Surprised by a $180 Cleaning Fee: How My Perfectly Returned Rental Car Cost Me Digits
A mother from Australia criticized a car rental firm after being charged a $180 cleaning fee for a mess she alleged was ‘faked’.
Narissa Cullen, 34, from Perth , rented a vehicle from Bargain Car Rentals Brisbane for two weeks during a family vacation to Queensland in March.
Ms Cullen mentioned that she and her companion soon found out the car was plagued with several problems, such as a defective headlight and GPS system.
When it was time to return the car, Ms Cullen and her companion refilled the tank. petrol and returned it to Brisbane Airport.
They captured images of the inside, revealing that they had left two beverage containers in the central compartment and a minor quantity of sand with some grass clippings on the floor mats.
Ms Cullen mentioned she was stunned upon their arrival in Perth, as they found out the firm had imposed an $180 cleansing charge.
The firm provided images displaying the beverage containers scattered across the driver's side floor area and a mark on the seat that Ms Cullen claimed originated from an external source rather than her household.
The firm stated that their rules required the car to be returned in a reasonably clean state. They also mentioned that due to how dirty the vehicle was upon being brought back, they deemed it necessary to have it undergo both a steam cleaning and additional detailing.
The firm stated that their rules required the car to be returned in a reasonably clean state. They also mentioned that due to how dirty the vehicle was when brought back, they had to perform an additional deep cleaning along with regular detailing.
However, Ms Cullen contended that the firm's images did not correspond with what she had seen herself.
She mentioned that the mark on the driver's seat looked both dark and new.
"You can tell that the cleaners might have accidentally spilled it. I'm not sure if they did so intentionally and then placed the cups on the ground," she explained.
Ms. Cullen challenged the charge with the firm, requesting timestamped pictures, but they were not supplied. She additionally shared a clip on TikTok regarding their dispute.
"It was quite distressing, irritating, and taxing. Since I was 30 weeks pregnant, we really didn’t need the extra stress," she mentioned.
'There were many exchanges, numerous telephone conversations, but they rejected all claims — it wasn’t until I uploaded the TikTok that we received our refund.'
An email sent by a staff member at Bargain Car Rentals to Ms Cullen on March 18 stated: "Following additional investigation, I have initiated the processing of the cleaning fee for you."
I definitely understand your perspective after reviewing the pictures closely, and it appears we didn’t adhere to a portion of our procedure, which was unfair to you. Particularly, we failed to reach out to you prior to charging your account.
Ms Cullen expressed her concern that others might be levied with an unjustified cleaning charge.
"Who else are they targeting with this? Particularly senior citizens who lack the means or understanding to obtain a refund," she remarked.
The Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Bargain Car Rentals for their input.
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