Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/13/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am writing about the booking that I made on rentalcars.com to rent a car for 12 days in ******** ******, After making this booking, I found a better price on their other affiliated company (Priceline - both subsidiaries of ***********), and booked the identical itinerary with them (Trip# ***-730-915-17) related to Thrifty Confirmation #:K9972733606. I believe I canceled the rentalcars booking at that time, but I cannot prove it.Weeks later, when I arrived in ********, the Thrifty agent told me that there were two priceline bookings, and that I need to cancel one of them. She documented in their records that the other booking was to be cancelled, and asked me to call to confirm. I called priceline, and they said there was no other booking.A few weeks later, when I received my credit card bill, I saw that they had charged me the full amount of $445. I was very upset, as I really cannot afford this large amount, especially after paying for the other rental.I called and chatted with several **** about it, and they said that there was nothing they can do - this was the cancellation fee. They recommended that I open a case with customer service and wait for a response, which I did.They just said that if the rental was not canceled 48 hours in advance they will issue no refund. A week later I received an email showing that they had issued a refund, but this was not true. That refund was for a different unrelated reservation that I had made and cancelled with them (Booking *********) for $47 Israeli shekel. My contention is simple. The cancellation fee is outrageous and punitive.I understand that if I did not cancel on time (which I believe that I did), I would be assessed some fee. Perhaps the value of a one day rental, or even $100. But a $445 fee when it cost them absolutely nothing and I got zero service is totally unfair and harsh and punitive. Please refund at least $345, giving them a $100 fee

  Business Response

  Date: 11/21/2024

  Good morning *******

  I hope you are well.

  My name is ****** and Im one of the Complaint Executives at Rentalcars.com

  Your case has been escalated to me as you have contacted us through the Better Business Bureau website.

  Please accept my apoligies that you have had the need to do this and I will ensure that I offer you a speedy and reasonable resolution to your query.

  I have done a full review of the case and can see that you did not make use of the booking with reference number 773861368 as you managed to find a similar booking on Priceline that was cheaper.

  You thought that you had cancelled this rental and on checking the booking it is cancelled but no refund has been offered.

  Within the Terms it does state that if the booking is cancelled within a certatin timeframe prior to the pick up date that no refund would be due.

  However I understand that as far as you were aware you did cancel it but I cannot find any proof of this.

  You asked for a Proof of Refund of this rental however you were sent a Proof of Refund for the wrong booking which I apolgise for as this was our error.

  Due to this and because you feel that you did cancel this rental I can on this occasion offer you a 3 Day Loss Refund.

  This would mean I can offer you a refund for 8 of the 11 days rental.

  149.81 ILS per day
  
  449.45 ILS - 3 days
  
  1198.55 ILS - 3DL offer

  As you have refered to USD in todays exchange rate this works out at :

  
  1,198.55 Israeli New Shekels =
  
  320.51872 US Dollars to be refunded.

  The refund would have to be done in ILS as this was the currency that you paid in.

  I feel that this is fair and reasonable offer as this should really be a full loss.

  Please let me know if you would be happy to accept this as a final resolution to your query and I will process the funds back to your card for you.

