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Budget Rent A Car Customer Service Phone, Email, Contacts

Budget Rent A Car
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4.2 1853 Reviews

Budget Rent A Car Complaints Summary

63 Resolved
380 Unresolved
Our verdict: With Budget Rent A Car's very poor resolution rate, careful consideration is needed. Research their service comprehensively, and read up on how they handle customer disputes. If you face issues, be prepared for potential challenges in obtaining resolutions and explore other service providers as backups.
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12:06 pm EST

Budget Rent A Car very rude rental car agent

On January 29, 2015 at 1:00 p.m., I mistakenly pulled into a Budget Rental Car return lane in the Orlando Florida International Airport. Several courteous agents and one very rude agent, Sharon Jackson, greeted me. Ms. Jackson instructed the other agents to stop attempting to assist me because I was not driving a Budget rental car. She rudely told me to leave the Budget Rental Car area. When I didn’t leave quickly, she directed a car to pull in the lane behind me. I asked the drive to pull into the next vacant lane and allow me to move my rental car. However, Ms. Jackson stopped the driver from moving the car and instructed him to leave the car, blocking the rental car that I was driving, until she could check the Budge Rental car and move it herself. She slowly checked the car and delayed my departure. Ms. Sharon Jackson’s created a problem and made it clear that she was not concern about me filing a complaint. Is this the new face of Budget Rental Car?

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Richjefe
Ojai, US
Sep 13, 2009 3:49 pm EDT

Paid in advance for an Explorer size SUV. They didn't have one and tried to give me a small SUV. With four adults traveling together I had to pay an upgrade fee to get a big enough car. Talk about a Bait and Switch. I will NEVER rent from Budget again.

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12:27 pm EST

Budget Rent A Car terrible customer service

Our vehicle was at least an hour late in being delivered to us at the Montrose Colorado airport. The price for an identical minivan vehicle that my friend had reserved from Enterprise was about 20% of the price I paid. The Budget rep promised to call us about the exorbitant price after speaking with his manager but that call was never received by us. We quickly learned that the traction on our vehicle in the snow of Telluride Colorado was terrible, in fact we became stranded at least twice in our own driveway. We repeatedly contacted Budget and requested an SUV vehicle to replace our minivan. They promised to actually deliver one to our vacation house that day. The vehicle never arrived. We called again and they stated they were unable to get out to us that day but would do so the next am. Again, no call or replacement vehicle ever received despite my pleading with them to at least call me back to discuss . Worst customer experience ever with a rental car. Will NEVER use Budget again. Overpriced and awful customer service.

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Phrank
Otisville, US
Mar 31, 2015 12:10 pm EDT
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After declining optional insurance I was charged for it. Rep wrote on my invoice 123.46 euros and 0 in insurance column. Budget has been telling me to wait 10 days every time I call them.This has been ongoing since Feb 17.

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marygoround
North Canton, US
Jun 18, 2010 7:52 pm EDT

During phone transaction with Budget rent a car I was transferred to a REWARDS program. I have been sucked out of 58.00 of unauthorized charges a month! I will not do business with Budget Rent a Car if they are still affiliated with a rewards program.

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10:18 pm EDT
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Budget Rent A Car customer service / charges

Rented a car from Budget on May 16 - 19th, 2014. When we starting off that evening on vacation to Yosemite National Park while sitting in the back seat i noticed a little shaking back and forth. Stop to check the car and noticed nothing but we woke up the next morning there it was a flat tire (big nail). Calling Budget the rep to make it short said we can get another car for you but it needs to come from the Oakland Airport (4 hours away), I said there are two in Modesto which is 20 minutes away. Now I receive a letter this past week of July from Budget for charges of $69.60 for services rendered. So I immediately call the Budget 800# and was told within the hour and also asked for a supervisor and was told I would receive a call back and nothing so I called again and was told a totally different story. The rep said no that I would receive a call back within 24 to 48 hours. No, I received an email saying sorry you have to pay. Called again and asked for a supervisor which was July 30th and spoke to Carmen (Supervisor). She assured me a call back and on Friday had to call again and this rep would not even put me through (rude). Again on Sunday I received another email stating the same pay the charge. Where's the customer service. Can't wait till one of these reps I spoke to get the same telephone treatment I have received. Still waiting on the telephone call back from Supervisor Carmen as promised on July 30th.

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MkStItCh
West Seneca, US
Aug 04, 2014 6:13 am EDT

By the way... I ended up paying about $40 to fix the tire.

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MkStItCh
West Seneca, US
Aug 04, 2014 6:12 am EDT

Most people do NOT read all the small print on a contract like this. I know I fell for it a long time ago. I had a flat tire and AVIS told me it was my problem. A nail in the tire falls under Customer responsibility. They would not come out and fix and I had to pay for the repair.

If I wanted them to come get the car and exchange it for another then I would have to pay.

