Car Hire Rip off in Italy

scout353

I would like to share (warn) Boardsies about my experiences in Italy this year with car hire.

Went to Verona in May and flew into Bergamo and rented a car for the weekend with Hertz.

Arrived back in Bergamo nearly two hours before my flight home and checked the car back before heading to the terminal.

About a fortnight later I discovered an additional charge on my credit card and upon checking with Hertx was told it was a late return fee and I exceeded my rental agreement.

However, when I pointed out that I was probably flying over Switzerland at the time that I was supposedly checking back the car, they refunded the charge.

Two weeks later (early June) I flew to Rome and rented a car from Auto Strada (Sicily by Car). Spent the time in South Tuscany and while there I picked up a parking fine which I went to great lengths to pay so as to avoid charges from the car rental company.

In October there was a charge on my credit card from Auto Europa and when I queried it I was told that there was an administration charge for dealing with the fine in Tuscany ( they told me that they received notice of the fine and that it had been paid!) and also another fine received in Milan.

Now I hadn't been to Milan and the paperwork they sent me to support the fine showed that the fine was for a VW Golf yet I had rented a FIAT!

They are now refusing to respond to emails and there is no customer service telephone number. Calls to the Rome airport office have been futile!

Any suggestions for further action?

stantheman8

Hey Scout.
How did this work out for you in the end?
Am in the process of booking a hire with Auto Europa when I decided to check them out on Boards and saw your thread - hence my interest.
They do seem to be the cheapest - but that may not equate to best value if your experience is anything to go by!
Anyone else have any experience with Auto Europa?
Thanks!

drunkmonkey

I got a stone chip on the window on the way to the airport with auto europa even though I had full cover, whacked 300 off my credit card when I got home even though they said at the airport it was fine, think i've left it to long to try and get my money back should have acted quicker.
One thing i'll say about auto europa is they have hard to find cars, nothing like bombing around the hills of Italy with the top down, would recommend them if you want a convertible on the cheap, mini cooper is perfect.

mikedragon32

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I got a stone chip on the window on the way to the airport with auto europa even though I had full cover, whacked 300 off my credit card when I got home even though they said at the airport it was fine, think i've left it to long to try and get my money back should have acted quicker.
One thing i'll say about auto europa is they have hard to find cars, nothing like bombing around the hills of Italy with the top down, would recommend them if you want a convertible on the cheap, mini cooper is perfect.

Hardly seems that cheap if they sting you for €300 after you've returned home...

scout353

Eventually found a number for their head office and called them - again they refused to deal with me over the telephone and suggested email.

I argued my case yet again and did not get a response.

However, about two months later I checked my credit card account and found a refund of the money - they hadn't bothered to reply but did refund all the charges!

Seems to be a similar situation across Italy so I guess the advice is to be very vigilant with whatever company you deal with!

One thing I do now is I photograph any dents when I pick up the car and in some cases I actually use the video function on Iphone and do a quick scan around the car so I have evidence of anything there prior to accepting the vehicle.

Irlandese

scout353 wrote: »

I would like to share (warn) Boardsies about my experiences in Italy this year with car hire.

Went to Verona in May and flew into Bergamo and rented a car for the weekend with Hertz.

Arrived back in Bergamo nearly two hours before my flight home and checked the car back before heading to the terminal.

About a fortnight later I discovered an additional charge on my credit card and upon checking with Hertx was told it was a late return fee and I exceeded my rental agreement.

However, when I pointed out that I was probably flying over Switzerland at the time that I was supposedly checking back the car, they refunded the charge.

Two weeks later (early June) I flew to Rome and rented a car from Auto Strada (Sicily by Car). Spent the time in South Tuscany and while there I picked up a parking fine which I went to great lengths to pay so as to avoid charges from the car rental company.

In October there was a charge on my credit card from Auto Europa and when I queried it I was told that there was an administration charge for dealing with the fine in Tuscany ( they told me that they received notice of the fine and that it had been paid!) and also another fine received in Milan.

Now I hadn't been to Milan and the paperwork they sent me to support the fine showed that the fine was for a VW Golf yet I had rented a FIAT!

