I booked the car through QEEQ and flew from France to Newark in the US. It was around a late April evening when I picked up the car from Avis at about eight. They gave me a Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The car was big and nice to drive, so at the start I did not think there would be any problem with the bill.
The real trouble showed up later. When I got back home, I opened my credit card bill. My heart sank right away. Why was the total much higher than I expected? I started to check every part. Fuel. Toll. Where did these extra costs come from? I filled up the tank before I returned the car and I paid cash, so I felt sure the fuel was not missing.
So my first move was to ask them. I sent the amount on the bill to them and I was a bit nervous and also a bit angry. Maybe I did not understand the staff at the counter and some extra service was added. I was worried it was my fault. To my surprise there was one person following my case from the start. It felt like this person was only in charge of my booking. I asked one question and they answered one by one with clear words.
I asked why there was a prepaid fuel charge when I had filled the tank myself. They said they would check and confirm with the car rental company. I asked again about the toll program and how the amount was counted and if there was a detail list. They also helped me check. I could feel they were not trying to push me away. They were really breaking down the bill step by step for me.
Things were not solved in one day. The rental company said they needed a fuel receipt. I did not have any because I used cash. Those days I felt quite upset. I kept thinking maybe I made some mistake and at the same time I felt it was not fair. I told all this to the support person and they did not say there was nothing they could do. They kept trying to find a way.
One time they explained that the rental company had strict rules. Without a receipt it was very hard to get the fuel money back in the normal way. I asked if this meant I had to just accept it. They told me they would first cover that fuel part for me so I would not keep worrying about it and they would still follow up with the rental side. When I heard this I felt much more relaxed. It felt like someone was carrying this problem with me.
Later they kept giving me updates. They told me about the refund from the rental company and explained how each amount was made. Every time I had a new question and sent it to them, someone replied quickly and I did not need to repeat the whole story again. For me as a visitor in another country this was really important because it saved me a lot of time and energy.
When I look back I think if I had to deal with the rental company alone, with the language and time zone and all the rules, I would have given up very fast. Because there was this kind of dedicated customer service following my case till the end, I did not lose my good mood from the trip over this one bill issue. They made me feel I was not alone staring at a cold bill and guessing what happened. Someone stood on my side and helped me take the problem apart and make it clear.
When I look back now, what I remember most is not the car but the feeling that someone stayed on my side the whole time. I booked a Europcar Citroen C3 in Paris through QEEQ. I picked it up around the morning of April 1 and planned to return it on April 5, everything was pretty clear in my mind.
At the counter it was quite busy and I felt a bit nervous. I kept asking the staff again and again. I asked if the price was the same as my booking and if I had already paid everything before. I asked if there would be no extra fee. The staff smiled and said it was all fine. I believed it and signed a few papers and drove away.
The real problem came out after I went back home. I saw an extra upgrade fee on my credit card bill and it was not a small amount. I was really confused and also angry. I felt like I got tricked. I did not know what to do, so I contacted their support and told the whole story. I also sent all the photos and documents I could find.
One thing that surprised me was that there was one person who kept talking with me from the start. Every time the reply came from the same person and the tone was calm. I felt like they were saying you can relax a bit because they would keep following this for me. The rental company changed their words. They said I agreed to the upgrade and said the fee was normal. That made me feel even worse, but the support kept asking them questions and then explained the answers to me.
There was one time I really did not understand the amount on the contract. I thought I was charged twice. I was typing on my phone quite upset and asked why this happened since I had already prepaid. They answered with patience and told me which part was my prepayment and which part was added at the counter. I still did not like the numbers but at least I knew where the money went.
The whole thing took some time and the rental company was very tough. They always said the charge was correct. Even so, I did not feel that I was left alone. Every time I thought the case was going nowhere, the support wrote to me again and told me they were still talking to the rental company and would try to sort out the extra part.
Now when I think about this, the result is not perfect, but from start to finish there was someone following my case and giving me updates and helping me talk with the counter staff in a way I could understand. As a young person renting a car abroad for the first time and not really understanding all the terms, this kind of dedicated customer service helped me a lot.