Good Luck

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6:24 pm EST
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Budget Rent A Car customer service/equipment

Tow dolly their website and agent both said would work on my car did not. They could not provide me with replacement equipment for at least another day. So I told them I would just drive my car cause I am on deadline. Was told I could not return because the place I rented from is closed. Told them I could have someone else return it, was told I cannot pull dolly with non budget truck as it was abreach of contract. Told them I would leave it behind and they could come get, was told they cannot do that. Asked to speak with customer service manager was told I would get a call back and never did. They told me to pull the trailer empty and try to stop at a budget location along the way to see if they will take it, however, they have the right to refuse it. Do yourself a favor and spend the extra money for Penske!

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RJACOB
Indianapolis, US
Feb 19, 2014 3:17 pm EST
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WELL SORRY BOUT YOUR LUCK BUT ANY BUDGET PLACE WILL TELL YOU THAT IN ORDER TO RENT A (AT) OR CAR DOLLY YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT ON ONE OF THERE TRUCKS WHEN YOU ARE TALKING TO THEM, SO ALL IN ALL I JUST THINK YOU MISUNDERSTOOD THEM.

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2:37 pm EDT
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Budget Rent A Car poor quality of product

Let’s see, how to describe my Budget Truck Rental from Hell!

I was getting ready to move my Daughter to Gulfport Mississippi spending
$1, 367.40 and this is what I got!

First, when picking up my Truck Rental (Veh. No: 552954) on [protected] at
11:12am. I was not very happy to see a Truck that looked like it was
ready to be retired. The Truck was dirty inside and out, I had to clean
the inside of the windows so I could have clear vision of the road.
Also, the Trucks interior was stained with spilled Coffee and Pop; I
took some time to clean this up myself. The Exterior of the Truck
looked like it was dragged through a various number of disaster movies,
dented, paint warn off the hood, scratches and a front bumper that
looked like it was ready to fall off. If it wasn’t for the fact that I
had people coming to pack the Truck at noon that day I would have
declined the Rental. Once I got pasted all of the visual and
cleanliness problems I noticed that this Truck didn’t have any cruise
control. On my rental reservation I had mentioned that the Truck was
going to be returned to Biloxi Mississippi some 987 miles away. I was
told by the Rental Agent that none of the Budget Trucks come with cruise
control; I found that hard to believe! Once again I was in a bind and
needed a Truck to load at Noon. As I finished all of the paper work
with the Rental Agent, I ask him if the 2 dozen Furniture Pads and Hand
Truck were in the back of the Truck. He said that he didn’t have any
Hand Trucks and I would have to stop at another Rental Dealer to pick
one up, the Pads were no problem. (Side note: the Pads smelled like
urine and that I didn’t even want to put them anywhere near my
furniture.) I didn’t notice the smell until the people packing the Truck
told me how bad they were and that they recommended that I not use them.
After all of that with the Truck, I also rented a Tow Dolly (Tow Dolly
No. 410195). I was happy to see that this Tow Dolly look brand new,
stickers still on the Tires and it was not rusted. So off I drive to
get loaded up, (oh, off to pick up a Hand Truck then to get loaded up.)
Once the Truck was loaded up, (a two bedroom apartment) the ramp to the
back of the Truck would not retract. After 15 minutes or so messing
around with the Ramp and getting under the Truck to get it retracted it
was time to hook up the Tow Dolly. This was no problem at all. Hook up
went very smoothly.

Off to Mississippi, wait a minute! Only after traveling two hundred
miles, I had to stop in Cincinnati Ohio at 7:30pm. The driver’s side
strap to the Tow Dolly had torn and had come off the wheel. (note: I was
pulling a 2004 Chevy Cavalier) I called Fleet Net and they told me that
they would send someone out to fix it. When the repairman showed up at
10:00pm he told me that he didn’t have a strap to fix it. The repairmen
rigged it up with a piece of nylon rope that he had sitting in the back
of his truck. He told me that I should stop every so often to see if
was holding. Wow, that was a load off my mind only 789 miles to go.
Piece of mind I don’t think so! Now along with worry that this Truck
would make it, I have the extra worry of, is the Car going to come off
the Dolly! After stopping in Louisville Kentucky for the night, I was
hoping to get further but because of the delay in Cincinnati I settled
on Louisville. I was looking at my Rental Agreement pamphlet where on
the Cover it says “Reliable, East to Drive Trucks” my thought was
REALLY! (remember, a Dirty banged up Truck with no Cruise Control and
a torn Dolly Strap rigged up to hold the car on)

New day, more problems! While driving to my destination and stopping
every hour or so to see if the rigged up Dolly Strap was holding, I
often had to stop because after going up a hill or two the Temp Gage was
pegged to the Top. Now I was stopping every so often to check the Dolly
Strap and to let the Truck cool down. A 987 mile 15 hour trip had
turned into a 23 Hour trip because of the problems with the Truck and
Tow Dolly.

