Avoid Alamo - they illegally took my money (Alamo Rent-A-Car)

Member Name: misthaufen

Product:	Alamo Rent-A-Car
Date:	27/02/09 (157 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap

Disadvantages: You get what you pay for

Avoid this company

I rented a Vauxhall Astra from Alamo in the North West for 3 days. For a car that had done just over 2000 miles, it was in a terrible state. There were scuffs and scratches all over the place. But I thought that as long as I had a signature stating the damage was already there, I would be protected. They asked me to pay a £70 fuel deposit, returnable if the car came back with a full tank.

I brought the car back at the end of the rental period and was served by a different employee. The lady took the keys and went outside to check the car, then came back in and gave me the 'all clear'. She handed me the receipt telling me that no charges would be taken from my credit card, and told me the fuel charge had been refunded.

A few days later, I checked my online credit card statement and found that Alamo had taken over £200 from my card - without my consent! Obviously not pleased about this, I called them up. They told me that 'someone had made a mistake. It looks like you may have been charged for some damage' and that I should call back with the rental number so that it could be sorted out. I sincerely hope they give me my money back.

Feeling they may have broken the law, I called my bank, who confirmed that Alamo had indeed broken the law by deducting money from my account without my consent. Obviously if the woman had asked me about the damage at the time, I would have disputed her claims, and had proof the damage was pre-existing. This could all have been sorted out there and then. But she waited until I was gone, used my credit card and stole money from me. I am very displeased with the way I have been treated.

It also makes me wonder - do they ever even fix the damage their vehicles sustain? They tried to rent that car to me with 3 seperate unlisted items they just referred to as 'new damage'. Luckily, I got them to record these items on the sheet before I took the keys from them. But it makes you wonder how many people trust a large company like this to record damage properly and just take the keys without checking the car. Without proof they can then be charged for anything they didn't sign off against, whether they did it or not - a nice little money spinner for Alamo.

Avoid this company at all costs - don't be attracted by their cheap prices

Summary: Terrible. They illegally took money from me. AVOID