Menu
Europcar International Customer Service Phone, Email, Contacts

Europcar International
reviews & complaints

www.europcar.com
www.europcar.com

Learn how the rating is calculated

1.8 325 Reviews

Europcar International Complaints Summary

68 Resolved
256 Unresolved
Our verdict: When using services from Europcar International with a poor resolution rate, be vigilant. Understand the common pitfalls other customers have faced. Prepare thoroughly for any interactions with their customer service, and consider alternative solutions if your issues are not addressed satisfactorily.
Verified
The authenticity of the customer service contact information for Europcar International has been meticulously verified by representatives from ComplaintsBoard using our proprietary verification system.
Click here to get notifications about new complaints of Europcar International. We promise not to send you any unrelated messages
Share
Claim Your Business
Take control of your profile: address complaints and engage with reviews
Write a review
File a complaint

Europcar International reviews & complaints 325

Filter reviews by rating
5
0 review
4
0 review
3
0 review
2
0 review
1
1 review
Sort by:

Newest Europcar International reviews & complaints

ComplaintsBoard
D
9:06 pm EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Europcar International unrecognised transaction

I rented a car from Europcar on from the 29-30 of Sept. I paid it immediatly with my credit card and I was told that everything was alright, when I brought the car back.
Now I found out that on the 20 of Oct. EC Vehicle Rental charged from my credit card 11, 05 Pounds.

Read full review of Europcar International and 60 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer's satisfaction.

Hide full review
60 comments
Add a comment
N
N
Niels Christian Beck
, DK
Jun 12, 2013 3:51 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I rent a car in Edinburg. voucher: [protected]. From 19th May to 26th May. We paid all when we ordered the car. And should refueling when we delivered it. And we did. The staff who received the car said everything was okay. But you have raised 69, 97 GBP on my account the 29th May. WHY.? . Regards Niels Christian Beck.

T
T
Tipperary Billy
, IE
Dec 13, 2014 4:01 pm EST

This scam seems to be marching on. I too have seen a charge in my credit card account to EC VEHICLE RENTAL of Leicester. I rented a car from arguscarhire.com ( a U k car brokerage) for a week-end. The cost was about £40 stg. and paid for this using my bank debit card - not by credit card. Upon arrival in Bristol Airport my wife & I were directed to the Europcar Rental Desk and it was there that we had to produce the credit card to cover uninsured damage, unreplaced fuel, etc. There was no damage done to the car. Like some other complainants we had no communication whatsoever from either Argus or Europcar - other than invitations from Argus to do business with them again!

At least I have the opportunity not to pay the charges as my credit card bill is not due for another few days. I will be formally querying the transaction with my credit card company on Monday morning. I am not sure who can put a stop to this behaviour but it is time the car-hire companies got together and established a code of conduct to which all car-hire companies would subscribe and be identified by means of some identifiable logo on car-hire websites.
Tipperary Billy

Alamo Rent A Car
Alamo Rent A Car
St. Louis, US
Nov 03, 2014 2:12 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Jorge, I am following up with our international team right now. I will let you know of any updates that I may receive. -Tatiana

J
J
Jorge Mir
, ES
Oct 13, 2014 11:17 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

After 3 weeks of waiting time nobody from Alamo contacted me except to tell me that they are sending my request from a department to the other, first from the Central to the International team, then from the International to the UK Local offices. That last one happened the 2nd of October almost two weeks ago.
In the meantime I have no explanation about why I have been overcharged at the end of the rental period when the booking was prepaid and my money is on their hands.
Reading into the Internet is really scaring the amount of customers like me that are overcharged without reason or explanation:
- nonexistent damages on the car
- extra insurances not requested and even refused
- empty fuel deposit when it wasn't
Queue of claims is long and worldwide, just to raise some examples, in these three links there are almost 500 cases:
- http://www.consumeraffairs.com/travel/europcar.html
- http://europcar.pissedconsumer.com/
- http://alamo.pissedconsumer.com/
Is there any Consum Authority that can take that, investigate and conduct the needed legal actions to solve all this cases?
NOT TO SAY: Never use EUROPCAR / ALAMO / NATIONAL again!

C
C
cragsnbex
, AU
Sep 23, 2014 4:33 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hi Christopher of Alamo, can I get a reference number please for my complaint?

J
J
Jorge Mir
, ES
Sep 21, 2014 5:12 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hello, my name is Jorge Mir, confirmation number [protected]
I rented a car from Alamo car rental al Gatwick airport, from Aug 23 to Sep 13 using Cardelmar who charged the total amount of the reservation, so it was pre-paid completely. I realized yesterday that a charge of 228 € was done on my credit card by EC VEHICLE RENTAL LEICESTER HQ without notice, notification or explanation about it, the same day of the drop off.
When we picked up the car at Gatwick, Europcar blocked about 555 € on my credit card, the car had no damages and the fuel deposit was full. When we drop off the car, the clerk revised it: no damages, full deposit, ... in his words: "everything perfect" and he proceed to manage the unblock of the money on my credit card.
So, I cannot understand where that other charge of 228 € comes from, it looks as a mistake and I have started actions to get it fixed (sending emails to Alamo, Cardelmar an notifying my bank about this unknown charge), but after reading all your posts it looks more like a usual fraud. How should I proceed?

C
C
cragsnbex
, AU
Sep 21, 2014 3:35 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I found all of these comments after searching online for issues with EC Vehicle Rental. I agree with other posts, that this is criminal what is happening. We rented a car for a month, picked it up 18th Aug and realised the same day there was a charge for £11.66 per day for extra insurance. As we never agreed to this we called Alamo immediately THE SAME DAY and we're assured it would be rectified and we had nothing to worry about. On return of the car, exactly as received and full of petrol we have now been charged an additional £400! Absolutely diabolical that we have been charged more for an insurance we asked to be removed than we were charged for a months car rental?!? How can Alamo even think that this is ok?!?! I'm disgusted and will be doing everything required to get my money back...

T
T
Tracy Lemieux
Montreal, CA
Sep 19, 2014 2:04 pm EDT

Hello, My name is Tracy Lemieux. confirmation number [protected]

I rented a car from the Almo car rental at Manchester airport. from Aug 26 and it was dropped off on September 3rd.
It was a pre paid for rental car. I had already paid $307.01 Canadian with the booking ref of [protected]
I would like to know why I was charged a further $777.01 on my master card when returning home. I took out the insurance for the 8 days and would have paid for a whole tank of GAS as I returned it empty.
Just before signing the contract for the insurance, the clerk reassured me that I would be getting back half of the cost. But I was billed on the day that I returned the car, for more than the car insurance and gas.
Further more I have been trying for two weeks now to call the Car Hire in Manchester and the EC office in Leicester, The only time I was able to get through, they could not help me and gave me a number of customer service which was not the correct number. So please help me to receive the deposit back and also send me a correct number where these problems can be discussed.

