Convenience cost? Rental car company charges man more for early return
Greg Barton's family traveled from North Carolina to Italy.
'It was beautiful. It was great,' Barton said, describing the trip.
He rented a car for two weeks.
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'We decided, for convenience purposes, to return the car a day early,' he said.
Barton thought that would save him some money but instead, he said the opposite happened.
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Thinking he'd saved a little, Barton was told to pay even more. The AVIS Car Rental company charged him about $1,000 to $1,500 more than he'd expected.
'I thought it was a mistake, so I contacted the office there,' Barton said.
He says it took a lot of back-and-forth and then eventually, he says, '[AVIS] sent me a copy of the contract stating that if you return it early, you are subject to a different rate.'
Barton said it was information he didn't see in the contract.
'I don't think everybody reads those things in detail,' he said.
The terms and conditions say, 'If you return it earlier or later, a different or higher rental rate may apply.'
Channel 2 Action News sister station WSOC reached out to the company for more information.
It responded, saying that 'AVIS has contacted the customer and explained that the rate for the rental defaulted due to the early return. We have resolved the issue and refunded the difference. We appreciate the opportunity to address this customer's concerns.'
'I feel great,' Barton said. 'I appreciate your help with doing that. It was a long process, but we feel good about it.'
The takeaway? Make sure to read the fine print, even if you're doing something 'better' for the company.
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