Arrived Mississippi! After unloading the Truck and letting it rest
overnight on the 30th I was going to return it on the next day. I had
already made arrangements with the folks in Biloxi to drop it off
because it was a Holiday weekend. When I went to start the Truck it
started spraying Gas from the top of the Gas Tank, needless to say the
Truck would not start. I called and left a message at the Drop Off
location to see what I should do, He called me back later that day and
said that I should call Fleet Net. So it was time to call Fleet Net
again. I tried to let the women know what the problem was but she was a
bit rude and told me that she would have someone out to look at it.
Well after waiting all day I got a call from Fleet Net (someone
different this time who asked me what exactly the problem was. I
discussed with them the best I could, having a good deal of automotive
experience myself that it seemed to be a busted Fuel Line at the top of
the Fuel Tank. He said that some would be out to take a look at it.
When the High Gear Onsite Repairmen came out he said that it could not
be fixed and it would have to be towed. He tried to call Fleet Net but
could not get a hold of them, but he said he would continue and that
Fleet Net would be getting back to me. Later that night I received a
call from them and they ask if they could pick it up the next morning, I
told them no problem. While I had Fleet Net on the line I ask them what
I should do with the Tow Dolly. The answer that I was given is that I
should drop it off to the scheduled drop off spot. I mentioned that I
had pulled it down with the broken down Truck they still told me that I
should still return it to the scheduled spot. The Tow Truck driver that
arrived from Dean’s Towing and Recovery (please note: that Dean’s Towing
was less than a half mile from my location) was I bit confused from
talking to Fleet Net and asked me what the problem was, I told him and
he hooked the Truck and was ready to go. I told him about the Tow Dolly
and that it too was in need of repair because of the broken strap. I
also told him what Fleet Net told me, he thought that was crazy because
they would more than likely being that repair on that too, but he left
only the Truck. I was SO glad to see that Truck Go! I was able to
borrow a vehicle that had a Trailer Hitch on it so I could return the
Tow Dolly. When I got to the drop off point in Biloxi and told him of me
experience he apologized for my troubles. (not his fault, but he was
courteous and very kind. When I told him that the Strap on the Tow
Dolly was torn, he said that he would have to send it over to Dean’s for
Repair. He had trouble finding the information in the computer because
someone had removed it. Lucky that I had my Retail Agreement and it had
the Customer Reference # on it: [protected] after I gave him that he
closed out my Rental, Customer Reference # [protected] and wished me a
good day.

Except for the Service that I received from Dealer 395320 in Biloxi
Mississippi, my experience with Budget was one of the worst I have ever
had renting a Truck, Car or anything else that I have rented in the
past.

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6:26 pm EDT
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Budget Rent A Car failure to honor reservation

I am in the military and made a reservation for a truck and trailer to do a DITY move. Reservation was made 4 June with a pick up date on 29 June. I received a message from a PRIVATE number on 27 June that the truck and trailer were not going to be available. There was no effort to try and fulfill the reservation, just a message that I was out of luck and that I should call the corporate HQs to try and find another truck and trailer. The most frustrating thing was, it was a private number that I could not call back. I called Budget corporate HQs and was told the best they could do was for me to wait every day for the next week and they may be able to find me a truck. They even told me I should try another company. I called U-Haul and they actually guaranteed me a truck, granted a few days later, but cheaper then Budget because of my trouble. The best part was when I called Budget back to cancel my reservation, they actually tried to charge me a $50.00 cancellation fee! Seriously, they wanted me to pay for their inability to honor a deal that was made almost a month ago. If you are military, stay away from Budget and go with someone else.

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6:10 pm EDT
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Budget Rent A Car fees added weeks after rental

My wife and I reserved and paid for a Budget rental car through with our American Advantage miles. We chose the subcompact, which was going to cost us the least amount of miles. Our "free" rental car was anything but free.

Upon arrival at the Tampa airport, the Budget agent began with the up-sell. The first thing he asked us was how much luggage we had. When we showed him that we had 2 rolling duffel bags plus our 2 carry-on pieces, he said the vehicle that we had paid for would not hold that along with my 6'3" frame. He showed us a photo of a Chevy Spark, and said this was the size vehicle we would be getting. He then said for an additional $10/day, we could upgrade to a Dodge Avenger. Since this was going to be roomier, we decided to go with the larger vehicle. Up later reflection, I don't think that they had any of the Chevy Sparks in their rental fleet at the time. The agent was going to have to give us the next larger size vehicle anyway!

The next tactic the agent used was the attempted selling of extra insurance to cover us while we drove. I explained to him that I have USAA auto insurance and that they would cover anything we might need in case of an accident. Since that tactic didn't work, the agent then explained that we should at least take out the insurance coverage that covers any damages done to the vehicle. (I am assuming he meant if the car gets scratched, etc) Again we refused to pay any more than what we had agreed upon for the larger vehicle.

Finally, it was time to give the agent my credit card to cover the expenses. This is when I noticed the actual cost of our "free" rental car.
We were charged for state and local taxes, plus other fees associated with renting a vehicle. For the 4 days of renting the car that was paid for with my American AAdvantage airline miles, it still cost me nearly $90!

That was not the end of the charges though. Two weeks after turning in the rental car, I received a letter from Budget stating that they are now going to charge my credit card an additional $75 because they have found a stain on the rear seats of the vehicle. I telephoned Budget Customer Service to dispute this and they sent me photos of the stain to corroborate their story. I explained to them that my wife and I were the only 2 people in the vehicle, and that it was used to travel from our hotel in Tampa to my sister's home in St. Petersburg. We kept our luggage in the trunk and did not use the rear seat for anything except packages.