Thank you Tracy Lemieux

Y
Y
Yun Fai Leung
, HK
Sep 17, 2014 10:57 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hi John, what is the referece number, Yunfai Leung

Y
Y
Yun Fai Leung
, HK
Sep 17, 2014 1:06 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Rental Agreement [protected] and Bus Lane Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) PCN no. BN80629731
EUROPCAR MAKE A VERY SERIUOS MISTAKE
I have rent a car from 12-14 July 2014, after I back to Hong Kong, and in August, I received an Traffic Violation invoice from Alamo regarding a £36 handing charge for the Bus Lane Penalty Charge from Bath and North East Somerset Council, but the credit card number debit shown on the Alamo invoice is not my credit card number, because I have one credit card only, so I know this card number is not mine. Alamo office must make a mistake, so I email to Alamo customer service, they insist this card number 54**********5290 is my credit card number, actually my credit card number is 54********2908. After three to four times arguments, they still insisted they are correct. Why I said they are wrong, because after I return the car, I found an additional charge of around £100 was debit to my credit card 54********2908, and I email to them query for such additional charge, subsequently they credit about £50 to my credit card 54********2908. So from these debit and credit transactions, in their system, my credit card number is 54********2908 and not 54**********5290, But they insisted they are correct.
I write this because I want all guy to know that the internal system of ALAMO is quite confuse and disorder. I hope ALAMO can give me an explanation on my credit card number. Thanks.
YunFai Leung

ComplaintsBoard
J
2:43 am EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Europcar International left strnded

My wife with her aunt and cousin as well as our 2 daughters had to fly to perth for emergancy family issues. 2 Days before the flight we booked an Audi A6 with Europcar via thier website. There was 3 full adults and 2 children along with the laugage and we felt the A6 was the largest car around, plus had the GPS built in.

When they tried to collect the car at Perth airport they were told that WE (not europcar) had canceled the booking and that there was no car avaiable. My wife insisted that we definatly had not canceled and that we had recieved no notice at all of the cancelation. To the service desk ladies credit she tried to arrange something, but all she had was a Hyndi Getz, which would be lucky to get 2 poeple and bags into. Fortunatly another rental company was able to supply a large sedan, but only after an hour of hastle at the airport in what is already a stressful time.

Be sure to phone and confirm your booking, make sure you take the name of the person. Do not trust thier website bookings as it managed to cancel our booking without warning !

Read full review of Europcar International
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
I
2:25 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Europcar International fraud use of visa card & excess refueling charge

We had a 3 day rental and left Visa for deposit only as the actual rental was a freebie from another company.

We returned car and there was no attendant to check fuel level after I just filled it.

Returned to Canada and got a Visa charge for $215.00 Canadian for refuelling. Note above, I refilled it at the airport.

I wrote to Europcar and no response after 10 weeks.

2 weeks later a $35.00 Cdn. unauthorized charge appeared on our Visa.

We are fighting both charges but the second item is scary it is clearly "fraud". the other refuelling charge is outrageous and borders on fraud as if it was missing fuel it would have been less thatn $14.00 or 10 Euros.

Beware of this company and be careful, the Web has a lot of Italian Europcar complainst, more than any other company. Maybe the employees get the money, who knows.

Read full review of Europcar International
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
C
1:48 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Europcar International taking money from our visa for no reason

We rented a car from Travel Jigsaw Limited this Aug 10. We arrived in Alicante airport and collected our car from Europcar. We received a damage report on the car which we checked but nobody was there to check it with us. We returned the car after having a great holiday and handed over the keys to Europcar. They asked if everything was ok and we said yes.

2 weeks later we noticed that a fee of 340 euro was taken from our visa card from Europcar. We queried this through Travel Jigsaw who said that it would take 28 days for them to get a response from Europcar.

There was absolutley NO damage at all to the car when we left it back and we are horrified that they took money from our account for no reason.

We got an email back to day saying that it was for damage. No explanation just for damage!

We replied asking what damage but it will probably take another 28 days for them to get back to us again!

I honestly feel that this is some sort of scam. They had no body at the airport to check the car when we picked it up or dropped it off. Can you please advise us on what to do next,

Read full review of Europcar International
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
L
6:16 am EDT

Europcar International didn't returned money owed

Promised 13 rounds of golf, Ford Mondeo wagon for rental car and refund based on lower exchange rate. Have not received proper amount. Our itinerary was mailed to us and it looked complete. Then the car rental company Coolabar used ran out of cars so they booked with Discount Car Hire. The email they sent to Discount Car Hire said we were arriving at 0700 (I think they would have preferred 7:00 am). After two long flights we were at the airport with no car service. Upon calling DCH we were told to find another rental company, which we did and drove to St. Andrews, Scotland. Upon Coolabar finding out they had DCH send a car out to St. Andrews from Glasgow, despite my telling them it was not necessary as we'd rented a car for our two week trip and asked that they just refund that part of the itinerary. My request was ignored and DCH showed up with a car with over 70k miles and not near what we were promised in our contract. We were charged for a days rental by Europcar, who we'd rented from when DCH did not produce a car. I was told by Coolabar that DCH would return the car for us and the billing would be taken care of, however that turned out to be not the case. In addition to not being reimbursed for the one day car rental we were charged by Europcar we were charged the same amount for a lesser car than was promised by Coolabar. In addition to this our contract/itinerary stipulated that our trip included 13 rounds of golf. I was told by Coolabar that we would be reimbursed for the green fees at St. Andrews if we happened to play the three courses we'd preferred. We did play those courses and paid out of pocket despite payting for them through Coolabar as well. All other courses and all hotels checked us in with no issue and seemed to be paid by Coolabar, however: When we got home I contacted Coolabar to resolve the issues. After about two months of trying to resolve the issue we were offered a check of $348 against what we expected, roughly $750 per person. We were told the following: Royal Dornoch golf course and Holiday Inn airport didn't charge them, so we apparently were responsible for that. We were undercharged by Coolabar due to their miscalculations, so were responsible for that. The exchange rate wasn't ever fully returned despite being directly told by Kelly (owner of Coolabar) that we would be. The three green fees from St. Andrews were not returned. And to top it off we were not given the approximate $300 for the one day of rental by Europcar. From being owed $750 each were offered the $348 total based on some ridiculous calculations that Coolabar construed to keep from paying us what was rightfully owed. Upon returning our calculations we were told that their figures were final and we haven't heard from them since. I have the itinerary with all pricing and had we known we had to pay for St. Andrews out of pocket without being reimbursed we would not have booked with them as it would not have been a savings. That with the car issue made for a trying experience and I believe we are being wronged by a company that does not want to pay back what is rightfully due. You are forewarned. DO NOT BOOK WITH THEM.

