Car Trawler

In March of this year I made a car reservation with Car Trawler, with reservation number IT260933520, wherein the car was to be picked up and dropped-off at Milan Airport Malpensa on April 16 and 27, 2011, respectively. When I and my family arrived at Milan Airport, we picked up our bags and went straight to Locauto Tirreno desktop. It was approximately 12:30 pm. After more than 12 hours of travelling, we stayed in a line, awaiting to be attended by an employee of Locauto (there were only 2). We were in a group of 8 people.

After more than an hour, when finally attended by the desktop person, I showed the renting voucher and got the following answer from the person: "Sorry, you are too late. Your voucher says you should pick up the car 10:00 am. Unfortunately, your car was given to another customer and I do not have any other available van at this moment." I asked the person: "Is there any clause in the contract that gives the customer a limited time to pick up the car?" The answer was: "No, this is an "agreement" of Locauto." After a long discussion with the attendant who was denying all of our requests, I decided to cancel the car rental.

To my surprise the attendant told me: "Sorry, I can't do this." After that, I told him: "Okay, so please give me a letter explaining everything that happened and that you cannot cancel the car rental". The answer was: "You have to ask Car Trawler to do that." I called Car Trawler from my cell phone Ireland # ** (02 calls: one with duration of 7 minutes 14h:37':55'' and the second with duration of 21 minutes 14h:44':49".) I have the records. Unfortunately, after almost an hour talking to Car Trawler at my expense ( approximately $100 euros), there was no answer to any of my requests.

When there was nothing else to do, my brother-in-law, who was in our group, went to the neighboring store, AVIS, to rent another car. The next morning, I called my bank ITAU in Brazil from Torino (VISA Credit card # **) and asked them to cancel the payment referred to Car Trawler car rental (US$ 1.489,25). I gave them a letter explaining what happened with me and 2 days later, they cancelled the payment. Beginning this month (July 2011), to my surprise, after 3 months, the expense with Car Trawler was back in my credit card statement. Accordingly, evidences of charged service were not given to the customer because the service was pre-paid, there was proof that the customer was present at the Locauto store at the required date (phone records), and there was no signed document for car pick-up (proof of not given service).

CarTrawler Customer Service Centre: The Chapel, Mount Saint Anne's Milltown, Dublin 6 Ireland, Phone no +353 23 8883011

Unfortunately, my credit card was stolen one week before my trip to LAX. So I cannot use the car already booked in Car Trawler. But Car Trawler charged me for US $419.74. Ps: Police report with evidence on theft.

I try to rent a car from Car Trawler . The rental was prepaid. When i went to car rental ofice they said i am late , they gave my car to another guy and there is no car left to rent me . I ask to refund my money back, they said I should talk to Car Trawler. I call them they told me to send a mail describing the situation. I send the mail and after 30 days they answer me saying that being late is not their problem , I should have chose the right time for pickup. So I paid 4 days of rental fee to Car Trawler and rent no car. It must be a very profitable business.

I hired a car through CarTrawler in Kemer, Turkey. The rental was prepaid, payment was done via credit card. Upon arrival in Turkey, the rental firm asked to pay the full sum plus an extra pick-up charge that was not communicated by CarTrawler.

I filed an issue with Cartrawler to get a refund of the rental sum which was paid double, once to Cartrawler and again in Turkey. Cartrawler did not respond to the real issue; the double payment The mailed about the extra charge only; which is a side affair. After that no communication from Cartrawler; all mail's I sent were not responded to. Some 100 euro loss.

My husband and I rented a car through their internet site 10/08. I never received a voucher, but they charged me. It has taken approx 15 emails over 4 months, (they are unreachable by phone) and pressure from the attorney general of Oregon, to finally receive my money back. I would like Consumer Reports to consider this information when they next review car rental companies. There are numerous complaints about this company on line, but I was unaware of their history or practices.

In the delay of returning my original money, charged in GBP, I have ultimately lost $54.80 as the exchange rate changed. My complaint is that in keeping even a portion of my money ($83 on a charge of $783 for 3 months), I have lost money and they have used it over that period of time. If they do this to numerous consumers, they make fantastic amounts of money by simply being extremely unreachable and unhelpful. Most consumers would simply give up and let them keep their $50-$100.

This is where I think their business practices are subject to review. They function with impunity in the internet world, and the consumer who deals with them is forced to do so by internet emails, which are denied or ignored. How often does this occur, and how much money do they keep, simply because consumers really have no avenue for redress. Thank you for your interest in these consumer matters.