search&q=consumer


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    #8
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Mactard wrote: »
    It takes Hertz 4 months to process a fine? Hmmm that sounds quite peculiar....unbelievable even.
    3 months for the cops to issue it, one month for Hertz to process it. Sounds reasonable IMO.

    There was a similar thread here where someone was billed by a car rental company for congestion charges in Italy around nine months after the rental. Given how relaxed the Italians are, taking a few months to send out fines and bills wouldn't surprise me at all.


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    #9
    kcb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 992 ✭✭✭kcb


    seamus wrote: »
    3 months for the cops to issue it, one month for Hertz to process it. Sounds reasonable IMO.

    There was a similar thread here where someone was billed by a car rental company for congestion charges in Italy around nine months after the rental. Given how relaxed the Italians are, taking a few months to send out fines and bills wouldn't surprise me at all.

    I can accept that. The Italians are probably worse than the Irish when it comes to civil service.

    But for Hertz to snatch the cash without even a note to explain it.....?


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    #10
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    kcb wrote: »
    I can accept that. The Italians are probably worse than the Irish when it comes to civil service.

    But for Hertz to snatch the cash without even a note to explain it.....?
    They should really be informing people a couple of weeks before taking the money, they don't have to but it would leave people a bit happier with them.


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    #11
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 23,339 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    kcb wrote: »
    BEWARE OF HERTZ.

    I find them excellent, I've used them once at least once a year for the last five years.


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    #12
    RTT
    Registered Users Posts: 315 ✭✭RTT


    Same thing happened with me when I was in Australia. Hertz took payment of €33 from my credit card when I got home. When I called them they said it was a €3 unpaid toll which I never even realised I went through, and a €30 admin charge!! Shower of w**kers!


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    #13
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    I've personally had nothing but good experiences with Hertz.

    I picked up a speeding fine in Germany last year (€25 I think) which Hertz automatically charged through to my card - as they make clear in the T&Cs. They will also charge through toll-charges. I later received the paperwork for the fine in the post so everything was nice and clear.

    I've heard of Italian parking/speeding fines taking literally months to process. Hertz or other car companies will charge it through once they receive it from the authorities.

    When you give any car hire company (or even hotel) your credit card details, you are in effect authorizing them to make further deductions in the case of damage, fines etc.


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    #14
    cgarrad
    Registered Users Posts: 1,611 ✭✭✭cgarrad


    Hertz used to be good, but they got screwed in the recession.

    http://www.google.com/finance?q=hertz

    $26 down to $1.55!

    I got a car from them in London with 32,000 miles on it which cut out twice on the motorway at 70!

    Avoid at all costs!

    Avis are way better.


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    #15
    kcb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 992 ✭✭✭kcb


    dudara wrote: »
    When you give any car hire company (or even hotel) your credit card details, you are in effect authorizing them to make further deductions in the case of damage, fines etc.

    You have no issue with a company taking money from your credit card without notification so?

    Very obliging of you!


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    #16
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    I think you should wait to hear the reason before lambasting them on a public forum. If it's an unpaid toll, or fine, you owe then you should have been aware at the time that you would have to pay some time. I'm sure you read the terms & conditions on out of hours returns etc and knew the toll rules or speed limits.

    Why not wait and see why they have charged, before putting them in the wrong. You authorised them to take legitimate charges from our card afterall.


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    #17
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    kcb wrote: »
    You have no issue with a company taking money from your credit card without notification so?

    Very obliging of you!

    They don't have to notify me. By accepting the T&Cs when hiring the car, you give them permission to charge all related costs to your card, even if they are after the fact.

    They are trusting me with a fairly new car, worth circa E10k at a minimum and up to E50k depending on the cars I've hired in the past. In return for that trust, they need some security. Hence the credit card.


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    #18
    tallaghtoutlaws
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,067 ✭✭✭tallaghtoutlaws


    kcb wrote: »
    You have no issue with a company taking money from your credit card without notification so?

    Very obliging of you!

    Standard practice throughout the Car Rental industry. The next time you rent a car read the terms and conditions and you will see it is covered in there. I have rented many a car in the past and gone through many a auto toll booth or gotten speeding tickets or parking fines and the rental company paid them and took straight off my card. Never an issue with them doing so as they cover their own asses in the rental agreement.

    As others have said they did notify you when you signed the agreement. Most them send the receipt on later or a letter out of courtesy showing said details.


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    #19
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,999 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    cgarrad wrote: »
    Hertz used to be good, but they got screwed in the recession.

    http://www.google.com/finance?q=hertz

    $26 down to $1.55!

    That's showing 15.73 now and nowhere can I see 26 or 1.55 for their shares on that page.
    I got a car from them in London with 32,000 miles on it which cut out twice on the motorway at 70!

    Avoid at all costs!

    Avis are way better.

    Every rental company gets bad cars and worst drivers. If you don't report it to then then they can't fix it, I've had 0 mile rentals in bits. Any issues I've every had with Hertz I've usually ended up upgraded.


