Hertz NZ overcharging - tax on tax

[Warks]

Greetings all

Recently had three weeks on the South Island and arranged car rental through Hertz months in advance. I'd already booked the best deal I could get at the time through Thrifty but Hertz came up with a special offer so I jumped ship to them (cancelling Thrifty well in advance). The cost of renting a car in NZ in the summer is exorbitant - about 30% dearer than the rest of the year - so it wasn't that great a deal. However the quote I received said:

Included
[TABLE="width: 580"]
[TR]
[TD]Taxes[/TD]
[TD="align: right"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Airport concession fee recovery[/TD]
[TD="align: right"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Unlimited Free Kilometers Included

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
I dropped the car off in the very early hours at CHC so didn't get a chance to see a final bill. However about a week later back in Australia I received the final invoice via email.

On the invoice it had:

AIRPORT FEE 45.00


CREDIT CARD SCHRG 1.9900 % 53.46


GST at 15% 358.43

Now maybe the "airport concession fee recovery" somehow is not the "airport fee" and maybe I can understand that the credit card charge was not included in the original quote. BUT I can't accept that "all taxes included" does not include the 15% GST!

I wrote straight back on the email address the invoice came and quoted the price back to them (including the original document). I said there that I wouldn't have used Hertz but for their cheaper price on this deal. With the added tax they were more expensive than other companies I looked at. I requested the overcharged amount be credited to my credit card. Their only reply was to return the same email with the words:

Please find attached Tax Document/s for your records.

I replied to this advising them to act, not to simply resend the same invoice and hope I'd go away. Heard nothing. Resent the original email a few days ago and nothing. Assume they are hoping I'll give up.

My question is "did I misunderstand what "all taxes included" actually means?"
Who do I go to next if I'm in the right?

I've had a run of companies trying to rip me off lately which hasn't put me in a very good mood.

 

[knasty]

GST would be the only tax technically. Everything else is a fee, charge, levy etc.

 

[opusman]

Do a chargeback on your credit card.

 

[AdMEL]

I dislike dropboxes as they never know when you drop the car off and there is also the risk of the car being damaged after you drop it off but before they check it. Unimpressed with car rental at CHC in general - dropped an Avis car off and even took the key into the counter, but they still checked it in many hours later and charged me an extra day, which wasted my time getting refunded. Gave them a poor rating in the survey due to this (with a detailed explanation of why) and received a call from the manager who left a message on my voicemail, only seeming concerned about me not renting from Avis again - no apology! Had meant to ring him back and give him a serve but couldn't be bothered wasting my time and money to do it when it would amount to nothing.

With regard to Hertz, the $45 is the airport fee. This should have been included in the quote (a couple of dummy quotes included it). As for the credit card surcharge - the lack of disclosure by Hertz (and others) is extremely annoying!

 

[Warks]

Do a chargeback on your credit card.

Pray tell?

 

[Sprucegoose]

Aren't they all the same ? I video everything these days.

15% GST wow get used to that here soon !!

 

[Warks]

Still no reply from Hertz after several emails to the 'accounts' address and also logging a complaint on their website - which helpfully says it may take up to 20 days to reply.
I went old school and sent a letter last week with the print-outs of my quoted price and the invoice. No reply to that either. Maybe not enough time elapsed yet.

My next step is to call them threatening them with something I can't possibly carry out like getting Consumer Affairs onto them. I've always been reticent to use the phone dealing with complaints due to being constantly transferred, fobbed off and then promised something that is never delivered. However I'll have to do something or just say goodbye to that money and never use Hertz again. Not that they'll care or notice.

Homer: You just lost yourself a customer! (cash register KA-CHING!)
Moe: Wha? I'm sorry, Homer I couldn't hear you
Homer: I said you just lost yourself a customer! (cash register KA-CHING!)
Moe: Huh?
Homer: You just lost yourself a customer! (cash register KA-CHING!)
Moe: Homer you're going to have to speak up!

 

[lovestotravel]

Hertz are hopeless via Email

Call them and they are usually OK on the phone when I have needed refunds and the like

 

[Mattg]

Wow, it looks like they don't care at all. Are there any consumer authorities in NZ you can go to?

