Hi All,

Sorry about the spelling, I've recently had a non fault accident (Someone pulled out of a junction while I was passing it and stuck my nearside rear quarter). My car was collected and as I had 14 Day car cover I got my hire car sorted out. What happened was Swift asked Lookers (the garage) to book a hire car for me, it was close to the weekend so I wanted to get a car sorted out asap so asked the garage for their contact details to get it moving a bit quicker. They put on onto a company called Help Hire who were great, no fuss got the car sorted out very quickly, however they are asking for a £15.00 Fuel surcharge to be paid on completion of the hire. I gave them my card details as I didn't want to delay the car being delivered and I would sort it out with Swift.

I complained to Swift saying that I was not happy that I was being charged for something that I have already paid for and what I got back on e-mail was the following:

Dear Mr Wood

I write in reference to the above claim and our conversation today.

Unfortunately as advised you do need to pay the £15 charge to help hire. This is not something we would be able to recover through the third party insurers.

I sincerely apologise about this, however this is the only cost that you will need to pay.

If you have any further questions or queries please do not hesitate to email me.

Yours sincerely,

Apparently its because of the car hire companies T&Cs.

What I don't understand is why no-one I have ever spoken to who has had a hire car when they have been hit has never had to pay anything? Also it doesn't say anywhere in Swifts terms and conditions that I will be liable to pay for any additional costs.

Can anyone let me know if I do have to pay this stupid charge or if I am in my rights not to?

Thanks

Steve

It is for fuel ! I presume that they provided the car with fuel in and the £15 is for this. I think it is reasonable that you pay for the fuel, as you would with many courtesy cars.

Thanks for the ad.. response.

Normally with hire car companies they provide the car with a full tank and you pay for what you use, well thats whats happened with my mother recently and when I've had a hire car myself. Its the thing about they can't claim it back from the other party

I know its only £15.00 but I can't even afford £5.00 with the way things are at the moment.

Hello there. I agree with Uncle Bulgaria, if you'd been driving your own car you'd have burned fuel. Did you use that amount of fuel please?

My best, HB

Forget it, I'm obviously being stupid

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Sorry I shouldn't have snapped at you guys, I'm just really not having a good year at the moment and I won't bore you all with the sob story.

Its just that it turned up with hardly any fuel in it, so I've paid £15.00 for no real reason as I had to go fill it up streight away, which is even more anoying as my car had over 1/2 a tank in it.

Sorry I shouldn't have snapped at you guys, I'm just really not having a good year at the moment and I won't bore you all with the sob story.

 

Its just that it turned up with hardly any fuel in it, so I've paid £15.00 for no real reason as I had to go fill it up streight away, which is even more anoying as my car had over 1/2 a tank in it.

Well tell them that there was hardly any fuel in the car, certainly not £15 worth. Ask them to check the delivery records, with regard to the fuel level when it was supplied.

normally hire cars come with half a tank or full tank and you have to return it that way or you pay for them to do it.

if it came almost empty, what exactly are you paying for, suggest you ask them.