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    #20
    popsmar
    Registered Users Posts: 63 ✭✭popsmar


    If you get a service you have to pay for it. this could be anything. I just got a bill for something i got 5 years ago the other day. The company simply forgot to invoice me for the training i received. Needless to say that the cash that was assigned for this was spent. I still have to pay for it......but at least they informed me i had 28 days...as per normal terms and conditions to pay for it even though it took them 5 years to invoice. The boom is over everyone is checking there books…as its very funny what people are finding


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    #21
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    kcb wrote: »
    You have no issue with a company taking money from your credit card without notification so?

    Very obliging of you!

    I dont see why you do tbh, your going around signing contracts without reading them, a €30 cc charge is probably the least if your worries depending on whats been stuck under your nose and blindly signed over the years.


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    #22
    kcb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 992 ✭✭✭kcb


    tallaghtoutlaws wrote: »
    Standard practice throughout the Car Rental industry. The next time you rent a car read the terms and conditions and you will see it is covered in there. I have rented many a car in the past and gone through many a auto toll booth or gotten speeding tickets or parking fines and the rental company paid them and took straight off my card. Never an issue with them doing so as they cover their own asses in the rental agreement.

    As others have said they did notify you when you signed the agreement. Most them send the receipt on later or a letter out of courtesy showing said details.

    You'd be happy out so if you had €500 taken from your card without notification?


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    #23
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    kcb wrote: »
    You'd be happy out so if you had €500 taken from your card without notification?

    What about a million euro, or ten billion euro? Stop making up numbers to make the issue sound like something that it's not. You had a €36 charge applied for some sort of fee/fine. You agreed to allow these charges when you rented the car, so there is absolutely no reason for them to notify you in advance, but I would expect a receipt to be forthcoming.

    It's not about being happy with the charge, it's about agreeing to it (which you did) and whether you do owe it (which you should find out).


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    #24
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    kcb wrote: »
    You'd be happy out so if you had €500 taken from your card without notification?

    I'd understand that they would have a reason to take it and I would look for supporting documentation to make sure that they took it correctly. I would also understand that I gave them permission to take it without consulting with me first.


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    #25
    tallaghtoutlaws
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,067 ✭✭✭tallaghtoutlaws


    kcb wrote: »
    You'd be happy out so if you had €500 taken from your card without notification?

    Now you are just changing the variable to suit your own agenda. The fact of the matter is ALL rental companies have it in the terms and conditions of the contracts that if you:

    - Get a fine
    - Pass through a toll without paying
    - or anything along those lines

    You give them authority to take the amount from the card you rented with. As dudara says once they can back it up with evidence and documents that prove the money for was charges incurred, I would have to be happy because I know I gave them the right to in the first place. I would be more upset myself for doing something wrong with their vehicle in the first place that left me paying them 500 big ones..


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    #26
    kcb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 992 ✭✭✭kcb


    Well one of the cases on the Consumer Show was a charge for a windscreen for approx €500....

    Anyway.........

    Beware of Hertz.


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    #27
    keithclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,208 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    kcb wrote: »
    Well one of the cases on the Consumer Show was a charge for a windscreen for approx €500....

    Anyway.........

    Beware of Hertz.

    Written in the T&C's, read the contract, in fact they clearly point this stuff out when you pickup the car.

    I've used pretty much all of them, Sixt, Hertz, Avis, Europecar, Murrays and they are all the same.

    Best thing you can do if you rent regularly is take out a seperate policy to reduce your excess to zero

    E.G.
    http://www.carhireexcess.com/

    Rented a BMW 525D in Germany via Sixt, the excess was 1300 euros !

    In the terms and conditions it said "Nurnburgring use incurred an 800 euro wear and tear charge"

    Honestly I have no sympathy for anyone that doesnt read the contract and then whinges later because they got charged for something they agreed to.


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    #28
    Gon10
    Registered Users Posts: 49 ✭Gon10


    I had the same charge on my credit card from Hertz after hiring in Italy this is an administration fee for giving your details to the Italian police regarding a traffic offence - Your real fine is on the way and it will be a lot more than €36:(


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    #29
    Cheshire Cat
    Registered Users Posts: 2,277 ✭✭✭Cheshire Cat


    We had that charge from another car hire firm in Italy but are still waiting for the actual fine - don't think it will come as it was almost 2 years ago :o


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    #30
    kcb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 992 ✭✭✭kcb


    keithclancy wrote: »
    Honestly I have no sympathy for anyone that doesnt read the contract and then whinges later because they got charged for something they agreed to.

    You're not really copping onto my original point are you... the fact that money was taken without any notification.


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    #31
    keithclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,208 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    kcb wrote: »
    You're not really copping onto my original point are you... the fact that money was taken without any notification.

    Then read the contract !!
    You can't just sign something and then complain later when they enforce it.


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