"We already helped you get the prepaid fuel fee refunded." When the support staff told me this, I finally felt I could breathe again.
I booked my car in Los Angeles through QEEQ for a family trip. It was a Ford Escape from Thrifty. I picked it up at the LA airport around the early morning of May 14, about 2 am. Everything went pretty smooth. I was happy because the car was big enough for the kids and our luggage. Around noon on May 21 I returned the car and I even went to fill up the tank to full, so I thought there would be no extra cost.
A few days after I came back to Singapore I saw my credit card bill and there was a charge of about 540 plus SGD that I did not expect. I was shocked. My first thought was that maybe the payment was taken twice, once from the platform and once from the rental company. In my head I started counting how this amount would affect our family trip budget and other bills I still had to pay. I felt very worried.
I contacted the support team right away. I sent them a screenshot of the charge and also photos of the rental contract I signed at the counter. At first I did not really understand the English short forms on the paper. I only remembered that at the counter the staff talked about many kinds of insurance and services and asked if I wanted to add them. I had my kids with me and we were in a rush, so I felt stressed. In the end I agreed to several things and signed. I added LIS and PAI and PEC and also road side assistance and prepaid fuel. In my heart I already felt a bit unsure but I was also afraid it would not be safe if I said no.
After I contacted them, the support staff went through the items on the contract with me and explained what each one meant. They told me these fees were from the local counter and not a double charge of what I paid online. I felt a bit embarrassed and also helpless. I tried to remember the scene at the counter and I had to admit that I really did sign for those things. I still felt a bit bad, but at least I knew where the money went and it was not some random unknown charge.
What really made me feel cared for was that they did not stop after explaining the bill. They kept helping me talk to the rental company. Since I returned the car with a full tank, they offered to ask the rental company if they could refund the prepaid fuel part. During that time I was working and also taking care of my kids. Sometimes I thought in my head that this money was probably gone. Each time they gave me an update I felt I was not facing this problem alone.
Later they told me that the rental company agreed to refund the prepaid fuel fee and asked me to watch for the refund in my bank account. At that moment I felt much lighter. It was not the whole 540 plus SGD coming back, but at least a part of it and every detail was clear. Through the whole process I felt that someone stayed with my case and kept talking with me instead of just saying that it was the rental company's charge and there was nothing they could do.
As a parent traveling with kids I really do not like dealing with surprise bills like this. It takes a lot of energy. This time I felt that having a support person who kept following my problem and updating me reduced a lot of my stress. I could focus more on my family instead of staring at the credit card bill and feeling angry all the time.
I want to complain first. I never thought renting a small car in Rome would end up with me busy checking bills instead of just driving. I booked the car on QEEQ and I was traveling alone in Italy. I thought it would be very simple.
It was around the evening of May 12 when I went to the NOLEGGIARE counter in Rome to pick up the car. They gave me a Fiat 500 with manual gear and two doors. It looked pretty cute. I asked myself in my head. Did I not already pay everything before. Why did the counter staff keep asking me to sign more papers. They said it was standard process. I did not really understand and I was tired and just wanted to leave with the car so I signed.
During the next few days I drove around Rome and nearby places. I was quite happy when driving. At the same time a small question came to my mind. Will there be extra charges. I told myself it should be fine because I saw on their site that I already prepaid the full rental. I felt it should be okay.
Around the afternoon of May 16 I returned the car in Rome and went back to my room. I checked my credit card on my phone and I suddenly saw an extra charge of about 247.51 euro. I was shocked. I asked myself. What is this money. My own answer was that it looked like they charged the rental again and also some extra insurance.
I checked my emails and the papers I had. On the paper from the counter I saw insurance words. But I already had insurance before. I asked again in my head. Who should I talk to about this. Then I contacted the customer service and explained everything. I also sent all the screenshots I could find.
The support person listened to my story first. Then they asked me some simple questions. Did I sign any extra insurance at the counter. Did the staff explain it clearly. How much was charged in total. They said they would ask the car company for the bill and help me find out what really happened.