I hope this gets resolved for you.

 

[Warks]

Interestingly I found this site:
Contact Hertz | Shortest Wait | Best Support | GetHuman.com

This is obviously for the USA but the comments make for entertaining reading. Hertz has a reputation? I'm guessing all car rental companies do.

 

[UP4014]

I have found Hertz most lacking in this regard and others poor in other areas.

In support of Warks I will not rent from Hertz for the reminder of 2015 and I rent cars frequently. There are other choices.

Matt
PS, direct Hertz here for a look.

 

[medhead]

Pray tell?

Ring your card provider tell them you wish to dispute a charge as being wrong. The card provider should then deal with hertz.

 

[AdMEL]

Warks, would you mind posting the reservation amount and breakdown, compared with the amount and breakdown of what you were charged?

 

[tuapekastar]

If worst comes to worst is a chargeback on CC possible? (Asks he who has never done one)

 

[Warks]

Warks, would you mind posting the reservation amount and breakdown, compared with the amount and breakdown of what you were charged?

Sure.

Quoted amount:

Payment Method : Pay LaterDiscounts
CDP Name : CEB FIVE STAR REWARDS MEMBER
Promotional Coupon; : 327.30 NZD
for 203464 Promotional Coupon has been deducted from base rental charges applied
[TABLE="width: 580"]
[TR]
[TD]3 weeks at 763.70 NZD[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]2291.10 NZD[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Included
[TABLE="width: 580"]
[TR]
[TD]Taxes[/TD]
[TD="align: right"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Airport concession fee recovery[/TD]
[TD="align: right"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Unlimited Free Kilometers Included[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Not Included
[TABLE="width: 580"]
[TR]
[TD]PERSONAL EFFECTS COVER[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]ACCIDENT EXCESS REDUCTION[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]PROTECTION PACKAGE[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]PERSONAL ACCIDENT INSURANCE[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Fuel[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Young Driver Surcharge[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Additional Driver Fee[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[TABLE="width: 580"]
[TR]
[TD]Vehicle Subtotal[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]2310.12 NZD[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[TABLE="width: 580"]
[TR="bgcolor: #FCEF02"]
[TD]Total Approximate Charge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]2310.12 NZD[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

And the invoiced amount:

Pick Up: CHR50 CHRISTCHURCH

Return: CHR50 CHRISTCHURCH

Order Number: Freq Flyer: VELOCITY

Voucher Number: Pay Type: MCA *****

Return Vehicle: H**5** 121150 BLUE

AIRPORT 28-DEC-2014 00:23:00

AIRPORT 17-JAN-2015 04:30:00

Rate/CDP: NZB CEB FIVE STAR

Vehicle Charged: H

Rental Charges

DAILY CHARGES 21 Day@ 109.1000 2,291.10

AIRPORT FEE 45.00

CREDIT CARD SCHRG 1.9900 % 53.46

GST at 15% 358.43

Total Charges 2,747.99

Paid: 2,747.99

So you can see the quoted amount $2291.10 appears on the invoice but then they do the plus-plus even though the quote clearly states all taxes are included. I can live with the credit card as an extra charge and, grudgingly, even the airport fee at a pinch.


I haven't tried disputing the charge with my credit card provider. In my experience of doing that the CC provider just gives you their phone number and tells you to call them.

 

[equus]

.I can live with the credit card as an extra charge and, grudgingly, even the airport fee at a pinch.

Why even consider accepting the airport fee? It is just as clearly included as the taxes.

I think you are right that the CC surcharge is something you would have to accept.

I would move on the CC chargeback if I were you, as time limits which vary by provider will apply.

 

[Warks]

Some good news - I sent another email on Friday with a hollow threat to contact Consumer Affairs (I looked up their website - very difficult for overseas cases as you have to turn up in person) and today I was going to call them but didn't get a round tuit.

Anyway I got an email a few hours ago with the following:

Thank you for contacting us. My sincere apologies for the time it has taken
to respond to you. We have been experiencing a very high volume of queries
coming through which has caused a delay in our response time.