Read full review of Europcar International
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
F
5:42 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Europcar International damage surcharge

I normally hire with Hertz. This time I hired a compact car (Vauxhall Meriva) with Europcar. A very big mistake.

The car was used to make short local trips for 3 days. It was not involved in any accident or any other incident, and had no damage of any kind - not even the slightest scratch - when I left it at Glasgow Airport. Although Europcar was supposed to be open until 7pm, there was nobody to check the car when I returned it at 7.01pm.

Today I received an email with an invoice detailing the rental charge and a 'damage surcharge' of 65.00. But there was absolutely no damage to the car. I will instruct my credit card company not to pay this totally unwarranted charge and will warn all my friends and colleagues not to rent with this company. Don't rent with them!

Read full review of Europcar International and 9 comments
Update by footmail51
Sep 13, 2012 2:00 am EDT

Hi, I'm happy to say my complaint was resolved. I got the name and direct telephone number of the manager of that branch, called her, emailed her and left messages until she responded and agreed to remove the charge.

I'd like to think that Europcar just recognised their 'genuine mistake'. However another possible factor is that I work in distance learning and told them I was going to post negative reviews on all the consumer websites I had access to.

Usually there is no point responding to threats from credit agencies who are paid by result and don't care about the rights or wrongs of a case. It would be better to send a registered letter both to the Europcar office concerned AND to the head of customer relations, pointing out that unless they have proof of the alleged damage, they should cease sending letters or you will counter-sue for harassment.
Good luck!

Update by footmail51
Oct 11, 2010 5:46 pm EDT

Don't worry, it's not just overseas visitors. I just fell victim to the same scam. Picked up compact car at Glasgow Airport, returned it three days later. Had used it only for local trips. There was absolutely no damage - not even a scratch! - and have just received an invoice detailing a 'damage surcharge' of 65.00. I will instruct my credit card company not to pay it. And I will warn all my friends and colleagues not to use this company.

Hide full review
9 comments
Add a comment
B
B
Billy Darga
, US
Nov 25, 2019 7:24 pm EST

Very bad company to rent a car. They are absolute joke. RIP /scam people off after the rent is over and specially if there’s no one to check the car on the day you return it. Never ever rent a car from Europecar France.

H
H
Hisham atef
, AE
Jul 13, 2019 4:48 pm EDT

Same problem exactly happened with me in eurocar airport oslo it is not a respectable company it is a very bad company better to avoid

C
C
chris
Honiton, GB
Mar 17, 2009 3:25 pm EDT

I hired a car on the Europcar "boom er rang" contract. It was never out of my sight except when I left it at Gatwick North terminal at 4 a.m.as instructed, ther was no one to check it off. On return from holiday I found that I been surcharged £135.00 for a cut tyre., for which no evidence, no prior call and above all no reply for 4 weeks from customer care. This is a rip off and there are a number of people who have been caught by this scam. Don't use them and whatever you do don't leave the car without it being checked and signed off .

X
X
xKPx
Chesham, GB
Sep 10, 2012 6:06 am EDT

Hi, I have had the same problem from europcar and requested my credit card company not to pay. However a few months later Europcar started again to chase me for teh outstanding amount.. I have had letters from credit agencies, solicitors threatening court action etc. and it just keeps going around in circles, yet no evidence of the alleged damage is ever supplied.

I wondered if you had had the same experience or if yours has now been resolved?

Y
Y
yang liu
, US
Aug 05, 2019 9:57 am EDT
Replying to comment of xKPx

Hi, I rented from the Oslo Europcar airport office in Norway, and am experiencing the same issue. They had no one checking the car when I returned it and I even asked them to check it and they refused. Now they are chasing me for the so-called damage repair fees. Just wondering have you finally paid it? I am thinking about telling my credit card-issuing bank to refuse the payment by presenting all evidences including the comments like yours. Thanks.

S
S
Stef1223
as soon as you properly, US
Dec 07, 2010 5:41 pm EST

Zaventem (18-Nov-2010 - 21-Nov-2010) - FORTY-FIVE EUROS Airport Surcharge - no-one can tell me that isn't a rip-off. Not to forget the 2.44 Euros per LITER, that is roughly $13 bucks per gallon. That is a whopping 1 Euro more per liter than the gas stations in Belgium charge. I was going to fill it up myself, but the last gas station before the airport happened to be closed for construction that day and I didn't know the area well enough to find another.
NEVER AGAIN. Europcar is one major rip-off and I'm going to hit any blog that is willing to post with this info. Un-freaking-believable. I rented with them four years previous, also Zanventem, and there was no such surcharge. And now they're still emailing me with specials. HA! Bill is attached. OH, and I had to email them to find out why the hell they just went ahead and charged my Amex without emailing me an explanation.

P
P
purpletrout
Toms Brook, US
Dec 01, 2009 2:30 pm EST

The same thing has just happened to me. Visiting from the USA I prepaid several months before arriving at Heathrow and got a very good rate ( I thought). Returned the car to Heathrow, was checked in by a Europcar employee, no damage to the vehicle whatever. Almost four months later I receive a bill for 207 GBP. supposedly for irrepairable sidewall damage to a tire. There was no damage when I turned that car in & I'm sure myself or the checking in employee would have noticed any such damage.
This company is pulling a scam on overseas visitors ie; low prepaid rates etc and then hit you with hidden small print charges plus four months later a bill for non existant damage. Neither I, nor any of my employees will ever rent from this company again.
Is there anyway I can file a formal complaint against this company?

W
W
william j reed
Victoria, CA
Mar 17, 2009 9:58 pm EDT

I rented a car from Europcar at Heathrow when I was in UK recently for my mother's funeral. I had prepaid using a voucher from AutoEurope. The price was very reasonable (CAD$178 for seven days rental).

I returned the car and it was checked in by the Europcar agent who said everything was fine and there were no extra charges. However when I looked at my Visa statement on my return to Canada I discovered a charge of GBP496.92. Apart from the usual surcharges hidden in the small print (Premium station surcharge etc.) and an exorbitant charge for fuel (which I knew they would charge) there was a a charge of GBP350 listed as "other surcharges".
Europcar (UK) did not respond to my e-mails but when I phoned them and spoke to an agent he informed me that it was for a scratch on the rear of the car. There was no scratch on the car - indeed the check-in agent had accepted the car as in perfect condition.
It seems to me that this is simply a scam - no doubt played upon overseas users who declined the collision damage waiver.
I am currently contesting the charge with Visa, but am not sure what they will be able to do about it.
Have other people been scammed in this outrageous way, I wonder?

I
I
Ievgen Zhykh
, UA
Jul 26, 2018 6:21 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Yes, I had the same problem! I think they should pay for this and gonna make this Damage Surcharge a real damage to that SCAM-company!

ComplaintsBoard
P
4:51 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Europcar International hidden charges

I Hired a car from Europcar at the Toulouse airport in July for 21 days.

