Budget Rent A Car Charging $450 for a smoke smell and I do not smoke

[CraigD11852]

I just had the worst experience with Budget Rent a Car and I appear to have no other avenue besides venting my frustrations here.  I rented a car from Budget on 4/24/2024 at the George Bush Airport in Houston Texas.  I returned the vehicle the next day, 4/25/2024.  Today, four days after leaving the car with them, I get an email saying they are charging my card an additional $450 because of an alleged heavy smoke smell in the car.  I have never smoked cigarettes or anything else in my life and neither has my wife or 8 year old son that were with me on the trip.  They send me pictures of dust or some substance but there is nothing in the pictures that they sent that even shows that it was the vehicle I rented.  You drop the car off to them, they say nothing and four days later charge you for something you did not do.  Once you drop the car off to them you have no way of knowing what happened to the vehicle and who did the inspection.  This is ridiculous and I ask anyone reading this to not use Budget Rent a Car.  I also wrote a complaint on the Better Business Bureau site and there were many other customers that were charged "cleaning fees" for no reason.  I truly hope that someone from AARP reads this and as it was due to the relationship and discount that AARP has with Budget that I rented this car.  Again, please do not rent from Budget.  Thank you.

[PriscillaJ816105]

My mom n niece had this same experience, From the budget at the Brunswick HA Airport...this has got to be a running scam with them and they NEED TO BE STOPPED. There needs to be a class action lawsuit 

[js79095229]

This just happened to me as well with a vehicle rented from Detroit Metro Airport Budget location.  I called the customer service number listed on the email and they stopped the billing without any hassle.  I also asked what I could do so this wasn't a problem in the future and they did advise that I can ask for a sign-off on the vehicle return (inspection) before I leave the location.  I guess that is what I will be doing in the future with all rental cars.  I do like renting through AARP with Budget because the rates are good but not sure if all this is worth it.  I feel like if they are canceling the charge so easily that it must be a problem that comes up regularly and someone should be looking into it.  

[ThomasR35376]

 This happened to us as well.  We rented a minivan in the Detroit airport and returned it in good condition.   A week later we received a letter that we were being charged $450 due to smoke smell.  Like you, no one smokes or vapes and this did not happen.  I immediately called Budget and requested removal of the fee, after some pushback and my threats of legal action, they agreed to credit back the $450.  I believe this is a scam that Budget is using to increase revenue.    I am also complaining to the BBB, to AARP and Costco about their endorsement of a dishonest company. 

[JustinB206293]

Got a minivan from Detroit airport 1-16 June.. just received a letter dated 24 June that apparently I smoked in the car.. I don’t smoke.. I assume I should just call the customer help line and complain?

[VictoriaH911658]

Yes! Call them the second you can.  They did the same thing to me.  Rented June 17, returned June 20th, charged my card on July 8 for the exact same thing!  I do not smoke and called them.  They are refunding me.

[AARPConsumerCare]

@JustinB206293 I'm so sorry to hear that you've had trouble with one of our benefit providers. If you are unable to reach a resolution with Budget, we are listening and would like the chance to help as soon as possible. Please visit https://help.aarp.org/s/article/contact-aarp to chat, text, or speak with a representative who can get you in touch with our Member Relations team.  - Janelle M.

[JustinB206293]

Hello,

I called budget this morning somewhat prepared for a battle to get this false cleaning fee removed. I was nice about it and told them none of my passengers or myself smoke and we specifically requested a non smoking car. They kept me on the phone for about 10 minutes and before the call was over I had an email with the fee being waived. It was honestly a great experience. 
thanks Janelle

[JulieR271671]

Same experience of a bogus "cleaning" fee for a "smoke smell" when no-one in the car smoked. Not same experience with Budget customer service. On Budget customer service for 45 minutes and all they would do was keep repeating that their technicians smelled the smell. Asked for supervisor, 10 minutes of hold time, told one wasn't available and I'd get a call back. No call back.

This feels like a Budget scam.

[AARPConsumerCare]

I'm sorry to hear you're having issues with Budget, @JulieR271671. Please send me a private message with your name and the best phone number or email for our Member Relations team to get back to you. Thank you. - Diana G.

[AARPConsumerCare]

@JustinB206293 Wonderful! Thank you for letting me know. I'm glad you were able to get to the bottom of it!  - Janelle M.

[CraigD11852]

Sorry this happened to you. I would call and complain and ask to speak to a supervisor. I would also write ot tell them you will be writing bad reviews on as many sites as you can. They eventually did not charge me so I think the more you threaten to take action the more likely the will not charge you. Good luck. 

[CraigD11852]

I thought it would be fair to update my post with a status.  Budget reached out to me and advised me that after an investigation they found some discrepencies in their process and insufficient proof by their maintenance team and therefore they will not be charging me the $450. I do hope that anyone reading this take extra time to inspect the rental car when they take posession of it and even take pictures of any damage on the vehicle when they first get the car. Also take pictures of the vehicle after drop off or ask to watch the inspection of the vehicle before leaving it. They extra time may save you some money becaise although i ended up not getting charged there appear to have been other reviews by customers that were not as lucky. Thank you. 

[GeneS978338]

They are who they hire, they pay nothing and they get nothing but more added expense due to abuse?

It would be nice to know the history of that vehicle and how many other people were posed with the same threat and paid? If that happened before, then obviously it wasn't you was it? Rentals are so disgusting today since the car shortages... that's a fact

I'm a newbie, that's funny (ha ha, not funny strange) 

[Winter2024]

(1 comment) @CraigD11852 , as a person who has NEVER smoked this is so unfair. I am sorry you went through this and thanks for the warning. I am wondering IF moving forward customers need to be present when the car they returned is inspected. Just a thought!

Nicole  👵

[CraigD11852]

Thank you Nicole. Great point about being present when the rental car inspection is done.