They are now refusing to respond to emails and there is no customer service telephone number. Calls to the Rome airport office have been futile!

Any suggestions for further action?

Sorry I only see this now.
Any similar problems in Italy, get a local lawyer to take the case before a Justice of the Peace and it will usually be sorted justly. Do not talk to the monkey or the organ grinder,go directly to a lawyer and get them to handle matters.
If you do not speak the language, get a translater to deal with lawyer for you.
Get an ex-pat with an suitable background and good legal contacts and you will be safer than in most other countries, anywhere.

Irlandese

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I got a stone chip on the window on the way to the airport with auto europa even though I had full cover, whacked 300 off my credit card when I got home even though they said at the airport it was fine, think i've left it to long to try and get my money back should have acted quicker.
One thing i'll say about auto europa is they have hard to find cars, nothing like bombing around the hills of Italy with the top down, would recommend them if you want a convertible on the cheap, mini cooper is perfect.

Same reply as to previous. By the way, in Italy, you can sue the council for chipped windscreens. Get a lawyer involved.

Zena

Hi there,

Just wanted to add my costly car hire scenario to this.

Went on hols to Italy in Oct, rented a car, everything went fine, nice car - no complaints.

In Nov had €60.50 deducted from credit card from auto europa - Sicily By Car
In Dec has €60.50 deducted from credit card from auto europa - Sicily By Car

On querying the reason for these deductions, they told us it was an administration fee they charged us for providing our details to town council, as we have incurred a fine.

A month later and we have received letters for the 2 actual fines.

1 costing €76.00 which we paid online
The other costing €89.00 which we had to pay by bank transfer within certain time period, otherwise we could have more fines!!!

So we are down €286.

When asked about exact details both fine were apparently for entering restricted areas, but none of us can remember doing so. Even the picture they provide for one of the fines does not look like an infringement.

When asking for further details they are not helpful at all!

So just wanted to warn you all.

I shall not be going to Italy in a hurry again!

Zena

Tigerandahalf

Crikey,
some people have had pretty bad experiences. There is no way I would pay any fine once I'd left the country. Be tough with them. I often find in situations like this, tell them you are contacting your solicitor (even if you are not serious!). It normally gets these boys in motion. If they say you damaged something, get them to show photo proof of the car before and after you purchased it. If they don't have it they don't have a leg to stand on. Some companies give you a sheet before hand with all major kinks and damage on it, so they have something to compare afterwards.
As regards the fines, that sounds dodgy. Now maybe you were careless/didn't know and parked in the wrong spot. However, it's also possible that a clamper could seek out Hire cars, especially if the clampers are private.
It really is poor service.

Tigerandahalf

Crikey,
some people have had pretty bad experiences. There is no way I would pay any fine once I'd left the country. Be tough with them. I often find in situations like this, tell them you are contacting your solicitor (even if you are not serious!). It normally gets these boys in motion. If they say you damaged something, get them to show photo proof of the car before and after you purchased it. If they don't have it they don't have a leg to stand on. Some companies give you a sheet before hand with all major kinks and damage on it, so they have something to compare afterwards.
As regards the fines, that sounds dodgy. Now maybe you were careless/didn't know and parked in the wrong spot. However, it's also possible that a clamper could seek out Hire cars, especially if the clampers are private.
It really is poor service.
One other thing always do complaint correspondence through email as you have a record of what they say.

naughtysmurf

When returning a car I always write "returned with no damage" in the local lingo on my rental contract and get someone from rental company to sign it, don't know if it would really help if a dispute arose but gives me some peace of mind

TonyW72

I agree, getting something signed to say you dropped it off on time and confirming no damage is vital - I won't leave the rental place until I have this!

naughtysmurf

Billing the client for all kinds of imaginary damage was certainly commonplace when I worked for a car hire firm

Personally speaking, I wouldn't hire a car during the hours of darkness, wait until the next day so you can examine the car in daylight, take photographs or video of any previous damage and make sure it's highlighted on your rental agreement before you leave