
Or maybe the customer is unaware that he or she had a minor fender bender, too. An employee of the rental company might have dinged the car or another customer might have had an unreported accident. Most often, though, the damage happened, Weinberg said. In some cases, he said, there could be a rogue actor, perhaps at a franchise outlet, who might falsely charge customers and hope they'll just pay the bill without complaining. "It does happen that a car rental company will bill you for damage that doesn't exist," said Jonathan Weinberg, CEO and founder of, a free website that searches hundreds of coupons and discounts for rental companies to get you a deal. They were able reach an agreement and did not have to pay the charges for damages. The good news: Some consumers who felt they were wronged ended up fighting the bill.

The report noted the "customer walked away" when the car was dropped off, as allowed, before the office opened because the couple was catching an early flight.Ĭonsumers are often upset with the car rental companies, as well as the billings service, which may send the first notice the customer sees about the charge for damages.Ībout 90 complaints were answered or resolved in the past three years involving Viking, including 59 involving billing or collection issues, according to the BBB.

BUDGET CAR RENTAL RECEIPT DRIVER
Again, the driver complained that the damage wasn't there when that customer returned the car. I know there was no damage while I had the car."Īnother consumer was upset about a claim for $1,396.68 for damage that the consumer did not believe took place during the rental.Ī local consumer told me about renting a car at Thanksgiving from Thrifty and then receiving a bill from Viking Client Services, a collections agency and billings service, in March for about $465 - including roughly $100 for "loss of use" on the car and a $50 administrative fee. One consumer complained late last year to the BBB saying: "I rented a car from Budget and returned it on July 5th of (2017), 5 months after returning the car I get a bill from Viking Billing Service stating that I damaged the car and claimed $798.01. Angry consumers who have found themselves staring at a bill have turned to the Better Business Bureau and others to complain about their billing and collections incidents involving rental cars and damages. It's one potential rip-off to avoid during summer vacation season. Maybe you're being charged for dings that you're convinced weren't there when you turned in the rental car.

How's this one for a summer vacation horror story? Rent a car, return it and then, three or four months later, get a bill for $500 or more for damages.
BUDGET CAR RENTAL RECEIPT HOW TO
Watch Video: How to avoid getting dinged when renting a car
