Another day in rental car land

[rentalcarguy]

Ah yes, another day and another series of lunatics. This one has to do with using a debit card for a rental. To preface this a bit, we take debit cards but only with a return flight itinerary. (I work at an airport location.) Now, when using our website to book a reservation, it CLEARLY states this policy in our terms and conditions. Do these morons actually look at those? Survey says, "Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!" Anyway, here is an exchange from tonight:

Me: "Yes ma'am, may I have your drivers license and a credit card please?"

SC: "Here!! (Saying to someone she is on the phone with) This guy finally has the time to serve me. (We had a line, we were short staffed because it was midnight, freaking deal toots.)

Me: "Ok, I see this is a debit card. Are you flying out?"

SC: "No!! I live here!! Can't you tell by my license??"

Me: "With a debit card, you need to be flying out; it cannot be used for a local rental."

SC: "WHAT????????? The person I spoke to didn't mention this and I rented last month and they didn't do this to me. They also took a $500.00 deposit and let me rent!! Why can't you do that?" (We don't take deposits, so where this was coming from was totally beyond me.)

Me: "Well, I cannot explain the actions of another individual, but........."

SC: "Call the 800 number!! Call them, see who told me this!!"

Me: "Ma'am, I have a line of people here, don't have the time, and they are likely closed anyway."

SC: "Stop looking at me like you think I am crazy!!" I felt like telling her that she was misreading my look as the look was clearly one of knowing she was insane and off her medication.

Me: "Ma'am, I don't think you are crazy, I am just trying to gather information and state our policies."

SC: "Call the number!!! Give me someone who can actually help me!!"

So, I told the supervisor, who heard the exchange what was going on and she was dealt with. She said the same things I did, but then the moronic customer started ranting and raving about how we refused to rent her a car.

After the line died down, the supervisor looked through the history and found she made the reservation on the web, and had NEVER rented from us before!!

I hate people...........

[bainsidhe]

Can I ask, why can't you use a debit card to rent? I've ran into it before when trying to book airfare on Expedia, but I didn't understand why.

[Bright_Star]

Can I ask, why can't you use a debit card to rent? I've ran into it before when trying to book airfare on Expedia, but I didn't understand why.

I've wondered about the same thing. Seems to me that even if you use a debit card it's still being paid for. OR am I missing something?

[malmalthekiller]

SC: "WHAT????????? The person I spoke to didn't mention this and I rented last month and they didn't do this to me. They also took a $500.00 deposit and let me rent!! Why can't you do that?" (We don't take deposits, so where this was coming from was totally beyond me.)

.

Maybe I can explain this a little. My sister used to work for a big car rental place as well, and when they took debit cards, they would need a $500 deposit as well, and when the car was returned they would get the deposit back. It was just their debit card policy. Maybe she was getting you confused with another company?

I've wondered about the same thing. Seems to me that evn if you use a debit card it's still being paid for. OR am I missing something?

Because, people can use prepaid debit cards and then cancel them and drive away with a $10,000 car. That's the hold tries to prevent.

[Exaspera]

Sooooooooooo, she's a crazy liar! Sheesh! Glad your supervisor stood up to her and backed you.

[Kristev]

Yes. A few mistakes with credit cards in my past was more than enough to teach me that cash (even if it has to be large denominations temporarily) is better anyway. Easier to watch and control, and track. I have a debit card now, but I am rather . . . loathe to use it without first triple-checking the balance.

[rentalcarguy]

To clarify the policy, a debit card is an unsecured form of payment. A customer can have $50,000.00 in the account or have a buck. The thing is we can't tell and therefore cannot guarantee there is enough money to cover an empty gas tank, damage to the Sovehicle, etc. With a credit card, there is a line of credit there and we can force a charge if the need arises.

The reason for the policy is that rental car companies were the victims of thieves using debit cards. A customer would have enough to cover the rental but no more. The individual would then steal the car/not return it and since there was say $200.00 in the account, the cost of the vehicle could not be recovered. So, the actions of a few cause consequences for the masses.

I hope that explains the policy.

[infinitemonkies]

Same reason that most hotels require credit cards. If a guest leaves, and we find out they trashed the room, we can bill the cc for the damages, but if they paid cash or debit and have already left, we'd have to sue them to ever see payment.

I only know of 2 hotels in Victoria that will accept cash, and unfortunately one of them is mine. We charge a $100 deposit, which I think is dumb because I've never seen a trashed room where $100 is enough to cover the damage.

[Aethian]

To rant and rave like that was stupid, I do bet anything she was just thinking of another car rental place like someone earlier said. But once your told it doesn't work like that not only by the desk minion but also by the desk minion supervisor, it's time to tuck your tail and slink away.