I made arrangements recently to rent a vehicle to deliver my son and friend, to school in the U.S. It was the past long weekend and a mini-van, our preferred vehicle was not available. I was familiar with National Rental, having rented a vehicle this past spring because of a collision. That was all handled through my insurance company.
I was comfortable with the contract as outlined for me over the phone $200. dollars for rental for the number of days, including 1000 km free, $0.19 for ea. additional km., border crossing, and of course insurance, accident, damage waiver. Oh! but what does that include?
I told them our estimated number of km. where we were going, Adirondack Mountains, near the border of Vermont., having estimated close to 2000 km.
The vehicle, the only one suitable as far as interior room, and available as it was a long weekend, was a suv. a Chevy Envoy. This sure wasn't what a mini van would have cost us in gas, but looking back now the least of my worries.
Having almost completed our journey and coming back across the border into Canada a stone thrown from a truck on the highway hit the corner of the passenger windsheild. It broke and spread out a little from there. It was nothing that could interfer with visability but not somthing that could be easily fixed I knew.
Upon getting home in about an hour, I called the office. They are on answering machine with no further contact number. I called the 1 800 number from the phone book. This rang the U.S. They could give me no information, as they can do nothing about Canadian contracts. They were further unable to go over the parts of my contract pertaining to this type of damage. Needless to say, I did not sleep all night. We had just spent an enormous amount of money to get our kids back to school, 1 to the U.S. and coupled with the gas consumption of this trip being $250 usd., I now lay awake in uncertainty.
At the time of rental pickup a very frazzled employee a gentlman, who I must say now gave me very bad vibes, had in less than 2 mins. gone over the contract with me just telling me where to sign and initial. He quickly sent me outside to do the walk around inspection. Upon making 1 comment about the insurance he pointed out to me the insurance charge, and charge for border crossing he did reconize me from my last rental. He put thru a reservation to my credit card of $400.00.
The morning after our return and when I had not slept all night, I called the office to report what had occured. I spoke to the female employee, who I also recall from my last rental, and who had secured the vehicle for me over the phone. She said she would see me when I came in. She said she would see what she could do.
When we got there they determined that the vehicle would probably need a new windsheild. The insurance did not cover, evidentally ther is a separate insurance for tires and windsheild. It would have been an extra $10.00 per day. I remarked having had suffered flat tires in my day and knowing what it means to be stranded along a highway and in a strange place, that this extra insurance was never offered to me. The same gentleman, that was there at time of pickup, remarked he always discusses this with all renters.
I remarked on them having known the distance and nature of our trip, I would have never turned down such an addition. The woman who appeared to be in charge said she would obtain an estimate for the damage and she would call me. She also said very comfidently, not to worry she would see what she could do. They were unable to close the contract, at that time they told my husband and I that it was approx. $540.00, this was as estimated for the addit. kms. and the details of the contract I had signed. We left knowing we were expected to receive a call back. She had both my work phone and my home phone.
We heard nothing, 1 week passed. Having had to catch up on work that I had missed, it slipped my mind to call her. I found myself on a Sat. night and knowing I couldn't reach their office. I went to the internet to check my credit card. National without contacting me has billed to my credit card $1353.00. Am I to assume that in addition to the approx. $540.00 this extra is for a new windsheild? I don't know, because I never received any phone call. If I call the office they are on answering machine, the 1 800 number reaches the U.S. they can't help, except to give me a complaint office open on Monday. Looks like another sleepless night!
Valerie
kitchener, Ontario
Canada
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