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Travel Q&A
There's a dented fender on my bill!
Rent a car in Europe and you may get dinged. But there are ways to protect yourself.
RENTING a car in Europe this summer? Don't be surprised if you're charged for damages you say you didn't cause — or that don't exist.
Increasingly, bills for repairs are popping up on consumers' credit card statements long after they've returned home.
FOR THE RECORD:
Rental-car companies: A Travel Q&A column in Sunday's Travel section reported that Vanguard Car Rental USA Inc., which owns National and Alamo rental companies, was based in St. Louis. It is based in Tulsa, Okla. —
Rental firms deny any wrongdoing. But traveler Michael Remmert, for one, claims rental records are being changed after the fact. Remmert said he was dinged almost $1,000 for repairs a month after returning a Hertz car in Germany without a scratch. One year later, the matter is still in dispute.
Paula Rivera, a spokeswoman for Hertz, said that the corporation was "concerned" with Remmert's experience and that it was investigating the matter.
His credit card issuer, Bank of America, initially declined to remove the charge, then reopened the investigation at Travel Q&A's request. As this story went to press, the bank agreed to wipe out the repair bill plus almost $700 in late fees and finance charges.
Remmert, a Manhattan Beach cameraman, requested his rental records after getting billed. He said an unsigned "accident report" had been filed with Hertz under his name five days after he returned to the U.S.
Remmert said the accompanying repair estimate also raised his concern. It was written one month after the damage charge appeared on his card statement, he said, and included wear-and-tear fixes such as replacement of a door handle, door locks, window lever, door arm molding and wheel bearings.
"They did a complete repair job on my dime," he alleged.
Remmert's problem is a cautionary tale for Europe-bound travelers: Rent at your own risk.
"People here are getting ripped off left, right and center with hidden charges," said Michelle Southby, spokeswoman for Robert Evans, a representative of Britain who sits on the European Union's travel and tourism committee.
Evans is pushing for stronger consumer protections in car rentals. "If you pay by credit card for something in a shop or for a room in a hotel, that information cannot be used retrospectively with more charges added on," he recently told the EU commission. "However, this does seem to be happening in the car hire industry. There are many companies who charge people for damage that has not occurred or is very minor."
Car-rental complaints in Britain tripled in the first half of 2006, according to the consumer unit of the Office of Fair Trading. About 22% of those complaints related to overcharging and unfair business practices.
"Once they have your credit card, they can add any charges, and there's not much you can do," Southby said. "It's up to you to argue it over the phone across borders, which is not easy."
In April, the Times of London asserted that two rental companies — National and Alamo — paid bonuses to employees to charge customers for scratches and dents.
St. Louis-based Vanguard Car Rental USA (which owns both companies) denied the allegations when asked for comment: "We do not pay commissions, incentives and bonuses for finding damages," spokesman Charles Pulley said.
Some travelers allege that car companies are pressuring renters to buy insurance coverage; those who don't are more likely to be billed for mysterious damage, they say.
Phil Cameron, a San Francisco-based international travel attorney, claims he was charged about $200 for repairs after renting a car in Britain. Cameron says he returned the Alamo rental without a scratch, but the rental representative charged his credit card — while he was there — for repairs. When he tried to dispute the charge, the clerk told him to call Alamo, Cameron said.
In a written statement, Alamo said it is not the company's policy to "charge customers without knowing the repair costs" and that the company does not single out renters who don't buy insurance coverage.
Rental companies say every ding and dent reduces the value of cars returned to manufacturers or sold in the aftermarket. And they acknowledge that, sometimes during peak seasons, inspectors can miss damage and then charge the next renter for it.
Franchise and corporate-owned operations in smaller cities may also be more aggressive at chasing down dings because they're less able to absorb the losses, say industry representatives.
"They're supposed to operate to our standards, but there could be abuse and it has to be monitored," Vanguard's Pulley said. "That's why we suggest buying insurance.
"But if there's a mistake, we'd absolutely reverse the charges."
Damage policies vary by location, so it's hard for renters to tell which ding will trigger a charge.
"In some countries, a pebble that jumps up and causes a ding on the highway may be minor," said Neil Abrams, a Westchester, N.Y.-based car rental consultant. Elsewhere, that same pebble might mean a charge to the renter. "It's an individual company policy," he said.
Remmert, meanwhile, is satisfied with Bank of America's action. We had not heard from Hertz about any possible resolution of his problem as of the Travel section's deadline Tuesday.
What recourse do renters have against such charges?
• Slow down the walk-around check for damage. Car-rental companies may try to speed up the rental process, but customers should take lots of time inspecting the vehicle.
• Pack a camera and magnifying glass. Photos are excellent evidence in court if it comes to that. And a magnifier ensures that even the faintest ding won't go unnoticed.
• Get signed off by the rental representative. After doing the walk-around in his or her presence, have the employee sign your receipt verifying the car's condition when dropped off.
• Request rental records for your transaction and those of renters before and after you.