  Regards

  ******

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/21/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Thank you very much for your efforts.  Please convey to Mr. ****** my thanks as well for a reasonable resolution of this matter.  I expect that I will receive the proposed refund as a credit back to the credit card which was charged
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ***********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/13/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I booked a rental car for use between 4-20 Oct. I paid for the car in advance (NOK ******* = $571.49 USD). I did not arrive on Oct 4 because of a mistake in booking. I was unaware of the mistake in booking and had not contacted RentalCars.com to modify it. When I did arrive, the ******* representative did not apply my previous payment to a new booking. As Thrifty had rented the car I had already paid for to another customer, I had to make an entirely new booking for $1318.72 USD.1)I made a contract with RentalCars.com to rent a car from Thrifty between 4-20 October. I paid for the car, in full, at the time I made the booking. So RentalCars.com, Thrifty Rental Cars, and I entered into a contract where a physical service was to be provided for a discreet time period.2)Because Thrifty Rental Cars did not hold the car, Thrifty did not provide the service for which I had contracted. I do think it fair that Thrifty rented my car to another customer. But the fact still remains that Thrifty Rental Cars and I had a contract for a service that should have been valid until 20 October.3)Because I had no obvious choice except to rent another car, on the spot, from Thrifty Rental Cars, I have now paid Thrifty Rental Cars twice for one service.**** from RentalCars.com explained to me that If the pick-up requirements are not met, the counter staff cannot hand over the keys, and the rental will be cancelled. In such cases, the cancellation fee is the full cost of your booking, with no refund. This fee covers the cost of confirming the booking and ensuring the car was available at the pick-up time.I consider the cancellation fee RentalCars.com is requesting to be very excessive. It cannot have cost RentalCars.com $571.49 United States Dollars to cover the cost of me not picking up the keys, confirming the booking and ensuring the car was available at the pick-up time. I would like BBB to investigate this as predatory business practice by a rental car company.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/30/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am seeking assistance in reviewing a matter involving wrongful/fraudulent charges and issues with a recent car rental experience while I was on official military orders. Below is a detailed account of the situation: 1. Rental and Insurance Purchase: ? Date of Rental: August 4, 2024 ? Rental Period: August ****** - August 15, 2024 ? Rental Company: Routes Car Rental (**************************************************************************) ? Booking Platform: RentalCars.com ************************* Insurance Purchased: Collision, tire, and windshield insurance ? Insurance Charges:$570.28 ? Rental Car Cost through booking platform: $496.32 2. Background: I am an IMA Reservist currently stationed at ******************************* and was on official military orders from August 4 to August 27, 2024. 3. Details of the Incident: ? August 4, 2024: I rented a compact car through RentalCars.com The airport shuttle from Routes Car Rental did not arrive at ****************************. After waiting nearly an hour, I took an **** to the rental location. At the counter, I was informed that the insurance I purchased was inadequate for their vehicles, which are valued over $30,000. The clerk advised me to request a refund from RentalCars.com for this insurance and to purchase new coverage from them. The clerk stated that I will be getting a Jeep Wrangler and that the Jeeps are prone to getting windshield cracks. I then chose collision and tire/windshield insurance, totaling $570.28. I then explicitly requested that the $500 hold be placed on my debit card and the insurance charges be billed to my credit card. The clerk processed the payment incorrectly, charging my debit card for both the hold and the insurance. After completing the transaction,I was handed the keys and went outside for the vehicle inspection. The inspector was already outside, taking pictures of the vehicle. I asked the inspector about the procedures for using the tire/windshield insurance in case of a flat or tire issue, a question I had forgotten to ask the clerk. The inspector appeared confused and could only suggest contacting my insurance directly. At 14:29, I received the inspection report via email, which included pictures of the Jeep Wrangler. However, this report did not have my signature.Additionally, I did not receive any of the contract copies or rental agreements that I had requested at the front desk. ? August 6, 2024: I discovered that the $570.28 insurance charge had been deducted from my debit card instead of my credit card. I emailed customer care at Routes Car Rental explaining the error and requesting a correction (attached). In my response, I also conveyed that the company had knowingly put me in a vehicle with unsafe tires, thereby risking my safety. I informed them that I would be reporting their business to the Better Business Bureau. Their response on August 9 denied my request, and further communication on August 13 claimed their charges are transparent and could not be adjusted. ? August 7, 2024: The back right tire of the vehicle dropped from 38 PSI to 28 PSI. I attempted to resolve this issue at a gas station. ? August 8, 2024: On the morning of my shift, the back right tire of the Jeep Wrangler was down to 28 PSI again. With a ***** hour shift starting at 0515, I had no time to address the tire issue before work. I noted that Discount Tire closed at 6 PM, but Routes Car Rental was open until 11 PM, so I decided to call Routes for assistance. I spoke with ********, the manager,explaining the tire problem and my tight schedule. ******** informed me that the tire/windshield insurance I had purchased was not available at their location. She claimed that the insurance might be offered at their Canadian locations, as the employee who processed my transaction was the CEOs son from ****** and might have mistakenly charged me for insurance available there.