Based on recent customer reviews, Budget Rent A Car is drawing consistent criticism around unreturned holding deposits, incorrect billing and unanswered calls and emails. Customers at Cape Town Airport, OR Tambo, Strand Street, Ladysmith, Montana and Port Alfred describe waiting weeks for refunds, unexpected deposit amounts, mileage and VAT invoice disputes, and charges added without consent. Several report escalating to corporate, filing chargebacks or visiting branches in person before receiving any acknowledgement. Long queues, limited vehicle stock and rushed handovers add further frustration, with resolution usually arriving only after persistent customer pressure.
TrustIndex
2
NPS Score
-100
Recommended: Unlikely
Nov '25 - Oct '26
Frequently Asked Questions About Budget Rent A Car
What do customers say about Budget Rent A Car?
Based on recent customer reviews, Budget Rent A Car is drawing consistent criticism around unreturned holding deposits, incorrect billing and unanswered calls and emails. Customers at Cape Town Airport, OR Tambo, Strand Street, Ladysmith, Montana and Port Alfred describe waiting weeks for refunds, unexpected deposit amounts, mileage and VAT invoice disputes, and charges added without consent. Several report escalating to corporate, filing chargebacks or visiting branches in person before receiving any acknowledgement. Long queues, limited vehicle stock and rushed handovers add further frustration, with resolution usually arriving only after persistent customer pressure.
Is Budget Rent A Car trustworthy?
Budget Rent A Car has a TrustIndex of 2 out of 10 on Hellopeter, based on 17 reviews in the last 12 months. Hellopeter has tracked Budget Rent A Car across 360 total reviews. How is the TrustIndex calculated? →
Recent reviews (17)
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Share Your Experience1 reviews | Active since Aug 2022
Free cancellation and refund!
I booked a car on line and paid the prepaid fee and had to cancel before collection and the agent told me I can't be refunded when the website clearly states free cancellation and full refund! now I am told I have forfeited the money!
1 reviews | Active since Aug 2022
Free cancellation and refund!
I booked a car on line and paid the prepaid fee and had to cancel before collection and the agent told me I can't be refunded when the website clearly states free cancellation and full refund! now I am told I have forfeited the money!
1 reviews | Active since Nov 2022
Petrol *****
I collected a car on the 25 Sep @ 17h40 at AVIS PMB Airport with fuel Range 480km and km 11700 reading, I returned it on the 26 Sep at 12h00 with full tank but the range was now 730 with km 11983 reading. It clearly shows that I was given the car without a full tank, they now refuse to refund me. They say I should've stop refuelling the tank at first click.
1 reviews | Active since Nov 2022
Petrol *****
I collected a car on the 25 Sep @ 17h40 at AVIS PMB Airport with fuel Range 480km and km 11700 reading, I returned it on the 26 Sep at 12h00 with full tank but the range was now 730 with km 11983 reading. It clearly shows that I was given the car without a full tank, they now refuse to refund me. They say I should've stop refuelling the tank at first click.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2017
Budget/Avis ****mong customers R600 Valet Charge with no proof
*AVIS / BUDGET - Charged R600 After Being Told Exterior Is Excluded* I hired a car from *Avis / Budget Kingshak branch*. *When booking, I was explicitly told that the R600 valet charge is for INTERIOR ONLY, EXTERIOR IS EXCLUDED.* Because of that, I only swept and cleaned the interior before returning the car. *When invoice time came, they changed the story and told me the car must be clean BOTH interior and exterior - and charged me R600 for exterior.* This is false advertising. You cannot tell a customer one policy when booking and a different policy when invoicing. I requested photos to prove the car was dirty and not swept as they claim. *They have NO photos. No proof whatsoever.* Head Office says interior only, Luyanda at Kingshaka says both. Your own staff contradict each other. I was ****** of R600. I demand a full refund. *Avis/Budget must stop ********