• File a complaint. If you feel you've been scammed, report the incident immediately to the car rental company, the credit card company, local police and authorities. In Europe, that's EU Consumer Affairs (ec.europa.eu/consumers/redress/compl/index_en.htm) or your local attorney general (in California, ag.ca.gov/consumers/general.htm) and the Better Business Bureau (in L.A., http://www.labbb.org/BBBWeb/Forms/General/Home.aspx ). The British car rental trade group publishes a guide for consumers at http://www.bvrla.co.uk/pdf/information/consumer_guide_A4.pdf .
**
Is plane cleared for takeoff?
Question: Early this year, I read that the CRJ-200s, a type of regional jet, were under Urgent Safety Order from the National Transportation Safety Board because of six cockpit fires in six months. Since I was scheduled to fly two segments on these aircraft, I called United to find out whether the steps ordered by NTSB had been taken by its partner, SkyWest. Are these planes safe?
— Greg Carmack
Los Angeles
Answer: Six incidents in six months is enough to make any flier skittish. But airlines insist that the planes are safe — and that they're cooperating with the manufacturer and authorities to ensure the future integrity of the Canadair Regional Jet 200 series.
The problem, however, was serious enough for the Federal Aviation Administration to issue an Airworthiness Directive, requiring airlines to make safety "modifications" by July 30.
These 40- and 50-seat workhorses are hard to avoid if you're headed to a smaller city in the U.S. or overseas.
There are more than 800 CRJ-200s flying throughout the world. Most are operated by Comair (owned by Delta), SkyWest (which partners with United and Delta), Lufthansa and Air Nostrum (Spain).
About 70% of these planes have an electrical component defect that causes cockpit instruments to short-circuit when exposed to dampness, said Mark O'Holloran, spokesman for the manufacturer, Canada-based Bombardier.
O"Holloran says 90% of airlines have made the required fixes ahead of schedule. SkyWest and Comair, which fly the most CRJ-200s domestically, say they're in full compliance with FAA regulations. But 10% of the faulty ones are still flying.
"To say that 'these planes will start burning up because they have 90 days to fix them' is not justified," says FAA spokesman Les Dorr, explaining that the agency rarely grounds aircraft. "The problem is well understood, and operators are taking preemptive measures."
But according to O'Holloran, this is an "interim fix."
"It's the first of a number of recommendations by the NTSB," he says. "Our first priority was to ensure safety of passengers. And there have been no reported incidences since the first of the year."
*
Laurie Berger welcomes questions but cannot respond to all of them. E-mail travel@laurieberger.com. Please Include your name, city and phone number.
Increasingly, bills for repairs are popping up on consumers' credit card statements long after they've returned home.
Rental-car companies: A Travel Q&A column in Sunday's Travel section reported that Vanguard Car Rental USA Inc., which owns National and Alamo rental companies, was based in St. Louis. It is based in Tulsa, Okla. —
Rental firms deny any wrongdoing. But traveler Michael Remmert, for one, claims rental records are being changed after the fact. Remmert said he was dinged almost $1,000 for repairs a month after returning a Hertz car in Germany without a scratch. One year later, the matter is still in dispute.
Paula Rivera, a spokeswoman for Hertz, said that the corporation was "concerned" with Remmert's experience and that it was investigating the matter.
His credit card issuer, Bank of America, initially declined to remove the charge, then reopened the investigation at Travel Q&A's request. As this story went to press, the bank agreed to wipe out the repair bill plus almost $700 in late fees and finance charges.
Remmert, a Manhattan Beach cameraman, requested his rental records after getting billed. He said an unsigned "accident report" had been filed with Hertz under his name five days after he returned to the U.S.
Remmert said the accompanying repair estimate also raised his concern. It was written one month after the damage charge appeared on his card statement, he said, and included wear-and-tear fixes such as replacement of a door handle, door locks, window lever, door arm molding and wheel bearings.
"They did a complete repair job on my dime," he alleged.
Remmert's problem is a cautionary tale for Europe-bound travelers: Rent at your own risk.
"People here are getting ripped off left, right and center with hidden charges," said Michelle Southby, spokeswoman for Robert Evans, a representative of Britain who sits on the European Union's travel and tourism committee.
Evans is pushing for stronger consumer protections in car rentals. "If you pay by credit card for something in a shop or for a room in a hotel, that information cannot be used retrospectively with more charges added on," he recently told the EU commission. "However, this does seem to be happening in the car hire industry. There are many companies who charge people for damage that has not occurred or is very minor."
Car-rental complaints in Britain tripled in the first half of 2006, according to the consumer unit of the Office of Fair Trading. About 22% of those complaints related to overcharging and unfair business practices.
"Once they have your credit card, they can add any charges, and there's not much you can do," Southby said. "It's up to you to argue it over the phone across borders, which is not easy."
In April, the Times of London asserted that two rental companies — National and Alamo — paid bonuses to employees to charge customers for scratches and dents.