******** provided no practical solution for the tire issue and reiterated that my options were to either visit Discount Tire for a free repair, pay $100 at Routes Car Rental for a new tire, or return the vehicle to Routes for a new one and still pay $100 for a new tire. When I questioned why I should pay $100 for a tire issue that arose within less than 24 hours of renting the vehicle,******** suggested I should have reported it sooner and said that a refund for the insurance could only be processed after I returned the vehicle, which seemed dubious to me. Realizing that nothing was being resolved, I informed my leadership about the tire issue. They arranged temporary relief so I could visit Discount Tire before they closed. Upon arriving at Discount Tire, I explained the situation and the urgency because I was planning to head into the mountains. The employee inspected the tires and found them unsafe for driving.They recommended that I return the vehicle and request one with safe tires.Although the employee attempted to invoice Routes Car Rental, they had difficulty locating the vehicle in their system and ended up fixing the tire only. They advised me to get a new vehicle due to the unsafe condition of all the tires. I then returned to work and, after my shift, went straight to Routes Car Rental. At the front desk, I reported the unsafe condition of the tires and was given keys to another Jeep Wrangler. When I asked if the new Jeep had good tires, the employee was unsure, so I inspected the lot. I found that none of the vehicles had better tires than the initial Jeep. The only vehicle with acceptable tires was a Dodge Durango, which I requested. The employee, showing uncooperative behavior, eventually found the key to the Dodge Durango after I provided the plate number. She performed an inspection of the Dodge Durango but refused to document the tire condition with pictures, citing issues with her personal phone. After some insistence, she took the required photos. I also requested the contracts and rental agreements for both the Jeep Wrangler and the Dodge Durango. The employee claimed my email was incorrect, despite receiving the initial Jeep inspection report. I confirmed my email was correct,and she assured me that I would receive the documents. She also mentioned that processing a refund for the insurance was beyond her authority and instructed me to contact ******** again for the refund. I left with the Dodge Durango and still did not receive a checked-back-in inspection of the Jeep or copies of the contracts and rental agreements for either vehicle. ? August 15, 2024: I went to Routes Car Rental to return the Dodge Durango. Upon arrival, I pulled into the inspection area and requested to speak with a manager. After a few minutes,a woman came out and asked, You requested to speak with a manager? I replied,Hi, yes. Im returning this Durango, but I had a Jeep previously and was fraudulently charged for insurance that your company does not offer. I tried to get a refund when I traded in the Jeep, but I was directed back to a manager.She responded, Oh, okay. Well, Ill have to email headquarters to start the refund process. I explained, I am here on military orders and will be leaving soon. Before I leave, I need some kind of documentation or written confirmation regarding the wrongful charges and the assurance that the refund will be processed. I reinstated that after multiple requests I have not received any contracts, or rental agreements for documentation purposes. She said, Ill have to email them and can cc you on the email. However, she did not ask for my name, email, or any personal information during this conversation. I then inquired if there was anything else needed from me before I left. She said,No, youve talked with me, so youre all set. After she left, I asked the inspector for the managers name, and they informed me it was ********. I realized this was the same ******** who initially instructed me to request a refund when I returned the vehicle, yet now she was saying she had to email headquarters for the refund. I questioned why she couldnt have initiated this process during our previous conversation the week before. This interaction made me suspect that the entire company might be a scam, and I doubted I would receive any documentation or follow-up. I left Routes Car Rental feeling concerned and frustrated. ? August 20, 2024: I still had not received any contracts, rental agreements, or communication from ******** regarding the refund process. Concerned about the lack of documentation and the unresponsive nature of Routes Car Rental, I decided to file a dispute with my bank, *************************. I provided a comprehensive account of the situation,including all relevant documentation and a detailed synopsis of the entire ordeal. In my dispute, I requested a full refund of the $570.28 charged to my debit card, specifically for the insurance that was not provided. I expressed my uncertainty about how a partial refund for the non-existent insurance charge could be processed and questioned whether the collision coverage, if it existed, would have been applicable. Additionally, I sought advice on obtaining a partial refund from RentalCars.com for the first week I drove the unsafe vehicle (August 4 - August 8). Understanding that RentalCars.com was a third-party booking site, I acknowledged that such a refund might be difficult to achieve. ? August *******: I visited a ************************* branch and spoke with a representative about my dispute. I reviewed the details of the situation and inquired if there was anything more I could do before leaving ********. The representative confirmed that the dispute was recorded in the system and explained that if Navy Federal denied the dispute, I would have the option to appeal. They advised me that there were no additional steps I could take at that time. Afterward, I contacted ******* Legal to seek legal advice regarding the situation. ? August 28, 2024: I received a response from ************************* denying my dispute: We've reviewed your $570.28 debit card claim against ROUTE CAR RENTAL ******** We've determined that the charge was valid for the following reason: You were charged for the amount you owed after receiving merchandise or a service. The provisional credit of $570.28 will be removed from your account on September 7, 2024. In response, I immediately filed an appeal against the denial. I also submitted a claim to RentalCars.com, detailing the situation and requesting a refund for the first week I spent driving an unsafe vehicle. I hoped to address the situation through both channels to seek a fair resolution. Attachments: ?Emails to and from Routes Car Rental customer care ? Discount Tire receipts and proof of tire tread levels ? Correspondence with ************************* ?Routes Car Rental inspection reports I would greatly appreciate your guidance on how to proceed with this matter, including any potential legal recourse for the wrongful charges and inadequate, unsafe service. Thank you for your assistance. Sincerely, SSgt ************************* ************ In conclusion this company knowingly risked my safety while I was on military orders, charged me for insurance that does not exist and has refused to process a refund and/or provide documentation. There are 100's of more reviews on their ****** page with devastating situations and safety risks from others.