Poor customer service

Complaint

0
clarion
Country: United Kingdom
I rented a car from Europcar in April while in France. I was not satisfied with the service offered and the additional charges I received afterwards.

First, I had to wait more than an hour to get my car which I rented and paid for well in advance. I was on a tight schedule and that delay unacceptable.

Second, When I returned home, I received a bill from Europcar where they charged me for two extra days, and some damage charge. I tried to investigate what damage was done to the car that I needed to pay for but got nowhere.

Comments

  • 0
    Mark K.
    Might as well throw in another complaint.
    Everything was fine while in Europe.
    However, 3 MONTHS after returning to the States a charge showed up with, of course, no reasoning.
    As usual, no contact could be made to Europecar, etc, etc.
    This company appears to be running some sort of scam...
  • 0
    kp nut
    | 1 reply
    I am amazed with all these problems. I did a search to find out the name and address of the managing director after getting nowhere with my complaint to UK customer services, and I find all these!!!
    I will NOT be using Europcar again.
    When I picked up my car, the engine management warning light was on. Not speaking Italian, I showed the manual to the employee who told me it was OK to go. The car had no power or acceleration (eg 40mph in 3rd gear along a motorway), although at the time I thought it might be inherent to a little 1L model. I did not contact the emergency service neumber as I had been told it was "OK". At the end of the week's hire, I returned the car, showed a different employee who told me the car had to go to the garage. Speaking to a Peugeot dealer in the UK he assured me the car should not have been driven in that state. I have had the manual translated, the employee must have read "return the car to the Peugeot network".
    It has taken 6 weeks to get an answer form the customer services, just to be told the car was OK. NO, IT WASN'T.
    I was also charged on my credit card on my return home (albeit a tiny amount) for the "maintenance of a high visibility vest", that I wasn't even told I had in the car, or told I would be charged extra for. I have two vests in my car at home which I could have used if I had known there was a charge. I can only assume that the base price didn't include all the legal requirements of the country I was visiting - totally unacceptable and very concerning.
    I have now written to the managing director and am wondering what sort of response I will receive. I will be writing to a consumer driving magazine about this.
    Appalling service, both at point of hire abraod and post-hire in the UK.
    • 0
      Gaelh replies to kp nut
      Please give me the contact details for the Managing Director of Europcar as they have fraudulently taken money from my credit card. I have had no sensible response to all my queries. NEVER use Europcar as they are shocking
  • 0
    Extremely Irritated with Europcar
    No point in having an email address as they never reply to this anyway
  • 0
    Tealeaf
    Hi All,
    Just received another odd amount charged to CC for Stg91.05 from Europcar Leicester after being dinged approximately that amount (a little more) for a cut tire. The cut tire incident was highly suspicious as it was discovered in the dark so quickly at Heathrow drop off and the accident report provided was time dated before I arrived on site. (I have a Gas receipt for top up just prior to site to prove that).
    Naturally, I have disputed this latest with my CC Company, but given the odd amount it seems v. unlikely to be for a speeding ticket. I am a 63 yr old male who is not in the habit of speeding. More if I get to the bottom of this, but I clearly don't like these guys
  • 0
    mcternan ireland october 2009
    Have to agree with all the complaints, i was overcharged for fuel when the car was brought back with a full tank on 2 occasions from Nice airport, in july and AGAIN IN OCTOBER, THEY ARE ROBBERS!!!!!! I cannot contact any customer rep. I WILL NOT BE USING THIS COMPANY AGAIN
  • 0
    elaine
    We called our credit card and they tried to dispute the charges but Europcar sent them some fake documents and they insisted we should pay - case is closed.
  • 0
    Angry Aussie Europcar Customer
    Hired a car from Europcar in Darwin, Australia. We returned the vehicle before the due time, and made a note of the kilometres used. We were then charged for an extra day, and extra km's were on the report than we actually used. When we tried to contact them, they claimed the problem was due to a computer error but refused to remove the excess charges. when we finally got hold of a customer service rep, he claimed that we had dropped the car in a day late and gave the keys to the manager (an older gentleman). it was in fact returned on the correct day, and it was a young woman who received the keys. After several phone calls and emails (and a suggestion the view the security tapes at the airport), they have finally decided to refund the money. Just waiting now to see if they actually do refund it
  • 0
    Tealeaf
    Hi All,
    The extra charge of Stg 91 odd was the result of a 200 yd incursion into the London Zone, so I cannot complain about Europecar on that item.
    However it would have been useful for them to post the Invoice and details on their site; a lack of administrative finesse.