I have investigated your query regarding the difference between your the
Estimated Cost on your emailed confirmation and the final charge on the
Invoice.

When the booking was made there was a Promotion Code for "Three Free Days"
to be applied to your rental.

Due to an error in our system, the free days were not applied to the
Invoice which is why there is a significant difference in the amount that
you were expecting. This error is currently being fixed so it does not
happen in the future.

I am raising a credit for the three days overcharged. This refund will show
on your Credit Card Statement in a few days.

We are very sorry for the error and the inconvenience that it has caused.

Now I'm not sure which approach got there in the end - direct emails to NZ accounts; email through the Hertz Australia website; or the snail mail letter to their Christchurch office. I'm betting on the website.

So how should I respond? I'll reserve my response until I see the credit of course.

"About bloody time!"

 

[jsoprano]

Some good news - I sent another email on Friday with a hollow threat to contact Consumer Affairs (I looked up their website - very difficult for overseas cases as you have to turn up in person) and today I was going to call them but didn't get a round tuit.

Anyway I got an email a few hours ago with the following:



Now I'm not sure which approach got there in the end - direct emails to NZ accounts; email through the Hertz Australia website; or the snail mail letter to their Christchurch office. I'm betting on the website.

So how should I respond? I'll reserve my response until I see the credit of course.

"About bloody time!"

Sounds like a lame excuse to me, and an easy way to rectify a (probably) systemic issue. I don't buy it, they clearly sold you something incl taxes, and then their system spilled it out excl taxes when invoiced.

According to my calculation, they refund they offered should be ca. $384, which means you'd be almost square (accepting the CC fee you'd have to pay). I'd leave it at that, but leaves a sour taste.

Side note: As far as I know they changed their operating system in NZ a few months ago, to so they now use the same platform as Hertz AU does. Your reservation was probably in the old system, and your invoice clearly came from the new system (see the location code for Christchurch Airport "CHR50" in your invoice under pick-up, that's as per Hertz AU i.e. SYD50, MEL50 etc., while previously Hertz NZ location codes were CHCD for Christchuch Airport, AKLI for Auckland Airport Intl Terminal, and so on...). This may have caused the issue.

 

[AdMEL]

Some good news - I sent another email on Friday with a hollow threat to contact Consumer Affairs (I looked up their website - very difficult for overseas cases as you have to turn up in person) and today I was going to call them but didn't get a round tuit.

Anyway I got an email a few hours ago with the following:



Now I'm not sure which approach got there in the end - direct emails to NZ accounts; email through the Hertz Australia website; or the snail mail letter to their Christchurch office. I'm betting on the website.

So how should I respond? I'll reserve my response until I see the credit of course.

"About bloody time!"

Great that you finally got a response.

Hopefully they refund at least the amount you were overcharged.

In my experience, the best you can hope to get from Hertz is a free day voucher or something similar. Vouchers aren't worth that much, as they only cover cars up to full size (not premium) and usually require you to rent for at least 2-3 days to redeem.

Hertz can be woeful at times.

Sounds like a lame excuse to me, and an easy way to rectify a (probably) systemic issue. I don't buy it, they clearly sold you something incl taxes, and then their system spilled it out excl taxes when invoiced.

According to my calculation, they refund they offered should be ca. $384, which means you'd be almost square (accepting the CC fee you'd have to pay). I'd leave it at that, but leaves a sour taste.

Side note: As far as I know they changed their operating system in NZ a few months ago, to so they now use the same platform as Hertz AU does. Your reservation was probably in the old system, and your invoice clearly came from the new system (see the location code for Christchurch Airport "CHR50" in your invoice under pick-up, that's as per Hertz AU i.e. SYD50, MEL50 etc., while previously Hertz NZ location codes were CHCD for Christchuch Airport, AKLI for Auckland Airport Intl Terminal, and so on...). This may have caused the issue.

Interesting comments about the hertz NZ system being changed to the Aus system. Given the terrible IT issues noted on AFF and that I've personally experienced, that doesn't bode well.

Hopefully I have no issues with Avis NZ next week!