Armada Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Three former Budget Rent a Car employees have contacted Go Public to allege the Vancouver-area operation systematically and intentionally rips off customers, by grossly overcharging for minor repairs that sometimes aren’t even done. “They did it on purpose — charging the customer like way too much,” said a former lot attendant, who worked at Budget’s Vancouver airport location for a year, checking cars for damage. He agreed to speak to CBC News only if he was not identified. "The system is run like that ... the small charges, they make them big charges. Especially the windshield. They can make more money from the windshield," he said. "All of the inspectors have to look at the windshield first." He said staff members were told to inspect vehicles from top to bottom, even after customers were gone, and report any damage to managers no matter how minuscule. "I remember one time there was a senior couple. The other [employee] found out there was a tire cut. But from our standards, they should not charge them, honestly," he said. "The other [employee] asked for the manager to come out and take a look. And then the manager charged them, just charged them." Some repairs not done “If there was a scratch on the car, we charged their credit card immediately … and that scratch would never even be fixed,” said another former employee. She worked at the Budget counter at the Abbotsford airport, and also spoke on condition she would not be named. Greg Harrison, Budget's general manager in Vancouver, said he is looking into the allegations made by ex-employees. (CBC) “For the three months that I was there, I saw only one car go to the repair shop, and it was rear-ended.” She said several renters would be charged for rock chip damage on the same vehicle, but no repairs would be done until later when the vehicle needed a new windshield. "Once the windshield has three rock chips in it, it would get replaced, and then at that point that customer would get charged for a whole windshield," she said. Upset customers “I saw customers that cried. They really cried. They were shocked,” said the lot attendant. He claims some people were made to pay for damage caused by Budget employees after vehicles were checked in. ***Read More in link and there's a video**** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grapefruits Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I've been watching this story unfold on CBC for the past few days. Hopefully heads will roll and they will have to pay out millions of dollars in fines and damages Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armada Posted November 28, 2012 Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 I've been watching this story unfold on CBC for the past few days. Hopefully heads will roll and they will have to pay out millions of dollars in fines and damages Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkeeterHansen Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 My dad works at Budget here in Kamloops...when I showed him the article, he was thoroughly disgusted. He's only a driver, so I don't know if he'd know what was going on if it was happening here, but wow. Thats something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goalie13 Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I had a Budget in Victoria try to charge me for a rock chip once. The chip was barely noticeable to the point there was no way I would have noticed it on the pick up inspection. They wanted to charge me for a whole windshield. As far as I was concerned it was part of normal wear and tear and not damage as they were claiming. I suggested they could get the chip fixed. He said it wasn't their policy. He claimed they got the windshields replaced. I said that it wasn't my policy to pay for their poor decisions. I got right angry with them and they eventually backed down. This happened years ago. I always thought it was an isolated incident of an employee taking things too literally and not using any common sense. Maybe it was actually part of their overall business plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pouria Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 http://www.cbc.ca/ne...etinsiders.html Makes me sick when something like this happens. I hope Belzberg, the greedy owner, gets charged for fraud. Good to see the RCMP looking into it. Sadly this is what happens when companies allow independent owner ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pouria Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I had a Budget in Victoria try to charge me for a rock chip once. The chip was barely noticeable to the point there was no way I would have noticed it on the pick up inspection. They wanted to charge me for a whole windshield. As far as I was concerned it was part of normal wear and tear and not damage as they were claiming. I suggested they could get the chip fixed. He said it wasn't their policy. He claimed they got the windshields replaced. I said that it wasn't my policy to pay for their poor decisions. I got right angry with them and they eventually backed down. This happened years ago. I always thought it was an isolated incident of an employee taking things too literally and not using any common sense. Maybe it was actually part of their overall business plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goalie13 Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Well, I would never rent from Budget, thats for sure. They will never have my business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armada Posted November 28, 2012 Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 I had a Budget in Victoria try to charge me for a rock chip once. The chip was barely noticeable to the point there was no way I would have noticed it on the pick up inspection. They wanted to charge me for a whole windshield. As far as I was concerned it was part of normal wear and tear and not damage as they were claiming. I suggested they could get the chip fixed. He said it wasn't their policy. He claimed they got the windshields replaced. I said that it wasn't my policy to pay for their poor decisions. I got right angry with them and they eventually backed down. This happened years ago. I always thought it was an isolated incident of an employee taking things too literally and not using any common sense. Maybe it was actually part of their overall business plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hudson bay rules Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 If you scratch my car and you pay me 300 bucks to get it repainted am I under any obligation to fix it? Just sayin' This sounds like systematic fraud however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n00bxQb Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 If you scratch my car and you pay me 300 bucks to get it repainted am I under any obligation to fix it? Just sayin' This sounds like systematic fraud however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hudson bay rules Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Yeah, but if you loan your car to 10 friends and only 1 of them scratches it, do you charge all 10 of your friends $300 and then proceed to never fix it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpt Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Thats why whenever I rent a car, I walk around the car and take pictures of all the damages. At least it will help you if they charge you for something that is already there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hudson bay rules Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Thats why whenever I rent a car, I walk around the car and take pictures of all the damages. At least it will help you if they charge you for something that is already there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucklehead Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 How are they able to charge your card once you've left the lot. The solution is fairly simple by doing a damage inspection with the customer at check out time and then again at check in. There is no way a customer can be expected to pay for damage once they've left the property. Seems like a lax system. On the other hand I can understand the company protecting themselves against losses and depreciation. If a repair is not done immeadeatly it doesn't mean it will not have to be done at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armada Posted November 28, 2012 Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 How are they able to charge your card once you've left the lot. The solution is fairly simple by doing a damage inspection with the customer at check out time and then again at check in. There is no way a customer can be expected to pay for damage once they've left the property. Seems like a lax system. On the other hand I can understand the company protecting themselves against losses and depreciation. If a repair is not done immeadeatly it doesn't mean it will not have to be done at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Colt 45s Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Legally you are not paying for the repair, you are paying for the diminished value and maybe even loss of use. The best bet is to have rental car insurance through your credit card, or through your insurance company for this. That way if a claim is made, it will be paid out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Credit card is on record. Same goes for a Hotel. Once you check out they still have your information and credit car so if you had damaged the room they can charge you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancaster Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Legally you are not paying for the repair, you are paying for the diminished value and maybe even loss of use. The best bet is to have rental car insurance through your credit card, or through your insurance company for this. That way if a claim is made, it will be paid out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Colt 45s Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 My friends paid for rental car insurance, yet they were still charged like $300 bucks because of some scratch on the tires. Apparently it didn't cover it or something other bs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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