 Show A renter learns why you should never return a rental car after hours, as he is hit with $1,000 in extra charges When you need a rental car locally, most of us are usually in a hurry, and it's usually not a fun experience, like a vacation. You've been in a wreck, or your car broke down, or you need a small truck for a move. And what can make it even worse is when you get hit for extra charges that you feel you don't deserve. Butch Hatcher is a clean-car fanatic, who loves shining his well-maintained 2003 BMW. So imagine his surprise when a rental car company charged him hundreds of dollars in cleaning fees after returning a loaner car. "They charged me $300 for a clean-up," he said. But the cleaning fee was only one surprise. Rental office not aware he had dropped it off Hatcher's receipt from the Avis/Budget office shows a late fee of $140a day for an extra week, even though he insists he had returned the car. "They said I didn't turn it in," he said. "They said their records show the car wasn't turned in until a week later." He claims he dropped the car off after hours, locking the keys inside. "I called customer service and told them I dropped it out front and put the key under the passenger-side seat," Hatcher said. But apparently the local office never got the message and didn't realize he had returned the car on time. They did not see it for almost a week. It doesn't matter what rental company you use or whether you are using a car or a moving truck to have such an experience. Unexpected fees hit many renters The Better Business Bureau says there are some things you can do to make sure this doesn't happen to you.
That way they can't say you dented it or left it filthy. We visited the Avis/Budget rental office, where a manager pointed to a sign at the desk reading "no after-hour returns." He told us they had no idea Hatcher had returned the car. We asked Avis/Budget corporate if they could reduce the fees due to what seems to be a misunderstanding. A spokesman said they would look into it. In the meantime, Hatcher is left with hundreds of dollars in late fees. "They ended up taking $1,600 total," he said, including the cleaning charge for this man who says he keeps every car as clean as his vintage BMW. As always, don't waste your money. ________________ Don't Waste Your Money" is a registered trademark of Scripps Media, Inc. ("Scripps"). Like" John Matarese Money on Facebook Follow John on Instagram @johnmataresemoney Follow John on Twitter (@JohnMatarese) For more consumer news and money saving advice, go to www.dontwasteyourmoney.com Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Sign up for the Breaking News Newsletter and receive up to date information.I rented a car on a Saturday for 24 hours from a local office of Enterprise Rent-A-Car not far from where I am based for me to take a day trip where the destination is four hours away — meaning I was to spend approximately eight hours driving in a car. When I went to return the vehicle at the office on Sunday, it was closed; so I figured I would drop the keys off in the drop box located on the
left side of the entrance to the office… …until
I read the words at the bottom: “Vehicles returned after hours are the responsibility of the renter until inspected on the next business day.” I felt uneasy after reading that statement. I never was completely comfortable with the rare occurrence of
returning a vehicle after hours at a rental car facility at an airport — most of the time, I rent cars from airport locations which are open 24 hours per day, seven days per week — but at least airport locations are usually secure. I thought that there might have been a secure location — perhaps in the back of the building — where I could return the car; but alas, none existed. People rent and return vehicles during off hours, I thought to myself. This probably happens every
day without incident. There is nothing to worry about, as nothing will probably happen… …but what if another car damages this car after I leave but before the office opens, I wondered. After all, the only place where I could leave the car I rented was in an open parking lot. I would then be responsible for paying for the damage — although the credit card I used would have most likely covered the damage. Even worse: what if the car was stolen? That scenario concerned me more than just mere damage to the vehicle — and that is apparently what happened to a woman from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia back in October of 2013. At the conclusion of the rental of
a Ford Mustang, Kristen Cockerill dropped the car off at an Enterprise rental facility on a Sunday and deposited the keys in a secure drop box. The keys were safe and secure in the drop box, all right; but apparently the car was not safe, as the vehicle was determined stolen — between the time Cockerill dropped it off at the office before it opened for business the next day — as the result of an investigation by police. Cockerill eventually received a bill from Enterprise
for $47,000.00, which purportedly was the replacement value of the Ford Mustang. She wound up not having to pay that bill after all — but not without enduring extreme stress. What if that happened to me? My thought process was that because the office was closed, the car probably could not be rented — and that thought process of course could have been erroneous, as I do not know what employees of Enterprise Rent-A-Car do on a Sunday while the office is closed: do they move cars around between different locations? Regardless, I decided to keep the car an extra day for peace of mind where I know it will have a greater chance of being safe, knowing I would have to pay for an extra day. When I returned the car to the office just before it opened the next day, I tried to explain my concern and reasoning to the staff there both in person and the office manager via telephone later that day. I politely attempted to negotiate with them — but they remained steadfast about not removing the charge for the extra day. I can understand their point of view: what is to stop someone from purposely renting a car on a Saturday and getting two days out of a rental and paying for only one day? Regardless, that experience did sour me on renting from Enterprise Rent-A-Car. There is an office for Avis literally several hundred yards south of the office of Enterprise — and here is what is printed on the door: “No After Hours Returns” — and it is open for a few hours every Sunday. Clear. Straight. To the point… …and the next time I needed a rental car locally, I patronized the Avis office. The staff were friendlier; the vehicle was better; and the rental rate was less expensive. How can you beat that combination? SummaryWell, I never returned to that office of Enterprise Rent A Car; nor have I rented a car from the company since then — not out of anger or frustration; but rather because the competition offered a better experience for me. I do admit that I should have assessed the entire rental situation from the beginning and the potential problems which could occur, as I typically do; but if the staff of that local office of Enterprise Rent A Car could have worked with me even just a little bit, I would have gladly given priority to rent from that location again in the future without the need to seek out their competition. It was not the first time I rented a vehicle from that Enterprise office. They certainly were not obligated to work with me, of course — they did not owe me anything or do anything wrong — but it would have been a nice gesture for them to do something to keep my business. That is what I would have done if I were the manager, anyway. Perhaps that location is busy enough that they do not need my business; and that is fine… …but I am relating my experience to you in case you already did not know: try not to rent a vehicle where you must return it to an unsecured area at a time when the office is closed, as you just might be taking an unnecessary risk. If that does happen and you are uncomfortable, then consider adding a day to the duration of time you plan on renting the car — or consider renting the car at a different time, if possible. At the very least, ensure that you rent any vehicle with a credit card which covers your rental in case of damage. Be aware that the rental car coverage offered by many credit cards is considered secondary — meaning that your primary automobile insurance would pay for damage first. I have probably overthought this whole experience, so I will ask you: have you ever had problems returning a vehicle to a rental car facility during off hours when its office was closed? What has been your experience? All photographs ©2013 by Brian Cohen. Can you drop a car off early at Enterprise?Can You Return a Rental Car Early? At Enterprise, we do not charge customers more for returning a car early, and you will only be charged for the days you had the vehicle (excluding prepaid reservations).
What is the return policy for enterprise?There is generally a 29 minute grace period for daily rentals. If the vehicle is returned within 2 ½ hours of the time it was rented on a subsequent day, additional hourly charges will apply. Hourly charges for your location and rental can be found on your rental contract.
Can I return a rental car one hour late?Car hire companies usually have a grace period, which varies from 29 minutes to 2½ hours. This period starts from the drop-off time you agreed to when you signed the rental agreement.
What happens if you never return a rental car?If you rent a car and don't return it, you are essentially depriving the owner of the property – the car rental company – of their property. If the owner of the car calls the police and reports the car stolen, then you could be charged with auto theft.
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How to return a car to enterprise after hours
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