    Anyway, all, do watch out as the London Zone cameras ARE very effective.
    Make sure you buy the Zone Pass. GLTA
  • 0
    Ripped off
    We hired from  Europcar a Kangoo passenger van through carhire3000 (no help after from them)to be collected at Carcassonne Airport France. On arrival we were given a Peugot car not a passenger van. not suitable for the luggage we had.
    We were not told by the Carcassonne airport office the vehicle had been changed just handed car keys. Fifteen minutes later we were told it had been changed from a passenger VAN to a car. We returned the car on time with the tank full. However, our credit card was debited an extra day and a deduction for fuel and filling the tank was also made. Numerous detailed emails were sent to EuropcarFrance who totally ignored the complaints. Europcar UK was involved 2 months later and they managed to establish the credit card deductions should not have been made and they were refunded. However, the next card statement had a 25 euro deduction. After more emails Europcar UK told me the deduction by Europcar France was for dealing with a traffic offence submitted by a "local Authority"  Europcar can not provide the details of the offence because the "local authority" did not give them details. We are now waiting to learn from Europcar the name of the Authority that after 3 months have not contacted us yet for a payment. Carhire3000 have not been any help at all. Plenty of waffle but no help. I wish someone would tell the Chief Executive of Europcar how his company is deducting money that is not authorised and for reasons they make up. EUROPCAR A company to be avoided when you read all their complaints about deducting extra money. What scammers!
  • 0
    MatthewA
    Having been charged for fuel plus a surcharge after returning my hire car (filled to the brim at the petrol station within the airport a few hundred metres from the depot) to Europcar at Nice airport in November....a matter which I consider fraud or theft....I have struggled to get a response from the Head Office in France.  Considering the number of complaints about Europcar (particularly about their lack of response to complaints) on various blogs on the net, I guess I shouldn't be surprised.  I will continue to pursue the matter but this is the last time I will knowingly rent from Europcar anywhere in the world ever again.
  • 0
    greg milbourne
    snap m8. thing is they owe me £650. they r a  terrible company and i will never deal with them again
  • 0
    Greg Milbourne
    [***] company, dont even want to get in to it, but yes they are [***]!!!!
  • 0
    bond
    Exactly the same has now happened to me. They have charged me £91 two month after car hire ended, and I don't have a clue why.

    If you use EUROPCAR get ready to get your creditcard riped for money over and over again. Hope I get my money back, but not sure with this company.
  • 0
    Bill
    Please, please, please!  Do yourself and avoid anything to do with Europcar!  I arranged a rental car through AutoEurope and they brokered my reservation to Europcar.  I had to wait for an hour and a half as they sorted paper work.  The all inclusive insurance and corresponding deductibles I had arranged with AutoEurope were unilaterally jacked up on me.  They are now trying to charge me for mechanical problems with the vehicle.  They subsequently charged my charge card for fuel, even though I refilled to the brim five minutes before drop-off. They have added other charges for tires, taxes, GPS (which I prepaid), and they would not give me a statement or receipt when I turne the vehicle in.  Their business model is one of ripping off tourists, who are leaving the country and have little recourse once they return home. Avoic them like the plague!!!
  • 0
    Bill
    Please, please, please!  Do yourself a favor and avoid anything to do with Europcar!  I arranged a rental car through AutoEurope and they brokered my reservation to Europcar.  I had to wait for an hour and a half as they sorted paper work.  The all inclusive insurance and corresponding deductibles I had arranged with AutoEurope were unilaterally jacked up on me.  They are now trying to charge me for mechanical problems with the vehicle.  They subsequently charged my charge card for fuel, even though I refilled to the brim five minutes before drop-off. They have added other charges for tires, taxes, GPS (which I prepaid), and they would not give me a statement or receipt when I turne the vehicle in.  Their business model is one of ripping off tourists, who are leaving the country and have little recourse once they return home. Avoid them like the plague!!!
  • 0
    jim an sue
    if you think those are bad check this out my wife and i booked a Europcar for 10days in England for the Xmas period we like most booked online and paid by credit card when we arrived from Canada we went to their office to collect or car and the agreed price went from 215.40pds (ie) 382.36 CAD TO 426.34PDS We ask why and was told insurance and theft i told them no chance and we would go else where to hire a car then they told us their was a mistake and we got our car maybe your thinking what is the problem we got about 40 miles and the heater packed up when we got to our destination Ramsgate in Kent i called customer service it took about 45min to get through to them and when we did the person on the phone could hardly speak English and told us to take the car back to the airport can you believe all in all this did not happen they sent a mechanic out who had nothing to do with europcar with a 20ton wreck truck in a no exit street the driver told me he got a call to come and fix it then he told me he does not fix cars just large diesel trucks and off he went i got on to them again and THEY told more stories this time two days later to DOVER office where they changed the car when we returned the second car to the airport because of the bad weather we was late for our flight hence just drop the car and run now to the SCAM beware we was charged for the truck we was charged for gas the car was full we was charged for a damaged tire and yes the insurance and theft total charge to our credit card 1560.88can 800.00pnds we are still trying to fight them with no success at the moment DO NOT HIRE A CAR FROM EUROPCAR AT ANY TIME (or) RIPYOU CAR
  • 0
    JIM
    TRUST ME I WAS A TRUCK DRIVER AND KNOW HOW IT WORKS IN ITALY AND HOW BENT THEY ARE THEY INVENT THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE LIKE YOU WAS SPEEDING WHAT THEY REALLY MEAN IS GIVE ME A BACK HANDER SO THATS WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU MATE
  • 0
    George
    I could not agree more. I have hired many cars from different organisations and Europcar is absolutly and unequivocally the WORST I have ever encountered. I wish I had read about this company earlier as I would never have used them.

    I hired a car from EUROPCAR as a combined ticket and car hire payment from EASYJET as I was visiting Glasgow Scotland. It seems that EASYJET has a special relationship with EUROPCAR. The car I received from Europcar got a puncture the day after I hired it. It appears that the same wheel had had problems just before my hire. A cost of UK£72 was arbitrarily docked from my credit card without my knowledge (no receipts or details given as to how it was calculated). One month later a further sum of UK£165.00 was, quite suddenly and with no explanation, taken from my account.It is truly outrageous. If this is not theft, what is?

    I am handing the whole affair over to my lawyers as I suspect this company has been up to tricks with numerous other victims.
  • 0
    Tony
    Hired a van for 1 day which should have cost £38. Credit card charged £838.
    No explanation, no correspondence and no answer to telephone calls and emails.
    I still have the form which clearly shows "vehicle returned without damage".
    The depot were no help either. They don't care.
    Disputed the payment which the bank but I am not holding my breath despite having the form as proof.
    I feel sick.

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