gsm1

What did he do to the car?

ChrisB

Dispute the transaction with your CC company.

They should freeze the amount whilst they investigate which starts (IIRC) with asking for the paper work from the company asking for the money.

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

I had a similar situation with a hire car company in America a few years ago We hired a car and took out all the additional cover (the full works!) and had an accident. We took the car back and they wouldn't let us leave until they had taken an authorisation from my credit card I got home and found out they had taken £200 I think from my credit card I called the credit card people up and explained the story start to finish and they got my money back for me

imlach

Usually, part of the T&C when you hire the car is that your credit card can be deducted for stuff like this....ie, you've authorised them to do this when you intially paid for the hire car....

You did read the T&C's didn't you?

imlach

It sounds like your friend has taken the pi$$ too - a rental amount for £233, and he now owes them £1000? Surely he must have taken the hire car for a LOT longer than he should have done.

Moral? I hope he's not a good friend, cos he soon won't be

gsm1

I'd have a word with your mate and make sure you don't ever let anyone use your CC in future. Like Imlach says, when you make the rental agreement it will normally give them authority to take bucks off your CC without any prior agreement from you.

imlach

No doubt your friend was shown the T&C's then....and then asked you to pay over the phone.

Suspect procedure wasn't strictly followed as it should have been then, as you (the credit card owner) should have been read/shown the T&C's of the hire car company wth respect to how your credit card COULD be debited.

You could argue it on this point IF you deffo weren't told T&C's by the person who took your credit card number.

davegtt

could be charging for silly stuff like if hes knackered the tyres on it they will try to charge u for this (well they did me when I had a vectra, thrashed it everywhere though...lmao)

imlach

So he's still got the car?
What do you expect? They'd let you have it for free?

The T&C's will state they can do this without consulting you or him - your only worthy stand is to complain that as the credit card owner, you were never told the T&C's.

Moral No.2 : Don't let your mates just use your credit card for stuff you don't have full control over

gsm1

Also many hire firms will charge you extra if you keep the car longer than the initial agreed hire period without giving them at least a day's notice as they may have booked other customers for that vehicle.
I can't really see the argument here, he's had the car for all this time, so he (rather you) has to pay for it.

imlach

Your word against theirs when it comes to confirming it was 1 transaction only, but it's a good lesson for you in terms of how these things work. You won't be doing this again, for sure!

By paying for the car rental with YOUR credit card, you had everything to do with it! The transaction was between your credit card and the hire car company.

When it comes to credit cards, it pays to be wary. A lot of transations can be 'open' like this these days (monthly "direct debits" from your credit card for example which AOL likes to use).

I'm sure you won't do this again. What has happened to you is a perfectly legal setup, and is not "fraud" as you may think.

boxst

Hello

Is it actually legal to hire a car with someone elses credit card?

And it's your friend who is in the wrong: If he still has the car, he (you) should be paying for it?

Steve.