HIDDEN FEES & breach of contract law!

Jmeow's Response to shorty85's Review

Written on: 06/03/2013

I agree. I am in a similar situation and was charged $55 on my credit card for no reason and when I called up initially, they kept insisting they couldn't find my records when I supplied my first and last name as they would require the reservation number.

The car was hired 3 months ago and I did not keep the paperwork and they said there's nothing they can do to bring up my records.

So i had to do a lot of digging and finally found the reservation number and the lady said that the charge for for a toll processing fee as I failed to pay for a toll charge and this was explained to me when I picked up the car.

I told her there was no way I would know I would have to pay a toll charge if I wasn't told I had used a road with a toll charge.

She said she did send across an email on the 25/2, which I insisted she forwarded to me again as I never did receive such an email.

Checked the email address in her system and it was correct and she said the email might have gone to spam if my security setting were set to high.

I did notice that the amount was charged on my credit card on the 26/2 and would like to find out how that email sent on the 25/2 was even a warning of the infringment. For all I know, the amount to be deducted on my credit card could have been pending since the 25/2.

This is absurd and I was told I still have to pay the $55 (toll charge should be $5 or less) regardless.

My question - > How will anyone know they would need to pay a toll charge if they are foreigners and aren't familiar with the roads here in Australia ?

Also, shouldn't there be adequate reminders to pay off the toll charge before being charged an exorbitant "processing" fee by the car hire company ?

This will definitely not be the end of it for me and I urge everyone to think twice before booking with a car hire company that seems too cheap to be true.