Credit card fees for car hire

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Screagle
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Credit card fees for car hire

Postby Screagle » Thu Aug 29, 2019 7:14 pm

I thought it was not legal to charge a fee for using a credit card. A car hire company seems to do this as a matter of course and it is in their T&C's but that does not make it right. They don't charge a fee for using a debit card. What is the legal situation here?

The fee is 3,30 euros + VAT bringing the total fee up to 3,99. In the past I've had my card issuer refund this amount but as I'm about to complain to the car hire company I want to make sure I'm on solid legal ground here. I'd be very grateful If anybody here could put me right on this matter or share how they went about obtaining redress.

Saludos

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby El Cid » Thu Aug 29, 2019 7:19 pm

For €4 I really couldn’t be bothered. When you consider the legal benefits of using a credit card rather than a debit card then it’s OK by me.

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby dxf » Thu Aug 29, 2019 9:47 pm

Hola

Are the differences between a debit & credit card the same in Spain as in the UK?

Davexf

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby Screagle » Fri Aug 30, 2019 7:14 am

This is what the EU has to say on this matter: "Traders in the EU are not allowed to charge you extra for using your credit or debit card. " so technically this is a breach of EU law - interesting! Although the fee might be trivial for some I'm nonetheless surprised this car rental firm continues the practice.

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby vinuela vinny » Fri Aug 30, 2019 8:44 am

Hola

In the interests of we occasional hirers of cars and so that we can be properly informed on our choices, can the OP please advise readers which car hire organisation is charging for use of a credit card? and which location please?

As Sid says, perhaps not worth the bother of seeking a refund, but I would add perhaps a factor in future choices......

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby Manchesteral » Fri Aug 30, 2019 8:58 am

Unfortunately in this day and age most car hire companies will use any means possible to gouge a few cents out of you.

My last experience was in May when I hired a car delivered to me at Malaga airport, they charged me by debit card (no fees) then after that transaction they asked for my CREDIT card details, When I asked why they said it's in case of any fines incurred ( parking tickets etc) this I can understand but once they have that credit card number whose to say they won't invent something when you're back home !!

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby elusive » Fri Aug 30, 2019 9:27 am

They always want a credit card for fines etc. Vertually imposdible to rent without one

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby Screagle » Fri Aug 30, 2019 9:32 am

The car hire organisation was Firefly Car Rental at XRY. I would imagine the CC fee is part of their general T&Cs and not specific to this location. Another gripe I have with car hire organisations in general is that even if you request to be billed in euros they still convert to GBP applying Direct Currency Conversion without permission. Again something that I have to get my card provider to rectify and as noted above it all adds up.

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby vinuela vinny » Fri Aug 30, 2019 10:12 am

Thanks Screagle - we don't use Jerez, but on the rare occasions we need to hire a car, we'll avoid Firefly online and if they have offices elsewhere. Vote with our feet eh?

As others say, credit cards are always needed for car hire - but not only for speeding, parking or other fines, with sums retained in our experience for long periods against previously un-noted damage, fuel costs, and anything else those less reputable firms might dream-up. These retentions can be for hundreds of euros (beware going over your card limit) and be for several months, and usually only a close read of the T&C's will enlighten the user. Caveat emptor methinks.....

Vincent

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby maureenscot » Fri Aug 30, 2019 3:35 pm

Malagacar lets you use Debit Card or cash. They blocked 1300euros on mine last week, which I was not aware was going to happen. Didn't read small print obviously. They put it back in my bank a couple of days after I returned the car. It still has not come through to my account and is pending for two weeks. My bank tried to blame Malagacar, but then admitted it takes two weeks for THEM to process and is pending at my bank.

When you book a flight, you are not charged fees if you use a Debit Card but are if you use a CC. So I think it is lawful to charge on CCs. Don't know about VAT though

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby gerrynag » Fri Aug 30, 2019 4:50 pm

Screagle wrote:The car hire organisation was Firefly Car Rental at XRY. I would imagine the CC fee is part of their general T&Cs and not specific to this location. Another gripe I have with car hire organisations in general is that even if you request to be billed in euros they still convert to GBP applying Direct Currency Conversion without permission. Again something that I have to get my card provider to rectify and as noted above it all adds up.

