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Car del Mar - you may get a bargain, but be careful

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@alex_heney, noted re the B2B. Certainly would make it problematic. Ultimately, you have to take a step back from where the money physically is - just because Budget and CDM have a B2B, doesn't change the fact that CDM have a consumer contract with Joe Public. It's not the consumer's fault that CDM can't get the cash back from Budget, even though Budget are double dipping.

Additionally, worth working out if CDM are operating as an "agent" (in the legal sense) on behalf of whichever car hire company you end up using. Indeed, you end up signing all sorts of documents with the hire company once you pick up the car. Moreover, don't you have to sign up to the hire company's excess policy etc? In which case worth a go at the hire company to state that they've been paid twice for the same car.

Worth also considering whether CDM keep the cash until the rental happens. e.g. Airbnb do not transfer the cash to the host until the guest arrives (or even leaves?). They might still have it and have an agreement with the hire company that allows CDM to keep the cash. Perhaps.
ski holidays
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
foxtrotzulu wrote:
i thought the important thing nowadays was to take with you the DVLA code that shows your penalty points. Anyone tried it or hired successfully without?

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hiring-a-vehicle

I've hired about a dozen times since it came in and only ever had grief with it in this country. I've never requested or used a code abroad.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Hired all over Europe and never heard any mention of it - another spectacular waste of UK public money.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
Mrs M mentioned it at work this morning, and apparently it is common to be asked in the UK.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@musher, took it with us just weeks after its introduction. we weren't asked for it, but had never been asked for the paper part of the licence in Europe in the past either.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
I used to take the paper part in case, but have never been asked for that either.
I hired a car here at the weekend and had to give my NI number, phone call to DVLA etc. etc. It was a bloody nightmare compared to Munich (except there isn't much of a queue in Blandford Very Happy ).
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Apparently, although I have never tried this, if DVLA is open they will fax a proof of licence to any car hire desk on request.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
If you are asked to get a code, how long does it take? Could you whip your phone out and just do it at the desk?
ski holidays
 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@musher, you need driving licence number, NI number and postcode, from memory it is emailed immediately.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
musher wrote:
If you are asked to get a code, how long does it take? Could you whip your phone out and just do it at the desk?


Yes as long as you have the input info. Easy enough to do it a few days in advance and whip your phone out if necessary
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
foxtrotzulu wrote:
i thought the important thing nowadays was to take with you the DVLA code that shows your penalty points. Anyone tried it or hired successfully without?

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hiring-a-vehicle


We've rented several cars in France and the uk since June 2015 and have always got our codes but have never been asked to produce them.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
At last we have had a reply from Budget France.

Quote:

Thank you for contacting Budget Customer Service France.
First, let me apologise for the inconveniences occurred regarding the reservation in subject.
I would like to clarify that the emails we got from Car del Mar were apparently esteemed as Spams and our emailing system didn’t allow us to consult their messages properly.
I have checked your details and I am pleased to confirm you that the Tour Operator was not charged for any fees ; there is no related No show fee to this reservation.
Consequently, please turn to the Tour Operator to get the applicable refund for this reservation.
Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention and for giving me the opportunity to assist.


So I shall try again to contact CDM. It might not be easy as they have closed their online complaint form.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
It's a shame you have had a problem with Car del Mar, the one and only time I used them for hiring a car in Portugal they were fine. The car rental company however were a whole different story. We arrived on a flight and went to the airport carhire desk where the most rude individual served us. Had the car not been paid for in advance to Car del Mar I would have told him to shove where the sun don't shine. I won't however bore you with the details.
When I got to the hotel I wrote an email to Car del Mar about the absolute shocking service we received. They emailed back and said they were sorry to hear this and they had spoken to the car hire firm about it. They said when you return the car speak to a particular member of staff there. Well, what a difference, they couldn't have been more creepy crawly when I returned. It shows it's worth complaining, I can only hope the a/hole who 'served' us originally was fired.


Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much on Tue 21-03-17 19:53; edited 1 time in total
ski holidays
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@planeurge, just a bit rubbish that one of Budget's commercial channels get redirected to spam...
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@planeurge, so it looks like you're where I suspected - CDM retain the money until a booking is completed. Therefore they have your money IMO.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hells Bells wrote:
Apparently, although I have never tried this, if DVLA is open they will fax a proof of licence to any car hire desk on request.


Wow, they'll fax it? Welcome to the 1980s.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
king key wrote:
It's a shame you have had a problem with Car del Mar, the one and only time I used them for hiring a car in Portugal they were fine. The car rental company however were a whole different story.