I am sorry to say, that I am at the very least, displeased with Budget Car Rental, as well as the American AAdvantage program.
Budget seems to be running some sort of scam where if you don't take the additional vehicle coverage, then they will find something wrong with the car. American AAdvantage should make sure it is clear that when you use your hard earned miles to plan a trip, that there will be added on charges.

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1:31 pm EDT
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Budget Rent A Car extortion

I live in the US (California) and traveled to the UK. Before leaving, I reserved a Budget rental car through Argus. The agreed upon price was $490.97. In the confirmation email I got from Argus, it refers to "Optional Extras or Fuel Charges are payable at the rental desk". Note the keyword here is "optional". When I got to the Scotland airport, after traveling for 24+ hours, and I was delirious with jet lag, they demanded I buy insurance for 501.50 pounds, which, at the current exchange rate, worked out to $796.36! That's 1.62 times as much as the original rental price!

Because I'm not used to either driving on the left side of the road, or driving a car with a manual transmission, I felt having a car with an automatic transmission (which I reserved) was mandatory. Those were getting to be in short supply even when I was making my reservation weeks earlier, and were likely sold out by the time I arrived, so I reluctantly agreed UNDER DURESS to buy the insurance. I was standing there with two suit cases in hand. My friend that I was meeting there had taken two weeks of vacation to spend time with me. I had made numerous non-refundable reservations, etc. I pretty much didn't have any options at that point.

I contacted Argus a day or two later their web site, and they opened a ticket, but said the issue could not be investigated until I returned the car. Now, why on earth would that be the case? I'll tell you why: it's so that I would be more likely to hang on to the car, rather than shopping around for a better deal and returning the car early, thus minimizing the amount of insurance money they could extort from me.

I called Argus a few days later, and someone assured me (and I questioned it and clarified) that this $796.36 insurance charge was a deposit, not a premium, and that it would not be billed to my card so long as I didn't damage the car, which I didn't.

I returned home on April 2, and on April 4, they had attempted to bill me for the entire $796.36. They only got $671.33 because that's about all I had in my checking account. They got a little more than what I had due to the overdraft protection, and of course I incurred overdraft fees.

I emailed Budget, and they beat me over the head with the fact that I had signed their contract, and basically told me to go to hell. Argus is expressing a little more sympathy, but I have yet to get a refund. The guy said he would pull the audio tape of the conversation I had with the Argus customer support woman, and if indeed I was assured that it was a deposit rather than a premium, I would receive a refund. That was stated on April 8. Today is the 12th, and I have not been given any updates, and I couldn't get the guy on the phone who was assigned this case, and he hasn't responded to my emails requesting updates.

I think Argus and Budget are co-conspirators in this. If Argus had given me correct information, I would have shopped around for a new rental car, and returned the old one, thus, at least minimizing the carnage. But, I was mislead, I was put off until it was too late to do anything about it, and now, I'm out an extra $671.33. This is highway robbery.

To summarize: I agreed in good faith to pay the stated amount of $490.97, and I did indeed pay this amount at the time I made the reservation. They ended up charging a total of $1297.33 for the rental car. That's 2.62 times what was originally agreed upon.

A rental company is well within its rights to charge insurance, but they should state their requirements UP FRONT and IN ADVANCE! They shouldn't spring this one someone at the airport! Even their own contract lists these charges as "Optional Services", but they refused to rent the car to me without me agreeing to pay these fees.

This is worse than bait and switch. Bait and switch at least gives the person the option to walk away. I had flown from California to Scotland, and I NEEDED a rental car, and had reserved one, and had paid the agreed upon price for it. Then, after they had me over a barrel, they extorted another $796.36 out of me. I will never rent from Budget/Avis ever again. I suggest you do likewise.

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Eric A. Steigerwald
Willow Grove, US
Aug 04, 2014 8:41 am EDT

Rented vehicle from Budget on Friday Aug. 1, 2014 for the week-end. Upon returning the car on Aug. 3, 2014, the agent accused me of smoking in the vehicle and I was told I had to pay a smoke clean up fee. I nor anyone else smoked in or around the vehicle while it was in my possession. My neighbors can attest that I had no smoking or tobacco materials in my possession on pick-up or delivery of the vehicle. I will swear to the above statement in a court of law.

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Dascloud
, IE
Apr 29, 2013 2:17 am EDT
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Send me a pm I could possibly help you out...

