Local

Rental car company charges man more for early return

Rental cars

CHARLOTTE — A man returned a rental car early, thinking it would save him some money — instead, the opposite happened.

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As reported on News Center 7 at 5:30, Greg Barton’s family traveled from North Carolina to Italy and rented a car for two weeks.

He decided to return the car a day early as he thought it would save him some money.

Instead, he was left paying around $1,000 to $1,500 more than expected.

“I thought it was a mistake, so I contacted the office there,” he 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.”

The terms and conditions say, “If you return it earlier or later, a different or higher rental rate may apply.”

Action 9 investigator Jason Stoogenke still reached out to the company, and it responded: “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 told Stoogenke. “I appreciate your help with doing that. It was a long process, but we feel good about it.”

Ensure you read the fine print, even if you think you’re doing something better for the company.

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