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Elliott Report

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CAR RENTAL

Randall Lee returns a rental car to Avis after a 7-hour rental during which he only drove 57 miles -- only to receive a $450 cleaning fee a week later for a “heavy smoke smell.” But hang on. Neither Lee nor his wife smoke. Can he get a refund? 

Avis charged me $450 for a “heavy smoke smell” in my car — but I don’t smoke!

December 3, 2025December 3, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

Randall Lee returns a rental car to Avis after a 7-hour rental during which he only drove 57 miles — only to receive a $450 cleaning fee a week later for a “heavy smoke smell.” But hang on. Neither Lee nor his wife smoke. Can he get a refund? 

Categories The Travel Troubleshooter
Bartosz Jusypenko rents a car through Turo in Canada and returns it without incident -- or so he thinks. The host claims a new scratch appeared during the rental, but the car was dirty at pickup. Now Turo wants him to pay $1,200 to fix the damage. Is that right? 

Turo is accusing me of causing $1,200 in damage. But I didn’t do it!

November 26, 2025November 26, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

Bartosz Jusypenko rents a car through Turo in Canada and returns it without incident — or so he thinks. The host claims a new scratch appeared during the rental, but the car was dirty at pickup. Now Turo wants him to pay $1,200 to fix the damage. Is that right? 

Categories The Travel Troubleshooter
Brian Dunn's rental car was unsafe to drive. When he tried to return it, Sixt slapped him with a $794 tow charge he never authorized.

Why is Sixt charging me $794 for a tow I never requested?

November 3, 2025November 3, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

All Brian Dunn needed for his business trip was a reliable rental car. Instead, he got a Nissan Sentra from Sixt that was unsafe to drive. And when he tried to return it, the car rental company slapped him with a $794 tow charge he never authorized. 

Categories Advocacy
ravelers are increasingly concerned about car rental safety. Here's how to ensure your rental car is safe before you hit the road.

Travelers are worried about car rental safety. Here’s how to avoid a problem

November 24, 2025September 6, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

Everything seemed fine when Josie Daigle rented a car in Boston from a national chain. A cursory glance at the vehicle before she drove off with her two young kids suggested the car was safe.

Categories Safe Travels
Hertz bills renter $5,873 months after a deer accident, then demands $842 more for "diminished value" without documentation.

Hertz wants another $842 after my insurance paid — is that legal?

August 27, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

Victoria Muenchow hits a deer while driving a Hertz rental van, files a claim through her credit card insurance, and waits 10 months for Hertz to send a $5,873 bill. After her insurance settles the bill, Hertz demands an additional $842 for “diminished value” but can’t provide documentation. Can she fight this fee — and win?

Categories The Travel Troubleshooter
Turo renter gets hit with a $500 bill for cracked paint she believes was already there. See how she challenged Turo's damage claim.

Help! Turo is charging me $500 for cracked paint on my rental car

August 14, 2025August 13, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

Latisha Thompson rents a car through Turo and is charged $500 for a paint job that she says was defective to begin with. Can she get a refund?

Categories The Travel Troubleshooter
Elderly couple denied Priceline car rental due to unclear age restrictions. Learn about rental car age policies and what to do when your reservation isn't honored.

Am I too old to rent a car? These Priceline rules are confusing

June 19, 2025June 16, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

Is Jan Goodwin too old to rent a car from Priceline? According to the company, the answer is no. Wait, I mean yes. 

Categories Advocacy
As summer travel heats up, travelers like Sharmistha Das are facing increased cleaning fees from companies like Lyft. With reports of careless behavior and profit-driven charges, discover the reasons behind this trend and learn how to avoid unexpected fees during your travels this season.

Why are travelers making such a mess this summer?

May 26, 2025May 25, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

Sharmistha Das says she didn’t trash her Lyft. But her driver claims she dragged her bicycle helmet along the side of his door, leaving several long scuff marks. 

Categories On Travel
When Nicholas Chandler rented an Avis car for one day, a rear-end crash led to a jaw-dropping $7,671 charge for 29 days of “loss of use” — despite the other driver being at fault. His insurance refused payment, citing vague billing. Avis’ claims partner, Sedgwick, admitted a possible error but offered no resolution. Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott uncovered internal confusion: Avis had charged Chandler the maximum daily rate as if he’d kept the car. After intervention, Avis refunded $7,000, admitting the mistake. A cautionary tale of rental car pitfalls and the fight against controversial “loss of use” fees.

Help! Avis charged me $7,671 for a one-day car rental

November 4, 2025May 14, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

Nicholas Chandler was rear-ended while driving an Avis rental car. Even though the other driver was at fault, Avis charged him for the entire time the car was out of commission. Can he get a refund?

Categories The Travel Troubleshooter
Corwin Simmonds encountered a frustrating $457 overcharge from Budget after renting a car in France. Despite multiple unauthorized charges and poor customer service, he persisted in seeking a resolution. Learn how he navigated the process and ultimately secured a refund for the erroneous charges.

Budget overcharge: I paid an extra $457 for my car rental in France!

September 7, 2025May 5, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

When Corwin Simmonds rented a car from Budget in Marseille, France, he never expected a simple transaction to become a frustrating ordeal with multiple overcharges and a bewildering lack of customer service. 

Categories Advocacy
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