THRIFTY CAR RENTAL COMPLAINT

THRIFTY CAR RENTAL COMPLAINT MAY 2022 On 16 December 2021 I had occasion to hire a car at Thrifty Car Rental CT International airport. Thus was approximately 09h15 and indicated I would return the car the next day before 13h00. I paid R1200.99 which was for two days hire. I thought take today and return tomorrow was one day. At no stage was I asked whether I wanted insurance or any other service charges, and I was never given a contract to sign. All I got was given was a receipt for my payment, attached to a Vehicle Inspection sheet, which I signed before I went to find the car. . I was then told to get my car in Bay 50 which I eventually found with difficulty, and not a soul in sight. I decided to do my own inspection, and found a large dent in the front number plate. I took photo evidence of this as I was sure I would be accused of causing the damage. I drove off and shortly thereafter decided to use the wipers, only to find that there was no water in the reservoir. So much for post return / pre delivery checks. I retuned the car with a full tank at 13h00 on 17 December and was told by the receiving agent that I can leave erything is under control. My surprise came on Dec 21st with an email Invoice for R 2316.96 all sorts of costs added without my knowledge. I then began 3 days of the most frustrating phone calls to try and resolve this query. Finally on Dec 24th, after many fruitless and failed attempts to speak to a director / general or senior manager I spoke to a Hayleigh Coetzee of customer care. She promised to “escalate” my query. Allowing for the holidays I let this ride until mid January. I then tried to contact Hailey to no avail, and after more fruitless calls I spoke to a Norman Naiker. He followed up with Hayleigh who remarkably had no recollection about my query, and said she knew nothing about it! I suggested she look up the emails and see a memory doctor. Extraordinary. Naiker took hold of the query, and more time went by and about mid Feb I had not heard from him. I phoned again and was told he would get back to me. He did advise the query was being escalated to management, and eventually he came back to me. I was graciously offered an upgrade for the next time I hired a car with Thrifty (Shifty). I told him that was unacceptable and an insult, as I don’t usually hire cars. I told him that I wanted a monetary credit. Again more calls and he came back to me with a paltry R350 credit, which I reluctantly accepted. This would take 2-3 working days to reflect in my account. After three weeks and further email queries I spoke to him again, and queried why I had not received my credit payment. He investigated and admitted he had not read my emails, and that my payment had not been processed. Unbelievable! By this time I had had enough of what I shall now call Shifty Car Rental. I told him that I would have no hesitation in telling all and sundry what an utterly useless car rental company they are, and that I would never use them again. I suggest that anyone looking to hire a car should try all other avenues available, and never use this company or any of its associates.. All in all an awful and very frustrating experience.