In a series of events that once again highlights customer service challenges faced by Hertz, the car rental giant finds itself in hot water after threatening a customer with arrest for supposedly driving too many miles on an “unlimited” miles rental. In this episode, reported by Techdirt, the customer was confronted by a Hertz representative and told he would be billed $10,000 for driving 25,000 miles in a month-long contract that advertised unlimited mileage.
Hertz has a history of legal tangles, notably settling a class-action lawsuit to the tune of $168 million in 2022, after numerous instances where customers were wrongfully accused of vehicle theft. This settlement was supposed to pave the way for improved customer relations, yet recent incidents suggest ongoing systemic issues.
The incident began when the customer, having completed a journey of 25,000 miles, returned the vehicle only to be informed of an impending $10,000 charge due to excessive driving. According to reports from One Mile at a Time, the interaction escalated to the point where the Hertz employee threatened to have the customer forcibly removed and arrested. Despite the “unlimited miles” provision in the contract, the Hertz representative argued the exorbitant distance drove justified the excessive charge.
- Customer: “It literally says I won’t get charged anything, it says miles allowed, free miles…”
- Hertz Representative: “But you also never signed anything saying you were going to be allowed to drive 25,000 miles in a month.”
In response, Hertz has issued a statement claiming no additional charges would be applied to the customer underlining, “Customer satisfaction is our top priority,” a sentiment that likely rings hollow to the individuals affected. Events such as these only add to the challenges Hertz faces in rehabilitating its public image.
For many in the legal community, such incidents are a reminder of the importance of adhering to contract terms and the potential legal implications companies face when failing to uphold such agreements. The ongoing challenges at Hertz can serve as a case study in the need for clear and enforceable rental agreements.