I specifically stated that I DID NOT require to pay for CDW.

I gave them my credit card details so that they could charge me for any damage to the car.

When I returned the car, in perfect order, yes, they inspected it very closely. I was in formed that there was 346.60 Euros to pay!

The car had been pre paid for so I asked what the chatges were for.

Apparently, according to Europcar, I had opted to take their SERENITY PACK!

As I had no idea what a Serenity Pack is, and still don't, how the hell could I have opted to pay for this?

I asked to see the manager at the depot, to be informed that he was away for the next 3 days. I was given a telephone number, that aws no use as we were flying back to the UK.

I demanded an email address and was given n.[protected]@europcar.fr

ALL MY EMAILS TO THIS PERSON HAVE COME BACK AS UNDELIVERED!.

It appears that this person does not exist, no one at Europcar or the agency I booked the car through have ever heard of him!

Does anyone have an email address for Europcar in France where I can seek redress? I have been on to their French website, and it is all in French. Very difficult to lodge a complaint when you cannot find you way around the website!

The way we have been treated by Europcar in France is appaling, I intend to continue pursuing this until I get some satisfaction.

The motto is Europcar, forget it, go to someone you can trust!

Read full review of Europcar International
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
A
4:05 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Europcar International credit card scam

I am 65 years old from bahrain and a regular visitor to uk since 1974, this is the first time I get fooled

When the company (Europcar) man told me that they will hold a deposit which I did not bother to ask him the amount, just know I realise why he was very kind with smiling face,

You can believe it or not he did not told me any thing about the charges
• £174.75 - super personal accident insurance
• £170.00 - fully inc. Cover
Even I don't understand what is the coverage

I agree with
• £85.00 - basic rental-upgrade
• £51.02 - fuel charge
As he explained to me these items
Can you explain to me why they did not ask me to sign an itemize invoice
I was naive to trust verbal deal.
Don’t believe verbal deal and don’t give card imprint as they will charge you
Without your authority

Read full review of Europcar International and 1 comment
Hide full review
1 comment
Add a comment
W
W
Wtay01
Melbourne Metro Area, AU
Aug 01, 2009 6:58 pm EDT

My daughter hired a Europcar in London in July, 2009. She has subsequently been charged $2200 to her credit card without any reason. They have double charged her for the young drivers fee and have not credited her with two lots of security costs. She is very upset and from the looks of some of the comments here, she is unlikely to get her money back.
It seems to me that there are loopholes in some of these rental contracts which give unscrupulous companies the freedom to charge what they want without justification. There also seems to be little legal recourse for the ordinary consumer. Perhaps it is time that something is done to stop these type of practices.
All I know is that I am in Australia and she is in England. She is very upset as she has saved for a long time to go on this holiday, and her first experience in England has been to be ripped off.

ComplaintsBoard
M
1:06 pm EDT

Europcar International lies and rip off

We had booked a car in the ‘fun’ category for a trip to Italy. As the category listed mini convertible as the option, I emailed the centre in Italy to request we get a mini as our car choice as our booking was dependent on this. I received a direct response confirming this and guaranteeing that a mini cooper convertible would indeed be waiting for us when we arrived.

Happy this was the case we proceeded with our booking and arrived, at the time was stated for our incoming flight to collect our car. After much debate it was confirmed the last of such car had been handed to another customer and there were no more remaining. The sales representative went back and forward to several departments many times and confirmed despite our written guarantee we wouldn’t have a mini or actually indeed- any car in the category we had booked. Every car in this category had already been taken that day, despite us arriving shortly after mid day as we had said . My girlfriend was in tears and this ruined several trips and parts of our holiday we had planned specifically around having this car.

Instead we were assigned a standard ford estate car as opposite a make model/category of car you could get to the actual category we had booked and also taken the time to request a specific car in that category and received written confirmed we would definitely get this assigned.

To make matters even worse- upon being shown our car, it was in an appalling state. It had obviously not been cleaned inside or out after the previous owner and was filthy. The car was covered in dust and scratched, and inside were still moist stains all over the seats, and mud and muddy footprints on the floor. Luckily my girlfriend noticed just before she sat down or would have actually had her clothing stained such was the disgusting state the seats were in. We had to spend around an hour scrubbing the interior of the car later that day to actually make it into a state for regular use, again a complete inconvenience to our holiday and just should not have happened

To my email sent last year regarding this, I couldn’t have receive a less concerned response from them, simply stating the employee who promised us our car shouldn’t have, and that was that! I cant believe they actually expect customer to expect as an excuse stating an employee going against procedures resulting in customers being several inconvenience, being given false promises and not receiving goods they had booked an paid for. I don’t care that this wasn’t your usual procedure! The fact was, we received written confirmation, from one of their employees and under the company name, guaranteeing us the make of car in the category of cars we had booked. Had this not been the case we would have cancelled with our booking and gone with a firm in Italy who specialise in convertible cars of this nature. We were given misleading information, the promise was not honoured and we not only didn’t receive the car we had been assured we would- but also not any other similar model in the specific category we had requested and booked. The car we received was totally different to the model we had booked for, and also in a filthy state. I’m sure I don’t need to highlight the immense disappointment, frustration and inconvenience this series of mistakes caused us and the negative impact it had on our holiday.

Clearly, we did not receive the service we had booked, or paid for... they couldn't care less!

100% shoddy.

Read full review of Europcar International
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
C
10:37 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Europcar International over charging

Hi,

I have been overcharged by Europcar and I am having issues getting them to refund the money.

Please find a breakdown of all cost below:

Rental (14 days) : R3531.72
Damage waiver : R1708.00 (Was not informed of and did not agree to this charge)
Theft waiver : R1260.00 (Was not informed of and did not agree to this charge)
Fuel : R317.25
Additional driver : R220.00
Contract fee : R45.00
Tourism Levy : R35.32
Airport Surcharge : R353.17

Total : R7470.46

When we arrived at the Europcar office Europcar did not have the car that we reserved. The agent offered us a cheaper car at our inconvenience as it was a smaller car and it had a manual transmission. The agent quoted a new price for us which was cheaper than the car we originally booked, she informed us of the additional charges and gave us the final price which we agreed to (Approx R3, 500 + Tourist Tax + Airport Tax + additional driver), it did not include the charges that I want Europcar to refund (Damage waiver and theft waiver).

A few days after the booking off the car I got a phone call from the Europcar agent saying that they needed me to sign another agreement as my credit card did not come out correctly on the original rental agreement. She was quite pushy and did not give me many details as to why I had to sign another rental agreement I tried to arrange that I sign the new rental agreement on my return with the car but she said this was not possible. I waited in the apartment for the agent to arrive (she arrived late) when she arrived I just signed the new rental agreement as I had already waited too long for this person and had made plans for the day.