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Dascloud
, IE
Apr 29, 2013 2:17 am EDT
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I could help you out here, contact me on dascloud@me.com

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8:07 pm EST
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Budget Rent A Car rental and refund

Paid for rental over phone with credit card as I had done the year before.Last year for 2 weeks.This time 1 week.Went to the LAX budget rental place same as last year to pick up paid for reservation..They refused my debut visa card which I had more than enough and already had paid in full.was given number for refund.They agreed to pay back in 3 days full amount.Then an hour later said they were charging $50.Went to Hertz and rented a car with same card 1 hour later. costing me about $400 more nice start to vacation waiting 3 days to get part of my money back and off to late start to visit my grandfather who seriouly ill who is 450 miles away.I was planning on early start now I well be driving most of the way after dark..The service was rude and impolite and I advise anyone renting a car not to use budget rent a car.They are crooks and liars as well. REFUBD CASE NO.5599625 full refund was given trhat later email saying $50 charge.This was not an online transaction but done directly with Budget over phone.

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Budget Rent A Car non refund of deposit

My husband and I visited Scotland for Christmas. We rented a vehicle from Budget Rent a Car in Inverness and had to pay 100 British Pounds deposit and were told this would be paid back a week after we gave the car back. That was on the 28 December and to date we have not received a refund into my husband's credit card despite repeated emails back and forth. I received one email from Budget stating that as far as they were concerned the money was refunded on the 29th December: My last email has been ignored completely. Shocking service from Budget

See emails below:
This is a resend of mail and an urgent reply is requested.

Why did nobody contact me to say the attachment was not there?
That is indeed very poor customer service and very disappointing that a firm of this calibre should do this.

I have only noticed now that I omitted to send the attachment. If I do not receive a reply within the next day I will take this complaint to the highest level. Our deposit has NOT been paid back and we would like this sorted out now.
Mrs Lorraine Petterson

From: Lorraine Petterson [mailto:[protected]@mobilitysolutions.co.za]
Sent: 23 January 2013 02:16 PM
To: 'Customer Care'
Subject: RE: 15514465GB1 / [protected]
Importance: High

Dear Orsolya
Thank you for your mail. I have attached my husband’s Mastercard statement which proves that no payment has been received.
The statement clearly shows that the last payment made to this card was on the 18th December in the amount of R11, 000.
Please ensure this card is credited with the deposit of GBP100 immediately as the previous refund did not go through.
Your urgent attention to this matter will be appreciated.
Regards
Lorraine Petterson

From: Customer Care [mailto:customer.[protected]@budget.co.uk]
Sent: 23 January 2013 01:29 PM
To: '[protected]@mobilitysolutions.co.za'
Subject: 15514465GB1 / [protected]

Dear Mrs Petterson,
Thank you for your email.
As I can see in our record your deposit GBP100.00 was returned to Mr Petterson’s Master card on 29 December 2012. Please note that depending on your bank the transaction may take up to 10 working days to be reflected on the bank account.
Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention and for giving me the opportunity of assistance.
Yours sincerely,

Orsolya Lénárd
Budget UK Customer Service
Budget Rent-a-Car
Tel: [protected] (UK)
Tel: +[protected] opt 2 (outside UK)
Fax: [protected]
Email: customer.[protected]@budget.co.uk
Website: www.budget.co.uk
Address: Park Road, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 2BW. UK

----------------------------
From: [protected]@mobilitysolutions.co.za
Sent: Tue Jan 22 12:31:35 GMT 2013
To: Budget.[protected]@budgetinternational.com
CC:
Subject: COMPLAINT
----------------------------

Reservation number: [protected]-GB-1.
Rental agreement number(s): IVI33534RA9
Rental office: United Kingdom
Salutation: Mrs
First name: Lorraine
Surname: Petterson
Wizard number:
Telephone: [protected]
e-mail: [protected]@mobilitysolutions.co.za
Comment: I sent a mail on 17 Jan stating that our refundable deposit of 100
pounds has not been paid back. We were told it would take a week but the car was
returned on the 29 December and we have heard nothing. This is unacceptable and I
need answers. Nobody has bothered to come back to me and I want this lodged as
an official complaint. Please get back to me urgently. This is very bad
service
indeed.

________________________________________
This email and any attachment(s) may contain confidential and/or proprietary information and is for the intended recipient only. If an addressing or transmission error has misdirected this email, please notify the sender by replying accordingly. If you are not the intended recipient you should not copy, distribute or in any way make use of the information contained in this email and any attachment(s). The recipient should check this email and any attachments for the presence of viruses. The company accepts no liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email.

Budget Rent A Car is a registered trademark of Zodiac Europe Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales with company number 4634240. Registered office : Park Road, Bracknell, Berkshire, UK, RG12 2BW. VAT No. : GB [protected]

______________________________________________________________________
This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service.
For more information please visit http://www.symanteccloud.com
______________________________________________________________________

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Anthony Oliva
Wesley Chapel, US
Mar 26, 2022 9:14 am EDT
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March 10 3:45 pm I made a reservation online from Guadalajara, Mexico at Budget rent a car. My flight # 976 Volaris was on March 22, 1:00 pm, and the rental was a car from Orlando Florida airport for 2 days (March 22, 2:30 pm) with return in Tampa (March 24, 2:30) Price $231.25. At the Orlando airport they informed me that they could not deliver the car to me because I was a resident of Florida. In other words, they not gave me the service and Budget rent car took my money. my confirmation number is 05515373US3. I hope with your help to recover my money for not having any service from Budget rent car. Thank you email: olivanthony@gmail.com

