Avis

Avis is robbing people! Please people read your fine print before booking with Avis. They don't tell you up front about cancellation fees! I booked with Avis and never got a confirmation email from them up to now. After checking the FAQ, they say if your booking needs to be processed for availability it will be placed on hold and you'll get an email in 72hrs and that payment will not be processed until the booking is confirmed. I'm still waiting for the email! I tried cancelling the following day as I found a better deal with Enterprise. After trying all the customer service numbers and staying on hold with Avis for almost 2 hrs (complete waste of time, tactic to get customers to hang up by the way)...I decided to try again the next day. Called the next morning and got through after about an hour (customer service hotline sucks). I was told by the representative that since I cancelled in less than 48hrs there will be no fee. He sent me a cancellation email upon request. I was not worried as the payment at that point was not processed. I was so shocked to find out later that night that the money was taken. Of course, customer service is not answering as per usual. "high volume of calls they say" Eventually got through the following morning and now I'm told there's a £40 cancellation fee! Even though they took the money after I cancelled because the booking was never confirmed by email. The level of unprofessional injustice! I am disappointed and embarrassed by Avis. Upset, feel robbed! Will not recommend!
1 7 years ago (27-06-2017)

There was no handover with instructions on how to use the vehicle properly and safely. The 6-week old vehicle had tires with mismatched threads and therefore a very unsatisfactory situation. It took almost 15 minutes to contact Avis Car Hire at the airport to complain. I had to insist on a replacement car. I would not recommend Avis if this is the typical experience.
1 9 years ago (24-04-2016)

Rented a car from here while visiting from the US. Returned car in exactly the condition I picked it up in early in the morning before any Avis staff were present. Several weeks later I receive my credit card statement with an additional charge for several hundred pounds from Avis. Was able to bring up an online invoice showing a charge for unspecified damage but received no communication from Avis regarding this. Unable to call them as all of their listed phone numbers are UK freephone numbers which don't work from abroad, sent several messages through their customer service website but after 2 weeks have received no response. If I had damaged the car, which I deny, I would be covered by my Visa car insurance but would need paperwork from Avis which I am unable to obtain as they will not respond to me. Update - Changing review from 1 star to 3 (2 1/2 would be better but that isn't an option). I was eventually able to contact the company via email (they responded to me after about 2 weeks) and they agreed to refund the charge. Would have been nice if they hadn't erroneously charged me in the first place or, at the very least, informed me they were making the charge.
3 10 years ago (20-01-2015)