I feel this just looks like a big scam to me and also I am not happy with the customer service Europcar have provided me with to date, this matter has gone on too long (89 days since collecting the car at the Europcar office).

I travel regularly for business and for pleasure I have used Europcar before in UK, Spain and France but nothing like this has happened to me before. The price which they have charged me is more than I would pay in any other European country it is scandalous.

Can you please help me with this matter? Once I noticed this inflated charge on my credit card I complained straight away. Since then I have been bounced from person to person in Europcar. I have not had any constructive response to date and I am becoming more and more frustrated usually it will take at least 1 week minimum for Europcar to respond to my mails.

Thank you,
Cathal

Read full review of Europcar International
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
D
4:19 pm EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Europcar International conspiracy to defraud

Expedia and Europcar have teamed up in a foolproof scheme to defraud car renters at the St Maartin airport. It is a very effective scheme since the coompany making the fraudulent representations (Expedia) does not make the credit card charge and the companyi making the charge (Europcar) which has made no fraudulent misrepresentation.

It works like this> When you get the price quote from Expedia they do not disclose that Europcar has a $8.00 per day (plus taxes) "mandatory insurance" charge. The price quote from Expedia includes the basic car rental charge and taxes and fees (no mention of the fee for the "mandatory insurance" Rxpedia also states that the rental facility desk and cars is at the airport proper. (The cleverness and impact ot this falsehood will be expllained below.)

When you get to the SXM airport and go to the Europcar desk you cannot sign in. You are directed to a van which takes you to the OFF AIRPORT lot where you first learn about the mandatory insurance fee. Upon protesting they tell you that you are free to leave (of course you would have to find transportation back to the airport and try to find another rental) and they insist that if you want the car you sign the contract and take it up with Expedia.

This happened to me in January 2010. I signed under duress ("duress" since I had been lured to the off airport rental facility by Expedia's misrepresentation) convinced that either Expedia or my credit card company would protect me.

When contacted, Expedia stated that it could do nothing since it had no control over Europcar, When contacted, Europcar stated that it could do nothing because it had no control over Expedia. When contacted, my bank (whose card is no longer in MY wallet) stated that it could do nothing since I had signed the credit card slip.

Cool!

Read full review of Europcar International
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
E
10:45 am EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Europcar International beware

I booked and paid for a car over the internet for Innsbruck Airport but had no credit card to present at pick-up so they refused me the car even though I had plenty of other means of payment. A bad start to out holiday.

Their booking confirmation email did say to bring to present a credit card at pick-up, which I didn't thinking debit cards were better and having not used a credit card in years.

I asked for a refund and was told to write. First mail ignored. Next mail threatening legal action and bad publicity worked but they still had the cheek to deduct a 10% cancellation fee

Read full review of Europcar International
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
B
2:47 pm EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Europcar International toll charges

I wish to know if anyone else has experienced late Car Hire Charges, over the past year i have regularly hired cars from Europcar, Stavanger Norway.

This i was very happy to do as they provided at the time a very good service to me, but over the festive session i have recieved 3 additional invoices from Europcar relating to additional toll charges, which has come up to 3-4 months after the car hire period.

When hiring a car in Norway, due to the number of tolls on the road i get Europcar automatically to activate the toll sensor on the car so as you pass the tolls the lights turn green thus the charge is automatically sent to the hire company registered against the number plate on the car.

Now all my Europcar final Invoice bills have come normally 10-15days after the car hire period, thus i have been invoicing my customer, but i find it very strange that i should be recieving invoices from Europcar some months after the hire periods.

Europcar's management reply is that they say it takes some months for them to recieve all the toll charges, and that i have no option but to pay.

Anyone have any advice, as its a bit embarrising having to go back to my customer now months after invoicing them asking for these charges to be paid, the 3 invoices only adds up to approx 800 nok but its the principle of the way they treat you isnt very customer friendly.

Read full review of Europcar International
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
E
7:50 am EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Europcar International customer abuse

Being a frequent easyJet customer, I was used to rent my car from Europcar, their preferred partner.

My destination is mostly Malaga, Spain.

Recently I was abused by Europcar, since they charged me for a damage that was already present on the car. It was minor damage on the front spoiler, several small indents any car would encounter during its life, due to some projection particle on the road.

I am not the only one being abused this way, my father, who also frequently fly to Malaga already encountered this kind of problem time to time.

The trick they use is almost always the same: they show you a more obvious damage, like a bump on a wing, or a big scratch on the painting, and they tell you it will be noticed on the rental contract so you won’t have to be worried.

Taking it as granted, you usually trust the employee and do not check the rest of the vehicle.

But when you return the car, an “inspector” scrutinizes the vehicle for any other thing they didn’t mention to you, and inevitably they find something, like problems on spoilers or bumpers they were actually already present but you didn’t notice.

They usually charge you Euro 200 to 350 for this, and while you can complain, they argue that once the contract is signed, you accepted everything.

I STRONGLY recommend you will choose another rental company. Not only they are not the cheapest one - you might thing they would be since they claim discount when you fly with easyJet - but they really abuse you when they can.

The above is based on my – and my father’s - experience with Europcar Malaga, but for sure I will never rent a car from this company anymore.

Read full review of Europcar International
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
D
6:07 am EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Europcar International customer abuse

Being a frequent easyJet customer, I was used to rent my car from Europcar, their preferred partner.
My destination is mostly Malaga, Spain.
Recently I was abused by Europcar, since they charged me for a damage that was already present on the car. It was minor damage on the front spoiler, several small indents any car would encounter during its life, due to some projection particle on the road.
I am not the only one being abused this way, my father, who also frequently fly to Malaga already encountered this kind of problem time to time.

The trick they use is almost always the same: they show you a more obvious damage, like a bump on a wing, or a big scratch on the painting, and they tell you it will be noticed on the rental contract so you won’t have to be worried.
Taking it as granted, you usually trust the employee and do not check the rest of the vehicle.
But when you return the car, an “inspector” scrutinizes the vehicle for any other thing they didn’t mention to you, and inevitably they find something, like problems on spoilers or bumpers they were actually already present but you didn’t notice.
They usually charge you Euro 200 to 350 for this, and while you can complain, they argue that once the contract is signed, you accepted everything.

I STRONGLY recommend you will choose another rental company. Not only they are not the cheapest one - you might thing they would be since they claim discount when you fly with easyJet - but they really abuse you when they can.

The above is based on my – and my father’s - experience with Europcar Malaga, but for sure I will never rent a car from this company anymore.

Read full review of Europcar International and 1 comment
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
1 comment
Add a comment
J
J
john.doe.3
Reading, US
Oct 23, 2014 12:01 pm EDT

They also buy lists of names, emails and phone numbers from EasyJet. I'm getting spammed by Europcar on the email address I specifically created when I flew easyjet. That's how I track who sells my info and who eventually buys it. I don't know why EasyJet exists, and I'm amazed there's AllegiantAir here in the US. I thought us americans are better at voting with our wallets. How much longer until AllegiantAir files for bankruptcy?