Saludos
I used Firefly a few years ago at Murcia....never again....they are by far, the worse car hire company I have ever used. I queued for nearly 2 hours waiting to be served, while they tried to browbeat every customer into buying their over-priced excess-cover insurance.
I would rather walk than ever use them again. :shock:

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby markwilding » Fri Aug 30, 2019 11:20 pm

maureenscot wrote: When you book a flight, you are not charged fees if you use a Debit Card but are if you use a CC. So I think it is lawful to charge on CCs. Don't know about VAT though
This has changed and you don't pay extra now, At least I haven't when booking with companies such as Ryanair, Easyjet or BA.
Last edited by markwilding on Sat Aug 31, 2019 12:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby elusive » Sat Aug 31, 2019 9:22 am

Yeah part of the eu ruling.

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby bobdun » Sat Aug 31, 2019 5:46 pm


Screagle
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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby Screagle » Fri Sep 06, 2019 7:59 am

Received confirmation today from my credit card provided that I've been refunded for the credit card fee as well as not being billed in the currency of my choice so happy days. I have written to the car hire organisation to complain about the fee and application of direct currency conversion without my permission but wondering if there's anything else I could do to make the complaint bite e.g. report the matter to the local police at the airport or ask for the "libro de reclamaciones" (?) at the car hire office. Would be grateful for any suggestions or advice.

Saludos

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby wollie » Tue Sep 10, 2019 8:41 pm

markwilding wrote:
maureenscot wrote: When you book a flight, you are not charged fees if you use a Debit Card but are if you use a CC. So I think it is lawful to charge on CCs. Don't know about VAT though
This has changed and you don't pay extra now, At least I haven't when booking with companies such as Ryanair, Easyjet or BA.
My understanding is with Easyjet is there is an £8 charge across all bookings.
If we book one flight it is £1, if we book 8 flights its £8 total charge, 9 i do not know...

markwilding
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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby markwilding » Wed Sep 11, 2019 1:17 pm

I'm not sure where you got that information from. I have a couple of EasyJet flights booked and didn't pay any extra. Just to make sure I checked their fees and charges and it says both debit and credit cards incur no extra charges.
https://www.easyjet.com/en/terms-and-conditions/fees

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby ashtondav » Wed Sep 11, 2019 2:39 pm

Screagle wrote:I thought it was not legal to charge a fee for using a credit card. A car hire company seems to do this as a matter of course and it is in their T&C's but that does not make it right. They don't charge a fee for using a debit card. What is the legal situation here?

The fee is 3,30 euros + VAT bringing the total fee up to 3,99. In the past I've had my card issuer refund this amount but as I'm about to complain to the car hire company I want to make sure I'm on solid legal ground here. I'd be very grateful If anybody here could put me right on this matter or share how they went about obtaining redress.

Saludos
It is in contravention of eu law, so ask for it’s complaints book. They will soon buckle.

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby maureenscot » Wed Sep 11, 2019 2:48 pm

There are various group complaints which our Trading Standards are investigating about a lot of issues re car hiring in Spain. See if you can tag onto their stuff. Also Which? would like to hear these stories. It is out of order and Spain appears to have the most rip-offs acording to thse consumer orgs

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Re: Credit card fees for car hire

Postby Screagle » Thu Sep 12, 2019 9:13 am

I'll have some time to kill on my next trip to XRY so will ask for Firefly's complaints book - providing I'm not having the dash for the train into town or my inbound flight is not cancelled by strike action! I'll prepare the complaint in Spanish and English and show it to the staff before requesting the book. I'd better check though that they've not updated their T&C's but I'll get them on Direct Currency Conversion anyhow. I'll also explain to them that I won't be hiring cars from them in the future until the've amended their T&C's.


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