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7:13 pm EST
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Budget Rent A Car bogus charges, horrible service

Thought I would save a few bucks and rented a car from Budget, instead of my usual rental company, for
a recent trip to Vegas. What a mistake! First they gave me the wrong car. You don't find this out until
you are exiting the garage and then the guy at the gate tells me I have to go back to the rental office and
get them to straighten it out. Back at the rental office the staff didn't much care that I was in a hurry or
that they had made a mistake. I waited over 15 more minutes while they straightened out their mistake.
Not a "sorry for the mistake"... nor a "sorry about the delay"... nothing! When I finally received another
car (which by the way had a very dirty interior!) they neglected to ask me for the keys back from the
original car and as I was in an even bigger hurry I inadvertently took them with me. When I returned the
car at the end of my trip I left both sets of keys in the car. My bill however was about double what the
contract price was. So, I went to the counter to try and get the charge changed but the unhelpful clerk
was simply intent on wasting my time - knowing that my flight was leaving soon and I'd have to give up.
The clerk was most unhelpful and disappeared in the back for 10 minutes to "speak to a manager".
Despite my pleas to get it resolved I ended up having to leave to catch my flight. I'm now awaiting a full
credit and an apology from the company. From the other reports about Budget ripping off customers and
my own experience I'm certainly not happy with this company!

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Update by Jay_
Jan 17, 2013 9:40 am EST

The point is that the charge was bogus when the keys were returned and instead of correcting it, they continued their lousy service (which created this issue in the first place).

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8:46 am EDT
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Budget Rent A Car poor customer service

Formal complaint on behalf of Budget Lions Park office located in Calgary, Alberta, CANADA.

We planned a trip away for thee weekend of Friday 21st September until Sunday 23rd September 2012.

We booked a car online therough budget.ca on Monday thee 16the September to make sure thee small compact car we requested would be available which our confirmation email said it was.

We called a day prior to make sure we had all thee relevant information required which our customer service representative told us we did.

When we arrived at thee office to pick up thee car, thee customer service representatives informed us theat thee car we requested was unavailable due to being dirty and having no gas in it.

They theen pressured us into taking a much larger Ford sedan which our driver was not comfortable withe, but felt she had no otheer choice but to accept thee vehicle.

The car was checked theoroughly for damages by thee driver and two accompanying passengers before departing, altheough thee vehicle ready report was never signed by thee service representative from Budget.

We theen returned thee car on thee Sunday at thee specific time but was under thee impression theat theere would be customer service representatives theere to assist withe thee handover of thee keys, thee office was all locked up and nobody was around, so we checked thee car for any damages which theere was none and departed thee parking lot.

The next morning to our shock, we had a message on our phone to say thee car we had over thee weekend had a large crack in thee drivers side bumper and we were being held liable for thee damage.

Even theough we are adamant we did not cause theis crack in thee car as theere was no damage prior to us returning thee car on Sunday, thee insurance purchased withe thee car does not cover any damages as we have been informed by Budget. Our driver asked on two occasions if theere was any additional information or cover she needed before signing thee form which she was told no.

We have had great past experience withe Budget and chose to deal withe theem again, but have been theoroughly disappointed by thee level of customer service at theis particular time and will be questioning our hire car company choices in thee future based on theis situation.

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Budget Rent A Car scam

Booked 16' truck online, when I arrived to pick up truck it wasn't available. Budget says they always overbook. But how can you overbook a 1 truck rental store. They then charged $50 to my card for not picking up the truck. What a bunch of crooks.

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kakahon
, US
Dec 14, 2009 8:13 pm EST

budget gave my credit card info to shoppers Advantage and they proceded to make unathorized charges to my account

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SaraKe
Aurora, US
Jan 26, 2012 11:50 pm EST

Budget Rental Trucks, and more specifically the one located in Bullhead City, AZ are scammers. Rented a 16" truck and realized it would not be big enough. Called Budget BHC to see if they had a larger one we could trade for. Was told they didn't and didn't rent trailers and to call UHaul to see about renting a trailer. Once everything was loaded we noticed the brake lights on the truck were not working. Repairman came out after 3 hours and said that the fuse box was not giving power, even without the UHaul trailer on the truck and that it was an aftermarket fuse box. Finally got lights working and left. Then received a call saying that we were in violation of contract because of the UHaul trailer and to return the truck immediately. Unloaded truck and went to the BHC Budget to return the truck in the morning. Was told by the owner of the BHC Budget that he would not take the truck back and to drive it to Colorado. Called customer service who finally got through to BHC Budget (after he originally refused to speak to BUDGET CUSTOMER SERVICE) and finally took the truck back (after being extremely rude). Budget is refusing to return any of our money and Budget BHC is now saying they didn't say to rent a UHaul and that they had a bigger truck to change with us but received no call from us regarding the problem. Why would we rent an additional trailer for more than the bigger truck would have cost? It makes no sense. Budget has the worst customer service and is the least professional company I have ever had the misfortune to deal with. I would give them negative stars if possible.

