A stalled rental, a refund denied

Question: Can you help me get my money back for a rental car? I recently prepaid for a car in Vancouver through Priceline using my debit card. But when I checked in at the Avis counter, I was told that I couldn’t get a car because I didn’t have a credit card. I had notified Priceline that I didn’t have a card when I made my reservation.

I was treated like a deadbeat. I tried to cancel my reservation, but when I called Priceline, I was told that my rental was nonrefundable. For the next eight days, I had no transportation and was forced to remain in the vicinity of the airport. This was more than an inconvenience; it was an outrage.

I insist that my money be returned. Don’t you think I deserve a refund? — Linda Kirby, Wichita, Kan.

Answer: Without a question, yes. Priceline should have either refunded your rental immediately or found you a comparable car. Preferably both.

Priceline offers two different ways of booking a car. The first is pretty conventional: You find a good rate and you reserve a car that you can cancel anytime without penalty. No prepayment is necessary.

The second is called the “Name Your Own Price” method. That’s where you bid on a rental and if it’s accepted, your debit card or credit card is billed immediately. Although there are no refunds, naming your own price can be a good deal. I’ve personally saved 20 percent off the lowest published rate by using this Priceline service.

When I booked my “Name Your Own Price” rental I noted a box that lets you tell Priceline you’re using a debit card. But Priceline also warns that some car rental companies might not let you rent unless you have a credit card. You may not have seen that notice. Priceline’s booking screens are a little busy.

This could easily be avoided. Priceline could stop accepting debit cards as payment for its rental cars. It might also consider simplifying or clarifying its booking system. And customers need to remember to scroll down and read everything when they’re making a reservation.

I contacted Priceline on your behalf. It refunded the full amount of your rental.

  • Carver Farrow

    Priceline is 100 percent wrong. Priceline terms and conditions states explicitly

    “If you will only have a debit card at the time of pick-up, you must check this box. By checking this box we will match you with a rental car partner who accepts debit cards and you should avoid any major payment hassels”

    Thata’s crystal clear. As long as she checked the box, Priceline was obligated to maatch her with a provider who would accept the debit card. Priceline didn’t. She’s owed a refund.

  • Chicky

    I never cease to be amazed at the amount of tap-dancing some of these companies will do in order to keep from doing what their rules clearly require them to do. Unbelievable.

  • http://www.bigbri.net Brian Fields

    I had a similar experience (http://www.bigbri.net/?p=59) a couple years ago. I had reserved a car with a credit card, but when I dropped off the car, I had cash. They looked at me in amazement when I handed them a couple hundred dollar bills. They didn’t know what to do with them. She had to ask her boss if they ACCEPTED cash. Ridiculous.

  • Josh

    It’s certainly within a rental company’s rights to require a credit card (they want it as security against the car being lost/damaged; most let you pay the final bill by debit card when you return the car), but Priceline is 100% wrong here — a business cannot sell an unusable product and just put a disclaimer on their website.

    If they have a box saying “debit card”, it’s up to them to find a rental company that will accept that. And if the rental company accepted the prepayment, and that had info on the lack of credit card, then they’re responsible for honoring the contract they entered into. Neither company can change the terms after accepting payment.