DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: I rented a automotive from Finances for our household journey to Niagara Falls, Canada, for 10 days. We additionally drove to Toronto and Montreal. After I returned the automotive, I acquired a invoice for $450 for having to wash up “excessive dirt and sand.”Christopher Elliott, the Journey Troubleshooter
I known as Finances utilizing the customer support quantity supplied within the invoice. Once I spoke to the consultant, I requested for footage to substantiate the declare. As soon as Finances despatched them, I refused to authorize the cost to my bank card. I requested to talk to a supervisor, and the consultant stated that I might be entered right into a queue and may count on a name again in 24-48 hours.
I don’t assume I ought to should pay a cleansing cost. The quantity of particles left behind can be vacuumed throughout their regular processing of a car to the following renter. Are you able to assist me?
— Joseph Corridor, Brooksville, Florida
ANSWER: I agree with you that $450 is an excessive amount of for a cleansing payment. But Finances and different automotive rental firms have been charging these charges to drivers, usually for what seems to be a standard cleansing. The query is, was this a standard cleansing?
Finances’s preliminary reply is “yes” and “no.” After I started working in your case, a Finances consultant contacted you and supplied to decrease the cleansing worth to $150, which is far more affordable.
You additionally despatched me footage of the automotive. Clearly, you had taken the car on a 10-day household trip in it. There was sand on the ground, and though you say you had cleaned the automotive, it appeared that there was extra cleansing to be carried out.
What does your rental settlement say? Underneath the phrases and circumstances of your rental (part 2.6 (c)), it says you’ll have to pay an affordable payment for cleansing the car’s inside or exterior for “what [they] determine in [their] sole discretion are excessive stains, trash, dirt, soilage, odors or pet hair after the vehicle is returned.”
In different phrases, Finances will get to say what’s soiled, and it will get to set the cleansing payment.
Sadly, the corporate additionally doesn’t provide any steerage for renters about what constitutes above-normal use. Is it just a few sweet wrappers? Somewhat mud from that memorable hike within the pink rocks of Sedona, Arizona? A couple of seashells out of your Sanibel, Florida, seashore journey? Who is aware of?
I reviewed the images of your car. It introduced again reminiscences of my household holidays with younger youngsters, just a few of which have been in Canada. There’s little question that there was some sand and filth left within the automotive. I might have discovered a vacuum cleaner earlier than returning the car. You by no means need to give a automotive rental firm an excuse to cost you additional.
Simply to verify, I additionally checked with Finances. My contact on the firm confirmed: “The charge is valid.” You appealed the cost, and Finances agreed to decrease the cleansing payment to $75. Good work!
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Initially Revealed: January 27, 2025 at 5:15 AM PST