In the next days I kept talking to myself with questions and answers. Was I in too much of a rush at pick up. Should I have checked the contract more carefully. I tried to remember that night again and again. It was quite late and I was a bit sleepy. I only remember the staff pointing at many terms and saying something about insurance. I asked if it was really must buy. His answer was not very clear. I was worried about language problems and I did not want trouble so I just signed. Later when I compared the price on the site and the one from the counter it really felt like they added another local insurance.
During this whole time one thing stood out to me. I felt that someone was always following my case. When the support contacted me they first made sure they understood what exactly I was worried about. Then they told me they had already sent messages to the car rental side and were waiting for a reply. A few times I suddenly thought of something late at night and sent more messages. I worried I was being annoying. After that I could still see new updates from them and they told me what step they were at now.
The problem is still not fully solved and I am not good with law or contract words. I felt a bit lost. Having someone keep an eye on the case made me less scared. I also asked myself if I should just let it go and treat it as a lesson. But 247.51 euro is really not a small amount for me. I travel alone and my budget is not very high so I did not want to just give up.
The support did not force me to make any choice. They just reminded me that I should try my best to find the detailed charge paper so they can help me check better. I spent quite some time looking through my bank record and emails. While I was searching I kept blaming myself for not being more careful at the counter.
When I look back at the whole thing during these days the strongest feeling I have about them is that I was not left alone after I said there was a problem. I came to a foreign country by myself and my English is just okay. When I face the fast talking at the counter sometimes my brain cannot keep up. After I came back it felt very different to have one person staying in the same chat with me and helping me sort things out. They helped me see which part I already paid and which part might be extra and where I needed proof. As a solo traveler this feeling of being looked after means a lot to me. I still hope everything can be solved faster but during this time having someone keep listening and following up already made the trip a lot less stressful for me.
Did I really get charged by mistake or not. This question came to my mind only after I already saw the fuel fee was refunded. That morning when I returned the car in Knoxville the air was a bit cold. I parked the Toyota Camry back in the Budget lot. The staff walked around the car very fast and told me I was good to go. I was thinking in my head that I filled the tank last night so it should be fine. A few days later at home I checked my credit card and saw an extra missing fuel fee of about ten dollars and some taxes. I felt confused right away and my first thought was that this was not right.
I booked the car on QEEQ and picked it up around the afternoon of May 15 in Knoxville. At the counter everything went smooth and the car was clean and easy to drive. What really stayed in my mind this time was not the car but their Dedicated customer service. When I saw that extra fuel charge my mood dropped a lot. I felt like I was being taken advantage of and I did not know where the problem was. I found my gas receipt from the night of May 19. It only showed the date and no time. I kept thinking this is bad and maybe this will not count as proof.
I contacted their customer support and told the whole story. I also explained that I returned the car early on May 21 and I had filled the tank the night before. I did not have a photo of the fuel gauge. I only had the receipt. I knew my proof was weak and I did not feel confident at all. I expected them to just say there is nothing they can do. The person who talked to me was very patient. There was no blame like you should have taken pictures. Instead they helped me step by step.
They checked the final invoice with me and broke down all the charges. At first all the numbers were like a big mess for me. Then they divided it into fuel charge extra insurance and taxes and explained each part clearly. I used to think some of the taxes were already prepaid. I found out that part of them were actually charged at the counter. When they explained it I felt a bit embarrassed because at pick up I did not read everything. I only wanted to leave fast.
When we talked about the fuel part they were honest and said that without a gas receipt from the return day and without a photo of the fuel gauge the proof was not strong for the rental company. My heart sank. I thought I would just have to accept this ten dollar loss. Then they told me they would still try to reach the rental company and see if they could file a special appeal for me. At that moment I was really surprised. I thought I was just a normal customer but they were willing to do this extra work.
During the next days they kept following up on my case. The rental company even said they needed a gas receipt from the same day as the return. I got anxious and sent every document I had. While I was waiting for bills and replies I checked my email every day and kept thinking maybe they would give up because the amount was small. Each time I asked about the progress the support team answered me quickly. The tone was calm and they told me not to worry and that they were still talking with the rental company.