ComplaintsBoard
E
6:01 pm EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Europcar International excess charges

My family traveled to Argentina on vacation. We reserved a car with Europcar. We were charged over $400 US more than we agreed to for the car. We have tried to contact Europcar repeatedly. They don't answer their e-mails. I have held over two hours waiting to talk to them on the phone. Finally they said they would refund us. They have told us twice by e-mail and once by phone that they would refund us. More than three months later we are still being charged the excess $420.

Read full review of Europcar International and 2 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
2 comments
Add a comment
S
S
Shiftee
, US
Jun 03, 2016 8:25 am EDT

My family traveled to Argentina on vacation. We reserved a car with Europcar. We were charged over $400 US more than we agreed to for the car. We have tried to contact Europcar repeatedly. They don’t answer their e-mails. I have held over two hours waiting to talk to them on the phone. Finally they said they would refund us. They have told us twice by e-mail and once by phone that they would refund us. More than three months later we are still being charged the excess $420.

N
N
NBH
Milton Keynes, GB
Sep 08, 2009 3:24 am EDT

I recently hired a Europcar rental car in Slovenia, booking the car in UK being a UK resident and paying for FULL insurance.Near the end of the holiday the car broke down and as my agreement was for an automatic a replacement was not immediately available.I did get an automatic 48 hrs later.This car was also defective (Aircon was ineffective), but it was near the end of my holiday so I decided not to waste any more time.My initial car was 75% full of fuel when it was taken away.Upon returning 2nd car at Ljubljana airport full of fuel as per agreement there were no complaints from the company about 2nd car. When I subsequently received my credit card statement I had been charged an extra £50 instead of getting a small refund for loss of car + excess fuel.Despite several phone calls and emails I have not had it explained what the charges were for. I am told the Slovenia office despite several requests from UK office for this information have NEVER replied to the request!.I can only suggest to anyone considering using this company be aware, dont, you are more than likely to be excess charged as you have no choice when hiring a car to give credit card details.Also it seems they have no real interest in persuing complaints on your behalf.

ComplaintsBoard
R
5:40 pm EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Europcar International fraud? data protection? non existant customer service

This is the letter i'm just sending to mark cotterill their md!

Dear mark

Re: complaint – attempted fraud? Data protection? Zero response! (Cs?)

I am writing to you to tell that your company treats its ex –customers in the most appalling and disrespectful way. I believe your company tried to defraud me with an incorrect invoice, breached data protection requirements and then failed to respond when I try and resolve the issue.

You will be pleased to know the initial issue is now resolve – sadly for me this has taken nearly 4 hours of my time – writing emails, waiting on-hold for your ‘customer service’, looking for receipts, etc.

Let me begin - my car was damaged in an accident. I was provided with a replacement car from your company – great service. Delivered on time, collected on time. Brilliant. Then I was given a letter at work addressed to a mr? Fox. As i’m the only fox at work – I opened it. It contained an invoice for fuel – £37.93. My first reaction was why send it to my work address as you have my home address, and my name is richard, but my wife’s name is a?. So the car was delivered to work, but you collected it from home. Your representative confirmed my driving license, and the insurance details are in my wife’s name. I’m not sure what went wrong, but something did with your processes – it can’t be hard to get it wrong – but this scenario must happen for you quite often – so I expect you to get it right. But I didn’t appreciate it. A breach of data protection for sure. Under the fourth principle of the data protection act, information must be accurate and up to date. Clearly not in this case.

Now for the invoice – I had filled up the car before returning it. Of course i’d used it a little bit after filling it up – but not the 26 litres the invoice stated. I could only put 55 litres in the car from near empty. Also the mileage documented that i’d done on the invoice just didn’t make sense to the amount of fuel the invoice said I had used. I don’t like to be treated like a fool - I expected honesty from companies and people. It would be hard for me to prove anything as I wasn’t there when the car was collected – but I have a feeling this just seems to be standard practice. Fleece your customers? Isn’t that fraud?

Now, what made me very resentful was my own duty of care to your vehicle. The key ring said diesel – yes, big capital letters. So when I went to fill up the car and saw that the inside of the petrol flap said 95 ron you’ll be pleased to know I was just a little bit hesitant when I had the diesel pump in my hand. I didn’t fill up the car – drove home – found the number to call from the delivery documentation and rang-up. On hold a little while – they went way – and confirmed it was petrol. I went back and filled it up with petrol. I’ll let you think about the consequences and expense of that. Then to get an invoice – I wasn’t impressed.

So I tried to call to have a chat with your customer service. Tried being the word. On hold for quite a while before resorting to emailing. My email outlined pretty much was I said above – and adding I wasn’t going to pay.

Zero response.

I then got another letter about a week later. Why hadn’t it been paid? I’d be charged £40 if I didn’t pay – rather obnoxious to be honest. Threatening. So wrong name, wrong address again!– I did email and tell you. I saw red this time. I went to ring up – on-hold again. I have better things to do than wait for your ‘customer services’. I sent another email to the email address the on-hold message said send it to.

Zero response.

The next day I rang up some other number and a lady put me through to the ‘team leaders’ line – waited a while but it was answered. Hurray. The man (Martin o’boye) found my email and I explained the situation and that I wasn’t happy. He said the car had a 70 litre capacity (I think not – unless it has some hidden tank). He said it was returned three quarters full. Now, let me take you back to the 26 litres on the invoice. Even at 70 litres – that makes for 37% - much nearer half-full – than 25%. Martin said if I could find the receipt he’d cancel the invoice. How kind of him. Or would you have liked me to pay this ridiculous invoice? The invoice to the wrong name at the wrong address?

I found the receipt at last that evening – took a copy and emailed it back to martin asking to confirm a few items, including that you would not send any more wrongly addressed items to work. It really is quite embarrassing, and my wife’s not a mr, and she doesn’t work there either.

Zero response.

I tried to ring martin up on the number on his email. On-hold for 15 minutes before I gave up – not the first time if you remember. An idea, i’ll ring again and press 1 for amending a booking. Wow – an instant response. Nice man, said he was in spain and customer service was in leicester. And no he couldn’t help or put me through. I’d have to ring again.

Getting even more annoyed, but i’m quite a busy person. Work, family etc. Maybe most people just give up at this point?

At last on day two a response saying the invoice would be credited. But what about confirming nothing would be sent to work again? Nothing. Zero.
I sent another email – saying I was going to take this issue further with the police over potential attempted fraud and data protection. I actually think this is also trading standards too. The point is – you treated me like an idiot – and you still are.

Zero response.

So on monday I got another letter. From a debt collection agency. Threatening! Are you crazy?

