My Uhaul fiasco started out in Ottawa and is about to end in Toronto.
Last September I rented a Uhaul truck to get my things from Ottawa to a Uhaul storage unit in Toronto. I made a reservation and booked everything on a pre paid credit card. ( I used to be a Uhaul dealer, I know ALL about what they do with CC #'s) So one the day of my move I take a flight from Toronto to Ottawa and get things ready for pick up. I never received the all the night before confirming pick up so I called the 800 number and got a location and an 8 am time. After taking a cab from Kanata to Gatineau to pick up the truck, I am told they did not have one for me. I was shocked and called the 800 # right away. They informed me if I went to another location they would have a truck. I called ahead and learned they had no truck either. At this point, I'm out 120.00 for the cab rides. I get a hold of a friend who happens to be a Uhaul dealer. He finds me a truck but I can't get it until 6 pm that night. I had made reservations for the storage and I needed the truck back by the next day. Either way this was putting me a day behind. I called and told the CS rep who made a note to hold my 5x10 storage unit an extra day because of the problems.
I get the truck and right away there are problems. I have a 3 inch play in the steering and very spongy brakes. The AC is toast too. I get all my stuff in the truck and start heading to TO on the 401 the next day. I hit about Trenton when the cab starts filling with smoke. The AC unit for some reason was burning out. I continue on my way when I see the parking brake light come on. I pull over and try the P brake. Nothing. SO now I have a smoking truck and no parking brake to leave it on the road with.
I get home and get some help to get me loaded into storage. I get to the Uhaul on Rexdale Blvd and try and park the truck so it doesn't roll. I go inside to get my unit # and I'm told that they gave it away because I was a day late (Even though I phoned and " a note" was left). The best they can offer me now is a 5x5 unit. I sign the contract and provide them with the same Prepaid Mastercard so I can monitor the charges. They ask to see my lock and clear it for use. I get my access card and go to load the unit
I have to stack everything just to get it all in and still had to part with a few things. So all is loaded and said and done and we give the keys to the employee and I report what is wrong with the truck. The employee doesn't write anything down and puts a green go ahead tag on the keys. So the next victim gets a "really safe" truck.
I started noticing problems with the charges almost instantly. My contract was to start on the 2nd of the month but due to the truck issue I wasn't in the unit until the 3rd. SO as per my contract the charges whould come out the 3rd of each month at the rate of 94.95 per month. My mastercard is linked to my bank for an automatic monthly transfer of 100.00. I start noticing charges on the 1st and 2nd to the CC resulting in service charges and NSF fees for me. Then one month I see 105.95 and then 135.00 then 155.95 all very strange amounts on different dates. SO I called and questioned the store who said in fact I was in arrears because of the screw ups with the charges. I ended up calling them in September to say that I would be out by Oct 1. Giving them 30 days notice on the unit. I was forced to pay my last payment however on my spouse's CC because the prepaid one was cancelled due to the NSF charges by them. I had to replace the card and pay another admin fee because of their stupidity.
I had been noticing that the CC I used on the last payment to Uhaul in October, it always seemed like there were missing payments or something. It turned out that from October to December, Uhaul was charging my spouses CC for the unit because there was something left in the unit. Yes I did leave a few garbage bags because the dumpster was off limits to anyone who didn't want to cough up 100.00 usage fee. After all the problems I had with Uhaul, the least they could do is let me throw away some trash.
I ended up fighting with the manager who said I could call whoever I wanted about the charges but she would not reverse them. I called Mastercard and the charges are now in dispute because GUESS WHAT?? I NEVER SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE NEW CREDIT CARD NUMBER THEREFORE BY THEM WRITING IT DOWN WHEN I PAID OCTOBERS RENT, THEY VIOLATED THE PRIVACY ACT NOR DO THEY HAVE A SIGNATURE OR IMPRINT OF MY CARD. IT WAS NEVER IN THEIR POSSESSION NOR DID I SIGN FOR IT.
SORRY UHAUL, THIS CHICK AIN'T TAKING UR BS NO MORE
I encourage anyone who has been a victim of this scam to call your credit card company and ask for a signed imprint. No slip = No sale
Partsprincess
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
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