Comments on: A stalled rental, a refund denied http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-stalled-rental-a-refund-denied/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Josh http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-stalled-rental-a-refund-denied/comment-page-1/#comment-16144 Josh Sun, 04 Jan 2009 16:56:16 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5528#comment-16144 It's certainly within a rental company's rights to require a credit card (they want it as security against the car being lost/damaged; most let you pay the final bill by debit card when you return the car), but Priceline is 100% wrong here -- a business cannot sell an unusable product and just put a disclaimer on their website. If they have a box saying "debit card", it's up to them to find a rental company that will accept that. And if the rental company accepted the prepayment, and that had info on the lack of credit card, then they're responsible for honoring the contract they entered into. Neither company can change the terms after accepting payment. It’s certainly within a rental company’s rights to require a credit card (they want it as security against the car being lost/damaged; most let you pay the final bill by debit card when you return the car), but Priceline is 100% wrong here — a business cannot sell an unusable product and just put a disclaimer on their website.

If they have a box saying “debit card”, it’s up to them to find a rental company that will accept that. And if the rental company accepted the prepayment, and that had info on the lack of credit card, then they’re responsible for honoring the contract they entered into. Neither company can change the terms after accepting payment.

]]> By: Brian Fields http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-stalled-rental-a-refund-denied/comment-page-1/#comment-16122 Brian Fields Sat, 03 Jan 2009 22:50:20 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5528#comment-16122 I had a similar experience (http://www.bigbri.net/?p=59) a couple years ago. I had reserved a car with a credit card, but when I dropped off the car, I had cash. They looked at me in amazement when I handed them a couple hundred dollar bills. They didn't know what to do with them. She had to ask her boss if they ACCEPTED cash. Ridiculous. I had a similar experience (http://www.bigbri.net/?p=59) a couple years ago. I had reserved a car with a credit card, but when I dropped off the car, I had cash. They looked at me in amazement when I handed them a couple hundred dollar bills. They didn’t know what to do with them. She had to ask her boss if they ACCEPTED cash. Ridiculous.

]]> By: Chicky http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-stalled-rental-a-refund-denied/comment-page-1/#comment-16033 Chicky Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:04:50 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5528#comment-16033 I never cease to be amazed at the amount of tap-dancing some of these companies will do in order to keep from doing what their rules clearly require them to do. Unbelievable. I never cease to be amazed at the amount of tap-dancing some of these companies will do in order to keep from doing what their rules clearly require them to do. Unbelievable.

]]> By: Carver Farrow http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/a-stalled-rental-a-refund-denied/comment-page-1/#comment-16021 Carver Farrow Sat, 27 Dec 2008 22:13:34 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5528#comment-16021 Priceline is 100 percent wrong. Priceline terms and conditions states explicitly "If you will only have a debit card at the time of pick-up, you must check this box. By checking this box we will match you with a rental car partner who accepts debit cards and you should avoid any major payment hassels" Thata's crystal clear. As long as she checked the box, Priceline was obligated to maatch her with a provider who would accept the debit card. Priceline didn't. She's owed a refund. Priceline is 100 percent wrong. Priceline terms and conditions states explicitly

“If you will only have a debit card at the time of pick-up, you must check this box. By checking this box we will match you with a rental car partner who accepts debit cards and you should avoid any major payment hassels”

Thata’s crystal clear. As long as she checked the box, Priceline was obligated to maatch her with a provider who would accept the debit card. Priceline didn’t. She’s owed a refund.

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