That same day I got a phone call on my mobile from the same agency (Congratulations you got that be correct, but they asked for a mr a fox) why hadn’t I paid. I was very polite with them as I know that it’s not them but you! Your fault! You stupid procedures! Your stupid greedy company! You treat people like idiots – you threaten – you make up invoices that aren’t correct and you pretend to have customer service team to sort out problems – and you send all of that to wrong address.

Anyway, the good news is that today, at my work mr a fox received a credit note.

So in summary, I don’t know what shower of [censored] operation you run as managing director of europcar – but if I was you i’d be very embarrassed by your company’s procedures and lack of performance. I do hope the police investigate, and the data protection people pokes their nose into your business – maybe they will inconvenience you as much as your company has unconvinced me? I’ve also contacted my insurance company in the hope they don’t put any more business your way – again I can only hope they follow my advice.

Finally, if you feel it is in your power to consider any form of compensation for my unfortunate dealings with your company then please don’t hesitate. Maybe I should be satisfied that the recount of my dismal tale to you might improve just one of your customer future experiences.

Yours sincerely,

Richard
Ps – when I go to spain for my holidays I normally use a europcar rental. I know it’s only a few hundred euro’s but your group won’t be getting my business in 2010 – or ever again.

Read full review of Europcar International and 4 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
4 comments
Add a comment
B
B
benw
San Francisco, US
Jan 28, 2011 2:08 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

EuropCar simply hates its customers. The issue I had with them was much less serious, but I've tried writing them letters, emailing them, calling them, etc., etc. for months and they are not interested. They won't respond, won't acknowledge your complaint. Worst company I've ever, ever dealt with.

B
B
Ben Neill
Brisbane, AU
Jan 04, 2011 3:26 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Had a similar issue,

Car was half empty when picked up from Paris, was dropped off in Barcelona where they said that we had to contact paris to arrange a refund, customer service via phone had a poor at best understanding of cars, english or indeed, 'customer service' being downright belligerent at points when I was trying to confirm the car class (which was wrong when I picked it up of course!) they have also charged us $550 for no apparent reason and we have been given an email address to try and rectify it.
They also told us that it is not required to fill the car before returning in Europe despite their websites saying so!
Bunch of bottom-dwelling [censor] and should be avoided at all costs. I have decided to spend a few hours submitting reviews on all sites I can find and urge others with similar problems to do the same!

S
S
Stephen Flanagan
, PT
Jun 16, 2010 5:33 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I can beat that unfortunately. I live in Portugal and we picked up a hire car from Liverpool airport in April 2010 and dropped the car off at Stansted 10 days later. We spoke with the man at the drop off station confirmed the fuel was full and he said that's fine and we went on our way.

6 weeks later we received an invoice for £60 more than the amount it should have been and when I contacted their customer services number ( I use the phrase ironically ) they said that they had discovered a damaged shelf and had charged me accordingly. No email or invoice sent to me or any explanation for the surcharges and then they told me that because we had used an agent Car Trawler then we had to complain to them.

I contacted Car Trawler and guess what they said that I had to go back to Europcar as they had taken the money out of my account. I insisted that they sorted the mess out with Europcar as it was going to cost me a fortune in calls from Portugal and he agreed and gave me a case number. 10 days later no calls or emails received so I spoke with a guy from Int. customer relations at Europcar and he couldn't find any information from Car Trawler or even the case number ? He insisted that they could resolve the matter and gave me another case/claim number. I received a standard email/letter from their department yesterday saying the usual company claptrap of we take these matters seriously but unfortunately we can't be held responsible and that I have to speak with Car Trawler even though they took the money out of my bank account.

I tried to speak with Mark Cotterill yesterday but got diverted to his PA who said she would pass the details on to their Director of god knows what ? I have still not received the money back or an apology. It has probably cost me more than £60 in phone calls but for me it is a matter of principle and I aim to get this money back one way or the other.

Stephen Flanagan

P
P
Peter Mayer
, GB
Apr 06, 2010 4:59 am EDT

I share your concerns.
I am going through a similar process rectifying a fraudulent invoice where Europcar have invoiced me over £70 for fuel even though I returned the car with a full tank. Europcar staff collected the car and checked that the tank was full. How about that for cheek.
I am very disapointed by this.
Peter

ComplaintsBoard
S
12:03 am EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Europcar International bald tyres on europcar rental car

The car I rented last weekend (Oct 30, 2009) from Europcar at Cork Airport Ireland, had 2 bald front tyres and the rear tyres were'nt great either.

They deny this saying that they were 'low but road legal'...whatever that means. They did however agree to change the tyres but only 'approved their swapping out so as you would feel more confident with the tyres. Had the tyres not been changed they would still have been perfectly acceptable to drive'.

A second Kia Piccanto in the driving lot also had a front bald tyre, but Europcar 'failed to see the relevance'

Please inspect all your tyres from any Europcar rental car from Cork Airport, as Europcar refuse to. You can bet your bottom dollar that any accident damage incurred to their cars whilst driving on their 'low but legal tyres' will most certainly be charged to you!

Read full review of Europcar International and 1 comment
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
1 comment
Add a comment
M
M
marny61
, US
Jul 30, 2018 1:02 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Rented car from Europcar at cork airport and was charged an additional fee of 350 Euro on return for a 2cm scratch on base of rear bumper which I had not previously noticed, watch out for this scam, will not be renting from Europcar at cork airport ever again !

ComplaintsBoard
B
3:26 pm EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Europcar International unauthorised withdrawl of monies

We were told we had paid for the hire of a car, on line, in full from Travel Jigsaw (Carhire3000). When we arrived at Kerry Airport (Eire) we were asked to hand over a credit card for 'security' reasons only. We recieved two pieces of paper; one white A4 and one yellow NCR A5 stapled stategically over the details on the former.
When we returned to the UK, we discoverd that Irish Car Rentals Ltd had helped themselves to a further £306.83!
Is it lawful for anyone to be able to request credit card details under false pretenses, then withdraw money without your permission?

Read full review of Europcar International and 2 comments
View 0 more photos
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
2 comments
Add a comment
M
M
Miles Maynard
London, GB
Mar 30, 2010 11:33 am EDT

Sounds all too familiar. How can they continue to get away with this?

I booked a car online recently through Argus Car Hire (Cartrawler) and despite the agreement conditions covering everything I required, Irish Car Rental (Europcar) added a number of fictional costs. One of which was a Super Damage Waiver, something I had already pre-arranged online with Mondial Assistance excess cover, but the rep added SDW to my extra costs.

None of these additional extras were pointed out by the rep who served us at Shannon Airport, I was asked for a Credit Card and asked to sign for the car. I wrongly assumed I was dealing with a reputable company.

