False windshield damages charge on VISA
Complaint
Dan Leonik
Country: France
I had arranged a car rental with National Citer at the Roissy Airport in Paris through a third party Transhire Worldwide April 6 - April 13, 2009 (1 week). The rental was prepaid by cvoucher, but they still took my VISA credit card imprint which is not unusal in my experience.
Renting a car internationally is always a paranoid experience, and so one is extra careful. I returned the car to the proper parking garage level, undamaged and full of fuel. There was no one to check the car in as in the USA, and this seems typical in Europe.
I turned the car keys in at the desk where I got them and proceeded to take the train to Paris for my last few days of vacation. After I returned home, I saw that Citer S.A. had charged me $942 on my VISA. I immediately called Chase VISA and asked them to take that charge off since I didn't know what it was. This they did.
After inquiring to Transhire, they finally responded and said that there was 'windshield damage' and to contact Citer about it. Citer S.A. filed false windshield damages onto my Chase VISA credit card. I suppose they want either me or VISA to pay them for something that did not happen under my rental time period.
Renting a car internationally is always a paranoid experience, and so one is extra careful. I returned the car to the proper parking garage level, undamaged and full of fuel. There was no one to check the car in as in the USA, and this seems typical in Europe.
I turned the car keys in at the desk where I got them and proceeded to take the train to Paris for my last few days of vacation. After I returned home, I saw that Citer S.A. had charged me $942 on my VISA. I immediately called Chase VISA and asked them to take that charge off since I didn't know what it was. This they did.
After inquiring to Transhire, they finally responded and said that there was 'windshield damage' and to contact Citer about it. Citer S.A. filed false windshield damages onto my Chase VISA credit card. I suppose they want either me or VISA to pay them for something that did not happen under my rental time period.
Comments
I barely drove the car. I was in France for my wife's brother's funeral. We drove from Paris to Laon and back. There was no damage to the car when I returned it. The problem was, they have no staff to check in the car. So, all I could do was drop off the keys at the counter and hope for the best. Ten days later I get a bill for $150 charged to American Express for a spare tire.
So, I contact the rental car company. First, I'm told that I'm being charged for a spare tire. Somebody stole the spare tire? When? Where? Then Citer forwards me a receipt for changing a tire (not a replacement spare) from "Jaw's Racing Designs" in Paris for 111.68 Euros. "Jaw's Racing Designs" are you serious? When I ask them what this has to do with me? All I'm told is, "this is a valid charge."
Now, I'm trying to contest the charge through American Express. It's a nightmare. It's been going on for two months. To date, they can't tell me which tire was damaged or how it was damaged. Just that I owe them $150 for a tire they changed five days after I dropped off the car.
http://www.cheaperholidays.com/travel/transhi ... ses/2010/03/29/
Best way around it if you cant get a final inspection is to always take the full insurance...a rip off in its self but it gives you peace of mind and you know exactly the final charge.