Terrible AVIS Customer Service

Hi

Booking Ref: ********** 5za6

I booked a car at AVIS for a weekend. While making a booking, i saw that there would be holding deposit fee of R2000 for the weekend. I made the booking and on collection, I was informed that I need to pay an additional R7500 for the car in order to take it out.

Unfortunately I had only planned for the R2000 holding deposit. Then I was advised that I should complete a form that will be sent to AVIS customer service such that I will not be charged R385 which would then be the applicable cancellation fee.

I then contacted customer service to follow up with the query and only then was it logged on the system. The customer service agent assisting me informed that he will send the query to AVIS Europe.

A week later (Today) i call to follow up on the incident and was informed that AVIS Europe sent the below response:

"Dear Colleague,

The amount of the prepayment is less than the applicable cancel fee therefore the customer has not been refunded.

Avis Prepaid Team"

I need my money back. I cannot be charged for not having R7500 lying around which was never communicated to me at the time of booking. The car booking amount should be inclusive of the R7500 when making a booking so that customers make a decision whether to make the booking or not. I should not be told after making a booking or on collection about the R7500.

Then when it turns out that the customer does not have the R7500 on collection, AVIS retains the customer rental amount.

This is not fair and AVIS should nopt be treating customers as such.

Thanks,