St. Louis-based Vanguard Car Rental USA (which owns both companies) denied the allegations when asked for comment: "We do not pay commissions, incentives and bonuses for finding damages," spokesman Charles Pulley said.
Some travelers allege that car companies are pressuring renters to buy insurance coverage; those who don't are more likely to be billed for mysterious damage, they say.
Phil Cameron, a San Francisco-based international travel attorney, claims he was charged about $200 for repairs after renting a car in Britain. Cameron says he returned the Alamo rental without a scratch, but the rental representative charged his credit card — while he was there — for repairs. When he tried to dispute the charge, the clerk told him to call Alamo, Cameron said.
In a written statement, Alamo said it is not the company's policy to "charge customers without knowing the repair costs" and that the company does not single out renters who don't buy insurance coverage.
Rental companies say every ding and dent reduces the value of cars returned to manufacturers or sold in the aftermarket. And they acknowledge that, sometimes during peak seasons, inspectors can miss damage and then charge the next renter for it.
Franchise and corporate-owned operations in smaller cities may also be more aggressive at chasing down dings because they're less able to absorb the losses, say industry representatives.
"They're supposed to operate to our standards, but there could be abuse and it has to be monitored," Vanguard's Pulley said. "That's why we suggest buying insurance.
"But if there's a mistake, we'd absolutely reverse the charges."
Damage policies vary by location, so it's hard for renters to tell which ding will trigger a charge.
"In some countries, a pebble that jumps up and causes a ding on the highway may be minor," said Neil Abrams, a Westchester, N.Y.-based car rental consultant. Elsewhere, that same pebble might mean a charge to the renter. "It's an individual company policy," he said.
Remmert, meanwhile, is satisfied with Bank of America's action. We had not heard from Hertz about any possible resolution of his problem as of the Travel section's deadline Tuesday.
What recourse do renters have against such charges?
• Slow down the walk-around check for damage. Car-rental companies may try to speed up the rental process, but customers should take lots of time inspecting the vehicle.
• Pack a camera and magnifying glass. Photos are excellent evidence in court if it comes to that. And a magnifier ensures that even the faintest ding won't go unnoticed.
• Get signed off by the rental representative. After doing the walk-around in his or her presence, have the employee sign your receipt verifying the car's condition when dropped off.
• Request rental records for your transaction and those of renters before and after you.
• File a complaint. If you feel you've been scammed, report the incident immediately to the car rental company, the credit card company, local police and authorities. In Europe, that's EU Consumer Affairs (ec.europa.eu/consumers/redress/compl/index_en.htm) or your local attorney general (in California, ag.ca.gov/consumers/general.htm) and the Better Business Bureau (in L.A., http://www.labbb.org/BBBWeb/Forms/General/Home.aspx ). The British car rental trade group publishes a guide for consumers at http://www.bvrla.co.uk/pdf/information/consumer_guide_A4.pdf .
**
Is plane cleared for takeoff?
Question: Early this year, I read that the CRJ-200s, a type of regional jet, were under Urgent Safety Order from the National Transportation Safety Board because of six cockpit fires in six months. Since I was scheduled to fly two segments on these aircraft, I called United to find out whether the steps ordered by NTSB had been taken by its partner, SkyWest. Are these planes safe?
— Greg Carmack
Los Angeles
Answer: Six incidents in six months is enough to make any flier skittish. But airlines insist that the planes are safe — and that they're cooperating with the manufacturer and authorities to ensure the future integrity of the Canadair Regional Jet 200 series.
The problem, however, was serious enough for the Federal Aviation Administration to issue an Airworthiness Directive, requiring airlines to make safety "modifications" by July 30.
These 40- and 50-seat workhorses are hard to avoid if you're headed to a smaller city in the U.S. or overseas.
There are more than 800 CRJ-200s flying throughout the world. Most are operated by Comair (owned by Delta), SkyWest (which partners with United and Delta), Lufthansa and Air Nostrum (Spain).
About 70% of these planes have an electrical component defect that causes cockpit instruments to short-circuit when exposed to dampness, said Mark O'Holloran, spokesman for the manufacturer, Canada-based Bombardier.
O"Holloran says 90% of airlines have made the required fixes ahead of schedule. SkyWest and Comair, which fly the most CRJ-200s domestically, say they're in full compliance with FAA regulations. But 10% of the faulty ones are still flying.
"To say that 'these planes will start burning up because they have 90 days to fix them' is not justified," says FAA spokesman Les Dorr, explaining that the agency rarely grounds aircraft. "The problem is well understood, and operators are taking preemptive measures."
But according to O'Holloran, this is an "interim fix."
"It's the first of a number of recommendations by the NTSB," he says. "Our first priority was to ensure safety of passengers. And there have been no reported incidences since the first of the year."
*
Laurie Berger welcomes questions but cannot respond to all of them. E-mail travel@laurieberger.com. Please Include your name, city and phone number.
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