BEWARE of SIXT car rentals in Italy
Complaint
guyd
Country: Australia
Be very careful using this company. I rented a car for less than 24 hours. I returned it to Pisa airport and my security bond was returned 3 days later. Then three weeks after that I notice on my credit card statement 300 euros has been taken by AUTONOLEGGIO SIXT. They just took this money and didn't notify me.
I phoned to find out what's going on and they told me 'the rear hatch of the car was damaged'. I knew the car was not damaged when I returned it, so I told them this. They said 'your request must be in writing.' So I email. Finally a month later they reply to my email.
Now they say the front 'bonnet of the car was damaged' and attach a photo of a scratch on some car. The photo of 'the damage' might not even be the same car. They say:
"At check-in, Customer is obliged to ask for signature of Sixt employee on the Check-in report where actual conditions and fuel level have to be written. Without the above-mentioned sign Sixt’s determinations will be valid and tacitly accepted."
But their office wasn't open when I returned the car - 7:30am on a Monday morning at Pisa airport. So how could i get a signature?
They refuse to refund the money. I phone and they refuse to discuss the matter any further. They just say 'your request must be in writing.'
Sixt stole 300 euros from me. Don't let it happen to you.
I phoned to find out what's going on and they told me 'the rear hatch of the car was damaged'. I knew the car was not damaged when I returned it, so I told them this. They said 'your request must be in writing.' So I email. Finally a month later they reply to my email.
Now they say the front 'bonnet of the car was damaged' and attach a photo of a scratch on some car. The photo of 'the damage' might not even be the same car. They say:
"At check-in, Customer is obliged to ask for signature of Sixt employee on the Check-in report where actual conditions and fuel level have to be written. Without the above-mentioned sign Sixt’s determinations will be valid and tacitly accepted."
But their office wasn't open when I returned the car - 7:30am on a Monday morning at Pisa airport. So how could i get a signature?
They refuse to refund the money. I phone and they refuse to discuss the matter any further. They just say 'your request must be in writing.'
Sixt stole 300 euros from me. Don't let it happen to you.
Comments
We're from Canada and were scammed similarly by car company SIXT at Rome's Fiumicino airport on Nov 15 2012.
They said we burnt the clutches out on 2 cars in a 5 hour period when we returned twice to the airport, ditched these malfunctioning cars and rented successfully from Europe Car for the duration of our stay as we do often elsewhere since we travel a lot. We were later billed without notice just over $4000 CAD - 3075 euro.
There was no communication from SIXT to our inbox in spite of that mechanism having been successfully used to secure their car rental. Hmmm...? Bogus pics were emailed from them to Amex which proved nothing other than these guys are well practised at card theft.
American Express has so far unsuccessfully dealt with them, but the costs have now been suspended since I have insisted this is fraud not a dispute or chargeback situation. If it is not fully refunded to me, I will spend in court whatever necessary to expose both SIXT and Amex' willingness to support card crime.
Google Italy Car Rental Scams: prepare for a long, infuriating read. There has been over a 30% increase in illegitmate European car rental scams since 2010, in Italy especially, not exactly a surprise.
A collapsing Euro zone, too frequently sees travellers as Fat Cats who can afford to contribute to their economic woes caused by decades of their fiscal irresponsibiltiy when they should have been spending less, saving and not having so many siestas.
Get your money back. In that google link is an investigative link assisting travellers with this fraud.
Canada Colleen
I have left this complaint a little too late but after realizing my work colleagues have also experienced problems with this SIXT Birmingham Airport branch I need to make people aware of this so called car rental company called SIXT.
Availability terrible
Not the car I booked
Branch Manager Lee Smith not taking accountability but instead passing it on to someone else.
And here’s my complaint the branch states it’s open at 06:30am, I was here at 06.40am nobody was here not even Lee Smith. Terrible Terrible running of branch.