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12:03 pm EDT
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Budget Rent A Car breach of contract

Budget rent a car breaches contract, strands mom & 2 daughters.

Saturday night, june 9, 2012, the mother and daughters disembarked their airline at san diego airport secure in their pre-confirmed, credit card transacted and charged, contract – with budget prepaid confirmed contract number - for a budget rent a car to be waiting for them.

The budget agent refused to release their car, agent demanded cash plus $200 surcharge; alternate credit cards and check were refused. Again and again the agent demanded cash or no car.

Traveling under standard safety precautions, the mother did not carry enough cash to cover such a large demand.

The budget agent laughed at the mother’s pleas for help and safe transportation to their motel.

Budget breached the prepaid, existing contract on which a credit card charge for the full cost had already been conducted and confirmed.

Budget stranded the mother and two daughters, at night, on the streets of san diego - without safety or ground transportation and without a shred of concern for their safety.

For six hours phone calls were made to budget by the mother and family members around the country for resolution to the issues with the same universal answer from budget, “can’t help you”!

A concerned female san diego airport employee offered the mother and daughters a ride to their motel.

After the series of complaints by the extended family, budget did reimburse the mother’s credit card for the charges previously made to cover the car rental contract they breached.

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Budget Rent A Car charge

I rented a car at Medford Oregon airport 10 pm at night they told me drop off before 10pm sat drove to airport sat 9:45 know one around Budget car rental tags and keys on counter know one around no drop off boxs took car back to motel at 4 am went to airport to get on plane drop off car know one around again to check car in ...against my best judgement had to get on lane landed back in chicago called asked them they dsaid I am good to go.. Next day charges on my credit card rental plus 250.00 smoke fee, called corp office she Tonya looked at rental notes and said I will not remove speak to airport agent called them spoke to Bill he said sorry I will remove next day checked still on my card called Bill again he sent to pics of a grey leather seat with smoke ash on seat ! thats great but my car had Black leather seats very nice leather seays no detail could have been there personal car /// I would pay if I smoked but do not ! sent Bill a email saying hey thats not the inside of the car I had no response ////so you give credit card to Budget look out you will pay what ever they want you to and will make sure know one is avalibe to check car in and charge you for next day rental [protected]@live.com

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Budget Rent A Car overcharges

Just rent a car for a weekend. Needed to go from San Juan, PR to Humacao thru the Turnpike. I was instructed not to use the R lane for toll charges. So I used the other lane.

I was charged $11.30 for a toll that was $1.00. No way you can avoided because you have no choice of declining the usage of the car’s transponder. I was willing to pay the toll with cash(I have the PR Highway Toll card) but Budget do not give you this option.

Be aware charges for the transpoder is based on the entire rental car period not by how many times you use th toll road.

This is a big rip off.

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9:25 pm EST
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Budget Rent A Car car rental overcharge

I was quoted $88.29 for a mid-size car rental; two days - basically looking to save myself cab fare and my son the trouble of coming to pick me up on Christmas Eve. Upon arriving at 11:30pm, the customer service rep advised me that I could 'have any car on the lot, since they were full'. I said no the mid-size is fine. He responded well we have a brand new ford explorer, you could take that if you want. So, I did. I drove 66 kms and filled up the tank to over the amount I had received in the vehicle. upon arriving back at the airport two days later, the female customer service rep refused to go out and check the fuel gauge (apparently too much trouble for her), and we were advised that we'd receive our invoice via email the next day. When we got the email, not only had we been charged a re-fueling fee, but also the $45/day upgrade fee! So, I went from paying $88.29 all in, to $264.46! Why would pay that much to save myself a $60 carfare? When I called to get it corrected, I was given the royal run-around. They would have to 'investigate'. A whole week later, and I am called to be advised that since the upgrade was 'circled' on the document I was given to sign (bearing in mind that buddy wanted to get the heck out of there on Christmas Eve since he was only there to greet me when my flight arrived), then I am on the hook for that. As for the re-fueling charge - well, I had to produce a receipt, because apparently someone forgot to inspect the vehicle when we arrived, and apparently the next day too! Luckily, I kept the receipt! So, do NOT rent a vehicle from this crooked location or any Budget location!

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5:56 pm EDT
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Budget Rent A Car failed to provide truck

After making a reservation online to rent a truck, and receiving a confirmation for a truck, Budget failed to provide a truck. I had even attempted to cancel the reservation, but they wouldn't allow it unless they charged me a $50 penalty. When I arrived to pick up the truck, the attendant informed me that someone should have called me when they were unable to provide the truck. Afterwards I discovered a $50 charge to my credit card. Budget agreed to remove it, but claimed it took 5 business days for it to show up.

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Stopthebs
Philadelphia, US
Nov 02, 2011 6:04 pm EDT
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All these truck rental agencies overbook then din't have enough trucks to meet the demand. The customer get screwed. It's been going on for years.