On top of these fictional extra costs, I picked up the car with the fuel guage pointer in the reserve and dropped it off with a quarter of a tank of fuel, something which they also charged me for? This is despite the rep assuring me on the cars' return that they knew about this and I definitely wouldn't be charged. Unfortunately, I trusted his word at the time.

Europcar/ICR we're quick to respond to my first complaint, but did not come across as particularly sorry. They did apologise, however, there was no explanation as to why this may have happened or that they would look into it to prevent it happening again.

They appeared quick to repay the charges that I could prove we're wrong, which makes me wonder if this is something they see whether they can get away with? As it stands they are still charging me for the fuel €28.37 there was more fuel in the car when I dropped it back, than when I picked it up)? And they are still charging me for SDW €18.00 even though I clearly had pre-arranged the equivalent of this with another company when I made my original booking? I suppose of the 10 fictional charges, these are the two which come down to my word against theirs. In this case, Irish Car Rentals have already admitted adding false charges, so I can't see their word carrying much weight when I take this matter further.

Finally, where is the communication between these companies? Or are ICR/Europcar reps attempting to earn commission for extras their customers don't want or know about?

I had to laugh when I read Europcar's Promise list published on their website...

Promise 2 - All inclusive prices
All inclusive rates guarantee no surprises at the desk.

This has clearly happened to numerous customers before and is quite frankly tantamount to daylight robbery. I am going to approach journalist's from local and national papers to see if they would consider investigating this further.

Whatever happens, jutice must prevail and even if it takes up far more time than merits the false costs that Europcar/Irish Car Rentals charge me, it will be worth it for consumers peace of mind.

Miles
UK

C
C
Clare K
London, GB
Feb 03, 2010 5:01 pm EST

Thanks Julia for your comments. I am in total agreement with you about the practices of Irish Car Rental (ICR). We hire a car at Kerry airport approximately 14 times a year. We have always looked hard to find the cheapest deal and, unfortunately, this usually involves booking a car through a third party. The details of the car provider are unknown at the time of booking and we have therefore ended up with ICR as the provider on several occasions. We have never had a single problem with any other car provider. However, on every occasion we have used ICR, we have handed in the credit card and further charges have been made from the card. On one occasion, the final figure was double the purported up-front figure.

The terms and conditions of both ICR and the agent (we have used Car Trawler and Holiday Autos amongst others) do allow for further charges to be taken from a credit card. When agreeing to the car hire, the consumer does click a button to assent to the terms and conditions. My first complaint is that the charges made by ICR bear no relation to the costs mentioned in the terms and conditions. We have complained to ICR and on numerous occasions have received an apology and refund, although not for the full amount of the overcharge. How many customers have overpaid in this way and not realised or bothered to contest it? My second complaint is that, even if they are acting in accordance with their terms and conditions, the charges are hidden in two sets of terms and conditions and there is a total lack of transparency for the consumer. Every time I have asked the car agents and ICR themselves whether they are going to change this practice I have received a quick response offering me a refund of the money overcharged but no comment on the lack of transparency.

From a quick internet search there seem to be some complaints against ICR at EC level and I know that the Office of Fair Trading is looking into car hire charges (although I presume that ICR are incorporated in Ireland and not the UK). I therefore intend to contact the OFT in the first instance to see what they are doing on this front.
Clare

ComplaintsBoard
M
6:06 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Europcar International no car available

For part of our family vacation to France in August 2009, I prepaid for a car for four days through Europcar's website. On arrival in Pau, France, I walked over a mile from the train station to the agency where I was informed my car had been given to someone else because I was late. When I expressed my shock at the deception and asked whether a car would be available the next day, the agent then proceeded to berate me for my tardiness and informed me that as an American I needed to accept that I was in France and must adjust my expectations and attitude. When I asked whether he could help me find a car through a different agency, he stated there were no rental cars available anywhere in the south of France. Finally, the truth! He obviously was offerered more money by someone else and took it.

All of this is in direct violation of Europcar's printed Online Terms and Conditions which state,

8.2 Credit Card Details Provided - Guaranteed Reservation Hold:
If you specified at time of booking your debit, credit or charge card details and Driver ID (or your Driver ID only in which card details are stored) the Europcar pick up station is required to provide the requested vehicle category until the station closure or up to 12:00 (noon) the day following the due pick up time for 24/7 stations.

Their agreement also stated the agent should have offered some minimal level of assistance in dealing with the problem of now being stranded in a foreign city. Instead he rudely left the counter turning his back to me and left me to walk back to the train station where my family was waiting. He wouldn't even offer to call a cab for me or try to find a nearby hotel.

When we finally got into a hotel that evening, I lodged my complaint on Europcar's website. They responded with an automated email and a supposedly real email address. I have sent several requests for a refund to this email address only to receive another automated response indicating receipt of my complaint, an assigned "file number", and a statement that I would have an answer in a few days. Two months later there is still no reply nor an attempt to rectify their misdeed.

This is not a reputable company. They have no concept of customer service and they refuse to honor the terms of their agreements. Plus they use misdirection to shield themselves from dialog with their customers.

Read full review of Europcar International
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
Trust badge
Collect Your Trust Badge
Be recognized for outstanding customer service

Europcar International contacts

Phone numbers

+43 1866 1633 +32 2348 9212 More phone numbers

Website

www.europcar.com

Your Voice Matters: Our Commitment to Genuine Reviews

Empowering Real Experiences

At ComplaintsBoard, we believe in the power of true customer stories. Our platform is a space for authentic voices, where experiences, both good and bad, are shared openly and honestly.

Dedicated to Authenticity

ComplaintsBoard is vigilant in our fight against false reviews. Our team employs robust verification methods to ensure every review reflects a real customer experience, upholding the integrity of our platform.

Encouraging Detailed Feedback

ComplaintsBoard values reviews that come with real evidence. Whether it's a photo, a detailed account, or additional documentation, such substantiation adds credibility to your story, helping others make better-informed decisions.

Balanced and Constructive Conversations

We're more than just a complaints board; we're a community for balanced dialogue. ComplaintsBoard encourages reviews that not only highlight issues but also acknowledge positive aspects, fostering a fair and comprehensive understanding.

Free and Fair Platform

ComplaintsBoard's commitment to maintaining a free and unbiased platform is unwavering. Every review is treated equally, ensuring that your voice is heard and respected, regardless of the nature of your experience.

Is ComplaintsBoard.com associated with Europcar International?

ComplaintsBoard.com is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with Europcar International Customer Service. Initial Europcar International complaints should be directed to their team directly. You can find contact details for Europcar International above.

ComplaintsBoard.com is an independent complaint resolution platform that has been successfully voicing consumer concerns since 2004. We are doing work that matters - connecting customers with businesses around the world and help them resolve issues and be heard.

Use this comments board to leave complaints and reviews about Europcar International. Discuss the issues you have had with Europcar International and work with their customer service team to find a resolution.