@king key I have booked Car Del Mar for Lisbon this Summer.
Was the company who provided the vehicle called "BeneRent" by any chance, as that is whom CDM have sub-contacted my rental?
ski holidays
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@WindOfChange. The car hire company was at Faro airport, they were called Airauto Rent a Car Portugal.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
Since the OP has challenged his provider , i did the same.
I still don't understand how they can instantly take my money yet take so long to return on completion.

So i contacted rental company who insisted that they released the money to my CC on the 18/03
My CC said on Monday that no such payment was there anywhere on the system
Back to rental company , who again said it was released although changed that to 20/03
Back to CC , nope , still no records on system on the 22/03.
Back to rental company and awaiting response.

So whats that all about?
I know a refund of money to a card only takes a day and would show as pending on the cards system until they release funds , usually at midnight.
So someone here is telling porkies about how this process works.

Money taken in an instant yet 5 days later no sign of it being returned and not likely for several days yet!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I've edited the title to this thread as CDM have now promised to refund my money.

I'll edit it again, when I actually see the money on my statement.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
planeurge wrote:
I've edited the title to this thread as CDM have now promised to refund my money.

I'll edit it again, when I actually see the money on my statement.


That's great. Do I presume that they had the money all along and had not transferred it to Budget, which they only do once you arrive and confirm/take up the booking?
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
swiftoid wrote:
Hells Bells wrote:
Apparently, although I have never tried this, if DVLA is open they will fax a proof of licence to any car hire desk on request.


Wow, they'll fax it? Welcome to the 1980s.


This is UK government.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@hawkwind, My rental deposit of EUR300 taken at Memmingen airport on 29/12/16 was only returned to my account last week and that's after numerous emails to Holiday Autos, Budget and the garage in Memmengen used by Budget. They all claimed the deposit had been returned but it hadn't!
Watch the small print too of limited kilometres are included in the hire price. I don't recall seeing anything saying that may car rental only covered 750kilemetres!
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@Villz,
Seen this thread , mine came back this morning.
It appears that Mastercard advise to "hold" the money until either the merchant claims it or 10 days pass.
It further appears that the card company might have to manually release the funds as they dont always automatically do this.
In my case the card company manually released it after 10 days had passed yesterday at lunchtime.

It appears a very dubious method , i preferred the old imprint days.
They take a deposit of £900 quid in an instant , yet at least 10 days to return it.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@hawkwind, when you pay for something, or use a card for a deposit, the merchants card system sends a message to the CC company effectively saying 'hold this amount.' In case of a payment, later the same day the merchants system will claim the held amount and it then becomes a charge on your card. If it is a deposit the merchant, not the CC company, need to send a 'release' message so the funds are no longer pended against the account. If they do not do this then the funds will sit for 10 days before being released. The CC company don't manually release it as this is a fully automated system.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Gaza,

Thanks!
So it was the car company then?
Although they did send record of release of funds, however it may of been, we ain't charging you extra do far and more a statement of non charge.

In my case the cc company said contact them after 10days which I did and they said give us a couple of hours and the money will be returned. Maybe as it's the weekend.

Was all a bit of a mess and I for sure will be pouring over the small print in future
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
OK. I got the money back on my card account this morning, five and a half weeks after the hire. I don't know if CDM read Snowheads, but it is worth putting the account straight.

According a strict interpretation of their T&Cs they could have kept the money - and in fact on 17 March this is what they said they were going to do. But it seems that my assumptions were right : a business will deal fairly with its customers; the T&Cs are drafted to protect them from unreasonable losses. It could be that the delay in the refund was due to Budget's failure to respond to e-mails. So the unresponsiveness may not have been entirely CDM's fault. People seem to have forgotten how to pick up a phone.

At the time, the rate we got for a seven seater for ten days at half-term seemed like a bargain. If you are considering using CDM, I would not put you off. But if you have a problem, it will be complicated by having to deal with TWO businesses rather than one. So take care not to have a problem.
ski holidays
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@planeurge, yes, but the Ts and Cs have to be fair.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Hells Bells wrote:
swiftoid wrote:
Hells Bells wrote:
Apparently, although I have never tried this, if DVLA is open they will fax a proof of licence to any car hire desk on request.


Wow, they'll fax it? Welcome to the 1980s.


This is UK government.


Had to write a cheque for the first time in years to the council. I showed a colleague in Sweden my cheque book. He said I've heard about those.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
All Swiss bills come with a sort of gyro form attached. I am not sure what you are supposed to do with it. Take it to your bank I think. Isn't that even more primitive than a cheque? (I just pay them on internet banking.)

@Badbobby, Yes, one would hope for that. But I am still not going to read them.
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