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2017
Budget/Avis ****mong customers R600 Valet Charge with no proof
*AVIS / BUDGET - Charged R600 After Being Told Exterior Is Excluded* I hired a car from *Avis / Budget Kingshak branch*. *When booking, I was explicitly told that the R600 valet charge is for INTERIOR ONLY, EXTERIOR IS EXCLUDED.* Because of that, I only swept and cleaned the interior before returning the car. *When invoice time came, they changed the story and told me the car must be clean BOTH interior and exterior - and charged me R600 for exterior.* This is false advertising. You cannot tell a customer one policy when booking and a different policy when invoicing. I requested photos to prove the car was dirty and not swept as they claim. *They have NO photos. No proof whatsoever.* Head Office says interior only, Luyanda at Kingshaka says both. Your own staff contradict each other. I was ****** of R600. I demand a full refund. *Avis/Budget must stop ********
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2012
Over charged for rental
Rented a car from Port Alfred on 25th July and dropped off same day at PE airport. They did not send me an invoice but I noticed they did not refund me the full amount. When I queried this they advised that I only returned the vehicle on 28th July which is not correct. I reported this issue on 5th August, no-one has bothered to call me, it has been going back and forth by email with the customer care team and they don't seem interested in resolving the issue. I eventually got hold of the Agency Principal at Port Alfred this morning and she already confirmed the error and has requested a refund for the two days over charge
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2012
Over charged for rental
Rented a car from Port Alfred on 25th July and dropped off same day at PE airport. They did not send me an invoice but I noticed they did not refund me the full amount. When I queried this they advised that I only returned the vehicle on 28th July which is not correct. I reported this issue on 5th August, no-one has bothered to call me, it has been going back and forth by email with the customer care team and they don't seem interested in resolving the issue. I eventually got hold of the Agency Principal at Port Alfred this morning and she already confirmed the error and has requested a refund for the two days over charge
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Non existent service and lack of professionalism Budget Rent a Car Ladysmith and no apology or compensation offered shame on you!!
On Wednesday, 24/6, after making a booking for a car to be picked up in Ladysmith and dropped off at PMB airport the same day, it became evident that the staff had NO idea what they were doing. They first searched for my booking for 20 minutes. I had prepaid my booking through booking.com as I get better rates through them, being a Genius 3 level. Normally, they put a hold on your credit card whenever I use this agency, as well as the one in PMB. After getting the vehicle and rushing to PMB for my flight, I realised I never got the rental agreement either in hard or soft copy via my email. The next day, I realised that they debited my credit card with the amount that was supposed to be held on hold. The "excuse" from the branch for not finding my reservation was that a staff member was not at work since Monday- I asked, and why must this be my problem??? I on the 27th of June escaleted this to Budget corporate, and eventually they acknowledged that a refund had been processed. However, there seems to be no repercussions for the untrained staff and manager in Ladysmith. I did not get even a letter of apology, nor any compensation offered for the stress and discomfort of nearly missing my flight. What if I had not escalated this? Was this a possible *****ulent scheme by the branch? I certainly hope not, but one never knows. Shame on you, Budget Ladysmith, and Budget corporate
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Non existent service and lack of professionalism Budget Rent a Car Ladysmith and no apology or compensation offered shame on you!!