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Budget Rent A Car safety issues

I rented a 24 feet commercial truck from Budget.
Upon inspection I found the truck rear bumper was hanging on by a thread. The 2 brackets that held the bumper from swaying back and forth were missing and broken weld. The extra support brackets along the frame were broken welds. The top of bumper channel iron supports were welded very poorly with the look of a amateur welder. The welds were painted over with black paint (trying to hide the bad repair job)
The rear spring brackets on the truck were broken.
I had to use the truck, there were none other to rent. In driving the head light were shining in the trees at the side of the road and the dim lights were shining 10 feet in the front of the truck. The big problem was the fuel gauge did not work, no low fuel light, and the wipers blades were dislodged somewhat from the metal and did not clean the windshield. The truck was inspected at the Sears store in Murray Ky and the man that inspected said He forgot to write down the rear bumper. What an O well attitude!
I should have taken pictures.
Why plate the Budget trucks in Oklahoma? Because they have no safety commercial truck requirements. The list of states that do not test trucks as follows: States without safety, emissions, or VIN inspections

Arkansas
Florida
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Michigan
Minnesota
Montana
North Dakota
Oklahoma
South Carolina
South Dakota
Wyoming
How is that? RCR

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8:36 pm EDT

Budget Rent A Car stay away from these crooks

I had a trip to Colorado planed, so I called Budget car rental on Tuesday and reserved a compact car for Friday between 5:00 and 6:00 pm for 3 days, and they said it would be there waiting for me, and later they confermed it, I was leaving that night as soon as I picked it up and loaed it, but when I went to pick it up ( on time ) they told me they did not get it, but I could have a 4 wheel drive SUV insted, well I wasn’t going to pay out the money a gas hog from Kansas City to Colorado, I ask why they did not call me, I drove 60 miles out of my way to get it, He just laughed and shrugged his shoulders, so I checked around with other car rentals, but nothing was available without a reservation, so I had to take my small 98 Toyota pick up with 264000 on it and have 2 tires put on it and have the oil changed before I could leave, anyway, my trip had to be cut short and a very uncomfortable ride, thanks Budget, for your great customer service and dependability.

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Budget Rent A Car Customer Reviews Overview

Budget Rent a Car offers a variety of rental services for customers seeking transportation solutions. Their fleet includes a range of vehicles from compact cars to larger SUVs and vans, catering to different needs and preferences. Customers can rent cars for varying durations, from short-term to longer-term leases. Additional options such as insurance coverage, GPS navigation, and child safety seats are available to enhance the rental experience. Budget operates at numerous locations worldwide, providing accessibility for travelers seeking vehicle rentals both domestically and internationally.

Budget Rent A Car In-depth Review

Pricing and Value for Money: Budget Rent A Car offers competitive prices and excellent value for money. Their rates are affordable and often lower than other car rental companies. They also provide various discounts and promotions, making it even more cost-effective to rent a car from them.

Vehicle Selection and Availability: Budget Rent A Car has a wide range of vehicles to choose from, catering to different needs and preferences. Whether you need a compact car for a solo trip or a spacious SUV for a family vacation, they have options available. The availability of vehicles is generally good, ensuring that you can find a suitable car for your desired dates.

Customer Service and Support: The customer service and support provided by Budget Rent A Car are commendable. Their staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and always ready to assist you with any queries or concerns. They strive to provide excellent customer service and ensure that your rental experience is smooth and hassle-free.

Booking Process and Ease of Use: The booking process with Budget Rent A Car is straightforward and user-friendly. Their website, www.budgetinternational.com, is easy to navigate, allowing you to quickly search for available cars, compare prices, and make a reservation. The entire process is efficient and can be completed in just a few simple steps.

Rental Policies and Terms: Budget Rent A Car has transparent rental policies and terms. They clearly outline their terms and conditions, including insurance coverage, fuel policies, and mileage limits. This transparency helps you understand what to expect and avoid any surprises during your rental period.

Vehicle Condition and Cleanliness: The vehicles provided by Budget Rent A Car are generally in good condition and well-maintained. They undergo regular inspections and maintenance to ensure that they are safe and reliable. Additionally, the cars are cleaned thoroughly before each rental, ensuring a clean and comfortable driving experience.

Additional Services and Features: Budget Rent A Car offers various additional services and features to enhance your rental experience. These may include GPS navigation systems, child seats, and roadside assistance. These additional services can be added to your reservation for a convenient and customized rental experience.

Locations and Accessibility: Budget Rent A Car has numerous locations worldwide, making it convenient to rent a car wherever you are. Their rental locations are strategically placed, including airports, city centers, and popular tourist destinations. This accessibility ensures that you can easily pick up and drop off your rental car without any inconvenience.

Overall Experience and Satisfaction: Overall, renting a car from Budget Rent A Car is a satisfying experience. Their competitive prices, wide vehicle selection, excellent customer service, and user-friendly booking process contribute to a positive rental experience. The vehicles are well-maintained, and the additional services provided further enhance the overall satisfaction.

User Reviews and Ratings: Budget Rent A Car has received positive reviews and ratings from users. Customers appreciate their affordable prices, reliable vehicles, and helpful customer service. These reviews and ratings reflect the overall satisfaction of users who have rented cars from Budget Rent A Car.

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