One day I opened my credit card account and suddenly saw that Budget refunded 10.04 dollars. I froze for a few seconds and then realized it was that fuel fee. I felt a big relief. It was not because ten dollars is a lot of money. It was because I did not feel ignored like a small case that nobody cares about. Then they also sent me a message to say the rental company had processed it and the case was closed. I thought about how many days they kept watching this for me and I felt really thankful.
Now when I look back I know that if I had tried to argue with the rental company all by myself with one weak receipt I would probably be rejected. My English is not perfect and many short forms and terms on the bill are hard for me. They explained each item in simple words and told me what everything meant. It felt like in a strange city someone was standing on my side and helping me say what I wanted to say.
This Knoxville rental itself was fine and the car drove well. What I remember most is that their support did not stop after I paid. From the moment I found the problem to the moment I understood the taxes and then saw the fuel refund there was always someone checking on it. I am usually very careful with online platforms. This experience changed my mind a bit. As an overseas visitor who often comes to the US and really does not want to pay random extra fees this feeling of being taken seriously is more important than the ten dollars itself. They made me feel like a real returning customer and not just another order number.
At first I really wanted to complain a bit because a few days after I returned the car I checked my card bill and saw an extra charge and my first thought was did they charge me for something twice again. As a business traveler I really do not want to waste time on small money problems like this.
I will say the result first. In the end the problem was fixed and the money came back to me and the support team kept following it. My mood went from annoyed to quite relaxed. So how did it start.
It was an early cold morning in May when I picked up my car at Christchurch Airport in New Zealand. I booked through QEEQ and the car was from Thrifty a Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross automatic four doors five seats. For me with my suitcase and laptop it was just right. I planned to drive only a bit more than one day so I would drop the car next evening in Queenstown. Because it was a one way trip I already knew there would be a one way fee.
When I took the car the counter staff told me I needed to pay an extra amount at the desk. In my head I started to worry. Is this already included in my booking. Is this the same fee again. I asked again and the staff said it was the one way fee. My time was tight so I paid and told myself I would check carefully later. At night in the hotel I looked at my booking and my card record and something just felt wrong. I asked myself is the one way fee charged twice. Which part is normal and which part is not.
So I contacted their team. I sent screenshots and the payment amount and told them I was worried about a repeated one way fee. They did not just say this is the rule and stop there. They replied and said they would check in detail for me. I asked again which part of the money should be there from the start and which part might be extra. Their explanation was clear. The one way fee itself should be there but on top of that the rental company added another kind of location charge and this part looked wrong.
In the next days I was busy with meetings and flights. At the same time they kept talking with the rental company and they emailed me from time to time with updates. When I saw the emails it felt like I was asking myself so what is the situation now. Is there any chance for a refund. Any new progress. The answers in the emails were direct. They said they would keep trying to get back the extra part that was not fair.
After a few days they told me that the small extra part of the fee was confirmed as not reasonable and they had applied a refund for me. When I saw the refund amount it was not huge but I felt that someone was watching this problem for me instead of saying you go argue with the rental company by yourself. For a business traveler this feeling of being followed and remembered is important because I really do not have time to fight by email every day.
Later there was another step. The rental company processed another refund straight to my bank card. Then their team came back to me and explained that they had paid me first before and now they needed me to return that part to them. I was a bit worried it would be very troublesome. But it turned out simple. I checked the amount saw the money in my account and then sent the amount back through the way they told me. During this whole process the communication stayed smooth. I did not feel they were pushing me. It was more like we were just making the numbers match on both sides.
What I remember most is that they did not disappear after my first complaint. From my first question to each reply from the rental company and then to the money going out and coming back I was always told clearly which step we were at. Even when I was in a meeting and could only take a quick look on my phone I still knew if there was progress and I did not need to sit there and guess.
For me in this experience the key point was not the few New Zealand dollars. It was the feeling that someone was taking care of the case for a while. When I asked a question they answered it. When I had a new doubt I got a clear reply soon. For someone who travels for work a lot this kind of one to one follow up feels much better than cold system messages and it makes me more willing to book through them again next time I come to New Zealand for business.
