I recently received a $800 (£654) demand from Alamo car hire for the cost of replacing the windshield on a car we rented last summer.
We had reported a small chip on the glass before we drove off on our journey from Melbourne Airport in Florida and it was accepted as a pre-existing defect.
No incidents occurred during the ten-day holiday. I appealed but received two emails saying we still owe the money.
We do not have these funds. I can’t sleep from worry. I am a paramedic and need to be alert at work. Can you please help?
PA, Rotherham, South Yorks.
Q: A couple were charged £900 for a chip on the windscreen of their hire car, which they had already reported as a pre-existing defect
Sally Hamilton replies: I get the creeps about renting cars on vacation because you never quite know what extra costs you’ll have to pay while you’re desperately standing at the desk to go on a trip.
I also find it a great relief to return the bike with the body intact at the end of the period – although I always take pictures to prove it, just in case something comes back.
Your story caused palpitations because it seems that customers can’t always relax completely, even more than six months after a car has been returned to the depot.
You have given me more details about your experience. When you arrived at the rental desk at the start of your trip, you were told that the only vehicle big enough for your family of six had a light chip in the windshield.
You were a little concerned, but you investigated in the presence of an Alamo employee.
There was indeed a small dent in the glass, but you agreed to take it anyway because your children, one of whom has special needs, were tired after the long flight.
The employee told you that he would note the damage, put it on the invoice and suggested that you take pictures of the windshield just to be sure, which you did.
When returning the vehicle ten days later, all in one piece and refueled, it was inspected and you received an email confirming that you owed $0.
So I can imagine how anxious you felt when many months later, on February 13th, a letter arrived stating ‘our assessment indicates that you are responsible for the damage to our vehicle’.
You immediately appealed by sending dated copies of your photos. It didn’t cut ice with the decision-makers. Unfortunately, you had thrown the email away from the moment you confirmed you owed nothing.
You asked Alamo for a copy, but it had not responded to this request by the time you contacted me several days later.
I decided to boost my Consumer Champion engine and ask Alamo to investigate this obvious flaw. It agreed to reopen your case.
About ten days passed before a response came, but it was one that finally put an end to your sleepless nights – that it wouldn’t haunt you for the bill. Correct.
An Alamo spokesperson said: “After an investigation, we believe there was an administrative error and we have now waived the cost of the claim. We accept that our communication with the customer could have been better in this case and apologize for any inconvenience.’
Ernesto Suarez, founder of iCarhireinsurance.com, says it’s highly unusual for a customer to face a charge this long after a rental.
While it is common practice for a rental company to hold an amount on a hirer’s credit card to cover the excess in the event of damage, accident or theft, this amount (usually £1,000 – £2,000) is usually released after 30 hours. days at most, as in your case.
Suarez says your case highlights the importance of preserving photographic evidence in the event of a dispute.
Another issue to be aware of is the deductible insurance sold by rental companies, which often pressure customers upon arrival at the rental counter.
It can be more expensive than individual policies and often excludes coverage for windshield (and tire) damage.
Standalone insurance policies sold by companies such as iCarhireinsurance are typically less expensive and include this coverage.
BT’s compensation of £900 for my disability discount
My husband and I have a package from BT which includes broadband, TV, entertainment and landline and costs around £85 a month.
I recently found out that clients on disability benefits are eligible for a reduced rate. I am disabled and receive a living allowance so I contacted BT.
The problem is our account is in my husband’s name and I’ve been told it has to be put in my name to be eligible but to do so would cost £900.
I was stunned and considered leaving BT. I was also told it would cost £900 to terminate the contract early. It’s mean and petty and I feel like we have to pay a ransom.
M.F., Sleaford, Lincs.
Sally Hamilton replies: Many broadband companies offer deals called social rates that are designed to help people with certain benefits. They have a low monthly cost (currently between £10-£20 per month) and offer flexible terms.
Eligibility for these deals varies by provider, but they all accept customers with Universal Credit.
Whatever the benefit, the person receiving it usually has to be the principal name of a contract. If a provider does not offer a social rate, it is possible to switch to a provider that does. Some companies allow this without an exit fee. The penalty waiver would not apply to you, it seems, because the contract was not in your name.
To arrange it so that you could pay the disability discount (worth more than half of your £85 monthly bill), you would have to pay a £900 allowance. Like you, I thought this punishment was on the mean side and asked BT to reconsider.
The company has re-examined your claim. Shortly after, it confirmed that the account had to be in the correct name for the relevant eligibility checks to run.
It also explained that the information about early termination charges for your fixed-term contract had been correctly provided to you.
However, I am pleased to say that BT has agreed to remove these charges as a gesture of goodwill.
Instead of £85 a month you now pay £36, which includes £20 for Fiber Home Essentials and a separate fee of £16 for BT TV, which you wanted to keep.
A BT spokesman said: ‘We are very sorry we didn’t make things easier for the couple when they contacted us. We have spoken to them and arranged for the account to be transferred to the woman’s name free of charge.’
Readers interested in learning more about social tariffs can visit telecoms regulator Ofcom’s website at ofcom.org.uk or call 0300 123 3333.
- Write to Sally Hamilton of Sally Sorts It, Money Mail, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT or email sally@dailymail.co.uk — include phone number, address and a note addressed to the offending organization giving them permission to talk to Sally Hamilton. Please do not send any original documents, we cannot take any responsibility for that. The Daily Mail assumes no legal liability for answers provided.
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