ChameleonsEye/Shutterstock @moneyhoneyrachel/TikTok (Licensed)
Braden Bjella
IRL
Posted on Oct 21, 2022
A user on TikTok has gone viral after claiming that Avis rented her not one, but two cars with expired plates, for which she received two $50 tickets. When she reached out to Avis support, she was told that she would have to pay for the tickets herself.
In a video with over 216,000 views, TikToker Rachel (@moneyhoneyrachel) recounts her full story.
In short, she says she was given a car with expired plates and received a $50 citation. After some discussion with Avis, she was given a new car and told she would have to resolve the ticket issue with Avis customer service.
The second car had a crack in the windshield, Rachel says, so she opted to return it. Upon receiving the third car, she noticed it was considerably dirty.
“The car she gave me was filthy, but I didn’t care because it seemed functional,” she explains.
A week later, Rachel says she came down with COVID and began to self-isolate. While isolating, she was informed by her roommate that the new rental car had a citation on its windshield—specifically, another $50 citation for expired plates.
After days of calling the company and hours spent on hold, she was eventually told that Avis would not be paying for either of the tickets. Instead, the company decided to charge Rachel for both citations using the credit card they had on file.
“Never rent from Avis,” Rachel wrote in the caption.
There is some precedent for rental car companies going back on similar decisions.
In 2011, a Cincinnati resident wrote in to author Christopher Elliott citing a similar experience they faced with Hertz after a trip to Philadelphia. Elliott investigated, which led to Hertz claiming the Cincinnati resident was billed as a result of “a few technical glitches.” The bill was refunded.
Furthermore, renting out a car with expired plates or tags may result in other issues for Avis.
When a user recounted a comparable experience on a legal advice forum, an alleged member of the New York Bar stated that renting out a car with expired tags “is a breach of contract, since you were not provided a car you could legally drive.”
Later in the day, Rachel says that Avis dropped off a new car for her and made a few statements regarding the citations.
“Avis just dropped off a replacement car to me. They made some promises to me regarding the tickets and refund but no update yet,” she wrote in a comment.
Still, users advised her to take her case seriously and get everything in writing.
“Dispute it with your CC and if needed file in small claims court including court costs. It will cost them too much to go to court,” advised one user.
“File a complaint with State Attorney General,” offered another.
“Put the whole situation in writing and send it certified mail, or you will not be taken seriously,” wrote a third. “It’ll start the clock on the legality of your situation. Phone calls, etc. are only backed up with a log book of dates, times, person’s name, what was discussed.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Avis and Rachel via email.
Braden Bjella is a culture writer. His work can be found in Mixmag, Electronic Beats, Schön! magazine, and more.
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