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/08/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I made a reservation on RentalCars.com. My **** card was charged $1050.13 on July 27th. I never received a confirmation email or confirmation number. The reservation is cancelable up to 48 hours before the pickup date. The pickup date was for mid-september. I do not know the exact date as I never received a confirmation email.I have tried calling the company, emailing the company and using the chat system on their website. Nothing works because their automated system will not assist without the confirmation number they never sent me. All I am asking for is that my credit card be refunded and this reservation be canceled.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/08/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I attempted to rent a car through rentalcars.com. I selected an offer and purchased insurance through the website. The actual service provider, Routes, was only revealed to me after payment, so the selection of the service provider was at the discretion of rentalcars.com. when I showed up at the provider for my car I was told they would only rent to me if I purchased additional insurance at 50 dollars per day, and was informed that the rentalcars.com insurance was not enough. I informed the agent that that was not the deal I signed up for, then the agent told me I could decline the rental for a full refund. The agent gave me a phone number to call rentalcars.com. I tried calling the number but could not get through, so I decided to email them when I had a chance. I have since written to rentalcars.com asking for a full refund, but have only received excuses (they tried to deny my claim because I didn't show, which is not true; they provide a Weblink that didn't work; they claimed to have an IT problem; all made up excuses). I want a promise to receive a full refund and an actual refund in a timely manner. The BBB should also investigate this company, along with Routes Car Rental for deceptive business practices. Their behavior has been criminal.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/03/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I booked a car from rentalcar.com. After I realized I didn't need the car I cancelled the booking due to all the headlines saying free cancelation. I was informed that I wouldn't be refunded due to a deadline having passed, I filed a complaint via email with customer service asking for a refund. I was contacted back by a representative/employee named ***** who replied:"Dear ******,Thank you for contacting Rentalcars.com, my name is ***** and I am happy to help you with your question.?I understand that you're asking for the refund, as you cancel you're reservation online last 2024-02-08 22:14:54.Because of this my apology to tell you that you are intitled for a refund. As we have a cancellation Policy. It should be outside 48 hours for the free cancellation. However, we can give you a one time excemption.For better option, please contact us thru phone call or open a live chat with us. I hope this information helps and rest assured that we will be happy to answer any other questions you may have. Our customer support team is ready to help you 24/7."I never received the refund and the company denies agreeing to give me one.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/31/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On Oct 9 2023 I booked a car for 5 days in December from rantelcars.com through booking.com. The reservation number was *********. I was charged $636.98 during the booking on Oct 9th 2023.But when I returned the car at the rental office on Dec 29 2023, it said on the final bill that I paid $532.41 at reservation, hence charged me more. I have contacted rentalcars.com, and it has been about a month since I sent in my case. There is no resolution yet.Please refund me the difference of $636.98 and $532.41.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/29/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I rented a car from Rentalcars.com and had to prepay $250.00. I initially reserved the car for 4 days, but due to a blizzard in ******* (where I had a connecting flight), had to change my return flight and return the rental car 1 day early. I contacted Rentalcars.com to request a refund and they informed me that I must contact Fox Rent A Car -- the dealer at ********************************************************************* -- where I picked up the car. I contacted Fox Rent A Car and they informed me that I must contact Rentalcars.com. I phoned each of them twice and asked to speak to a supervisor, etc. I was informed by Rentalcars.com that I must file a claim, which I did. They refused to refund/credit me. Fox Rent A Car actually charged me an early return fee, which after a couple of phone calls, they refunded. I am attaching documents to support my claim and indicating that I did indeed reserve and pay for 4 days and returned 1 day early, and their refusal to refund/credit me.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/19/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My wife and I rented a car thru rentalcars.com To pick up at Fox rental cars, we paid ****** and schedule to pick up a ******* Santa fe on the 5th and returned on the 8th. We get to the counter,gave *** our booking #*********. We were told there were 0 cars available to be rented, ***************** up. Now rentalcars.com refuses to refund our money for the reservation we paid for.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/04/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  The company took my money and didnt render services. Then refused to give me my money back.