Please help...been ripped off by Alamo.

[champagnegirl26]

I will now only ever go with a company who choose your car for you in the future, we are not fussy anyway, usually just go for a nice colour! If my money is not refunded I won't use them again for sure but I feel silly having not checked paperwork, didn't think I needed to after online check in as I already declined any extras on there. If it's not refunded that's 2 months of us not being able to save for our next Florida trip which is heartbreaking as it takes us three years to save as it is.

[champagnegirl26]

Originally Posted by Cosworth

It would be reasonable to expect a car parked in the "Mid Size" lane to be in that category. The staff should make you aware if you have chosen a different category to the one you booked (not just hide it in the small print of the agreement). I hope you get some satisfaction from Alamo.
I know the staff park the cars in any lane, particularly if the correct lane is full, but it should not be up to the renter to check the category.
Good luck.

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My point exactly thank you.

[tspill]

Originally Posted by champagnegirl26

When would we have signed? We did online check in. We went straight to the garage. Would he have signed when leaving the garage with the car? To be fair I didn't even look at the paperwork he handed me after the long flight. And we no longer have it. Seems I could have made an inocent but expensive mistake in which case I won't be using them ever again as they told me to choose from that row. I'm so upset. Nearly £400 on top of our holiday costs all after the event was not what I had planned. We had no debt after this holiday and it seems now we will have and we will have to save up to pay all that off... I could cry!

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If you wens straight to the garage you would have received a receipt with the charges when you left the garage at the kiosk. This would have detailed the charges.
I guess this why all the advice is to read every detail before leaving.
These charges must be detailed on some of the paperwork you would have received. When you leave the car back you would have received a receipt with any charges. So you should have two receipts - one when you collected the car and one when you left it back.

[yorky]

Originally Posted by champagnegirl26

We booked intermediate with virgin and were directed to mid size row, there were no Toyota corollas in the row, there were very few cars left to choose from.

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Yes and of course the upgrade charge would only come into place when they scanned the tag on return, I'm guessing you have then been handed paperwork with the upgrade charge on it.
Or maybe they just gave you nothing but I'm pretty sure last time we had Alamo we got a return slip because I remember them trying to charge us for bringing the car back late.

[Demonwar]

Originally Posted by champagnegirl26

We booked intermediate with virgin and were directed to mid size row, there were no Toyota corollas in the row, there were very few cars left to choose from.

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Midsize equals Intermediate on the Alamo Us website and suggests the Toyota.

Its tricky, who directed you to the row, virgin rep or Alamo rep? As you don't have the documents anymore it's hard to say if it suggested the car that it might be one thing or another.

Ultimately you went straight to the garage I'm guessing? Then picked up whatever and got directed to the cars. Virgin rep wouldn't know if the car you booked was in stock. Alamo would have to free upgrade you if the class of car isn't there but it's hard to prove as you didn't raise it before driving it off.

Only thing is to go to Virgin really and plead your case.

[champagnegirl26]

Originally Posted by Demonwar

Just ask the attendant in the garage surely? Check at the window as he's doing the paperwork there.

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I didn't think I needed to ask, but certainly will in future. I chose from the right row, I never even thought to double check, especially as after a 9 hour flight, being held on the plane nearly an hour then 1.5 hrs in immigration with two young kids we just needed to get on our way. But next time I will double check everything I suppose.

[tspill]

Originally Posted by champagnegirl26

I will now only ever go with a company who choose your car for you in the future, .

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The problem is that most if not all use the same process where the renter selects the car.
Although you have been caught out this time, the paperwork will detail the charges and you just stop if there isn't something you don't like and have it fixed.
I appreciate this isn't much help now but learning for the next time.

[Twentyyears]

Find this very strange, and distressing for you.
We have on many occasions been told to take a car from another row, usually next size up, when there have been no compacts left, which is all we usually have.
We have never been charged more and have used Alamo 90% of the time.
As a previous posters have said the most important thing is the slip at the end is a zero balance.
More to the point if you booked a virgin package, which it sounds like you have, let them sort it for you- the contract was subcontracted through them and you signed nothing to allow for extra charges on your card. You did online check in and went straight to the garage- they need to prove to virgin (and you) you why they are charging for something you didn't sign for. That's sometimes why the package deal has advantages, use that, I would.

[Demonwar]

Originally Posted by champagnegirl26

I didn't think I needed to ask, but certainly will in future. I chose from the right row, I never even thought to double check, especially as after a 9 hour flight, being held on the plane nearly an hour then 1.5 hrs in immigration with two young kids we just needed to get on our way. But next time I will double check everything I suppose.

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Oh yeah I know, it's tough after the flight and queuing.
I had it easy with the car first time, had the 8 seater so it's not hard to choose they only have 1 model it seems which is the Toyota Sienna. I had a choice of 3 the same.

[yorky]

Originally Posted by tspill

The problem is that most if not all use the same process where the renter selects the car.
Although you have been caught out this time, the paperwork will detail the charges and you just stop if there isn't something you don't like and have it fixed.
I appreciate this isn't much help now but learning for the next time.

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Avis for one pre asign your car, we have a fly drive with them this month.