On Wednesday, 24/6, after making a booking for a car to be picked up in Ladysmith and dropped off at PMB airport the same day, it became evident that the staff had NO idea what they were doing. They first searched for my booking for 20 minutes. I had prepaid my booking through booking.com as I get better rates through them, being a Genius 3 level. Normally, they put a hold on your credit card whenever I use this agency, as well as the one in PMB. After getting the vehicle and rushing to PMB for my flight, I realised I never got the rental agreement either in hard or soft copy via my email. The next day, I realised that they debited my credit card with the amount that was supposed to be held on hold. The "excuse" from the branch for not finding my reservation was that a staff member was not at work since Monday- I asked, and why must this be my problem??? I on the 27th of June escaleted this to Budget corporate, and eventually they acknowledged that a refund had been processed. However, there seems to be no repercussions for the untrained staff and manager in Ladysmith. I did not get even a letter of apology, nor any compensation offered for the stress and discomfort of nearly missing my flight. What if I had not escalated this? Was this a possible *****ulent scheme by the branch? I certainly hope not, but one never knows. Shame on you, Budget Ladysmith, and Budget corporate
1 reviews | Active since Sept 2025
Avis Budget: car rental in 2026
Avis Budget car rental company is sufficiently tech savvy to take bookings, and receive prepayment, through a banking app. But demands a plastic credit card on collection of the rental car. Plastic credit cards have all but disappeared in the USA and Europe, and banks universally recommend the use of virtual cards. I offered a virtual card (I don’t have a plastic card) and pointed out that they had contacted with me through my bank and could debit the same account as they did for the prepayment. But no chance: They wanted to do this old-style. They refused to deliver the car, refused to refund the prepayment, and (when I wrote to them) refused to entertain my complaint. So, if you deal with them, wind back your technological expectations by a decade or two, and grow a thick skin.
1 reviews | Active since Sept 2025
Avis Budget: car rental in 2026
Avis Budget car rental company is sufficiently tech savvy to take bookings, and receive prepayment, through a banking app. But demands a plastic credit card on collection of the rental car. Plastic credit cards have all but disappeared in the USA and Europe, and banks universally recommend the use of virtual cards. I offered a virtual card (I don’t have a plastic card) and pointed out that they had contacted with me through my bank and could debit the same account as they did for the prepayment. But no chance: They wanted to do this old-style. They refused to deliver the car, refused to refund the prepayment, and (when I wrote to them) refused to entertain my complaint. So, if you deal with them, wind back your technological expectations by a decade or two, and grow a thick skin.
1 reviews | Active since Apr 2026
REFUND, REFUND, REFUND!!!!!
To this day I am still struggling to get a refund of R4,332.00 I paid in respect of a vehicle rental booking (***-0851-ZA-3) made through their online booking system on the night of 09 April 2026. Upon arriving at their Pretoria branch earlier the morning of 10 April 2026 at around 09:36 to collect the vehicle, I was informed for the first time that my name/profile is blocked across the Group, allegedly due to a 2025 court case I got involved in with Avis in particular, and which remains pending as far as I am concerned. I was further advised that this restriction applies group wide, thereby preventing me from conducting any rental business with Budget as well. This is at the time of making the booking and completing payment, no warning, notification, or restriction was communicated to me by the online system. The system accepted my personal details, confirmed the booking, and successfully processed payment. On this basis, I reasonably proceeded under the assumption that my booking was valid and enforceable.Given the above, there is no legal, commercial, or equitable basis to retain the funds paid. The transaction was rendered void ab initio due to non disclosure of a material restriction that directly prevented fulfilment of the contract.
1 reviews | Active since Apr 2026
REFUND, REFUND, REFUND!!!!!
To this day I am still struggling to get a refund of R4,332.00 I paid in respect of a vehicle rental booking (***-0851-ZA-3) made through their online booking system on the night of 09 April 2026. Upon arriving at their Pretoria branch earlier the morning of 10 April 2026 at around 09:36 to collect the vehicle, I was informed for the first time that my name/profile is blocked across the Group, allegedly due to a 2025 court case I got involved in with Avis in particular, and which remains pending as far as I am concerned. I was further advised that this restriction applies group wide, thereby preventing me from conducting any rental business with Budget as well. This is at the time of making the booking and completing payment, no warning, notification, or restriction was communicated to me by the online system. The system accepted my personal details, confirmed the booking, and successfully processed payment. On this basis, I reasonably proceeded under the assumption that my booking was valid and enforceable.Given the above, there is no legal, commercial, or equitable basis to retain the funds paid. The transaction was rendered void ab initio due to non disclosure of a material restriction that directly prevented fulfilment of the contract.