Top off fees on full tanks
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Posted on: May 23rd, 2008 by Garry Robertson
Some car hire companies charge you for the gasoline already in the tank at the time of your rental, others charge you if you bring the tank back partially empty, but some rental companies are now charging you regardless of how much gas is in the tank, billing customers for something they call a ‘top off’ fee.
Steven Dentali was an unwary renter who hired a car from Dollar Rent A Car in Manchester. “I couldn’t believe it,” he said. . “I said to them, ‘You’re telling me I’m penalized no matter what? There’s no way around me having to pay something?’”
Dentali though he had been given a choice between paying for the full tank and brining it back empty or filling up the tank himself and returning his rental full. Instead, when he carefully checked his rental agreement, this is what he found:
“Gasoline Policy: Vehicle must be returned with full tank or local refuelling charge applies. If car is returned full a $2.00 top off fee will be applied.”
Dentali asked for a refund and was referred to a manager who further referred him to the Dollar corporate offices. After several phone calls and emails, he was satisfied. Dentali received an email from an employee at the Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, the parent company for Dollar Rent A Car.
The email read: “I am unable to advise you as to whether or not this is a permanent policy or what the purpose is for it, but in an effort to regain your confidence in Dollar Rent A Car, I have requested a refund check in the amount of $2.16 to be forwarded to you from our accounting office.”
According to a spokesperson for Dollar Thrifty, Chris Payne, the location responsible for charging Dentali the fee was a franchise and able to set its policies independently of the company.
“Franchisees are given some discretion when it comes to the operation of their own facilities, and occasionally they will have different fees,” he said. “This ‘top-off’ fee appears to be something they have enacted. I can tell you that it is not a widespread practice among Dollar locations.”
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