Complaint Review: U-Haul

I returned a rented U-Haul trailer, ahead of time and to the location specified on my rental contract.  I was unable to get any sort of "receipt" for the return.  I was told where to unhook the trailer, and that was it.  Nobody wanted to count the blankets or check for damage - or anything.  I looked for some sort of "check-in" section on my contract.  There is none.  So, I left, as instructed, without any documentation to protect myself.  Basically, you have to sign to get the trailer, but U-Haul does not have to sign anything to get it back.

This provides U-Haul with a huge opportunity for fraud.  They can charge you late fees.  They can charge you for missing items (furniture blankets, dollies, etc).  They can charge you for damage.  You, the customer, have no proof of anything.  So U-Haul can charge you for whatever they want.

I guess I should consider myself lucky.  They only charged me with a one-day late fee.  Fraudulently.  I turned in the trailer an hour earlier than required.  They claim I turned it in 3 hours late - and charged me for an extra day.  I paid for the original rental with a debit card.  U-Haul just processed an additional charge to the card.  I probably can get this charge removed, with considerable effort.  U-Haul probably expects that I won't go to the trouble over a $30 fraudulent charge.

I was informed of the addional charge by email, which I did not see until I returned home nearly a week later.  I called the drop-off location (Sawdust Exxon at 710 Sawdust Rd, The Woodlands, TX).  No answer - I left a message.  No callback.  I called again the next day.  Pretty much got a brush off.  I was told they would see if a mistake had been made, and if so, that they would see if a refund could be processed.  Just a bunch of empty words really.  Sounded like delay tactics to me.  When I tried to pin down exactly what I could expect, I was given a very firm brushoff.  The man I spoke with identified himself as the owner of the location.  May or may not have been true.  But whoever it was definitely was not much concerned about customer relations.

So, I called U-Haul directly.  I spoke with a woman, who took down the information and promised to have a manager contact me.  I brought up the problem of not having any sort of return "receipt".  She said this was correct and normal, but that the return location normally would print out a receipt showing zero-balance due - if they weren't too busy.  This option was never offered to me at check-in, even when I questioned the informality of the drop-off.  So, I shut my mouth and left - minus any sort of "receipt".  This proved to be foolish.

Basically, U-Haul is aware of the "problem", but they don't really care.  For U-Haul, this is not a problem, it is an opportunity.

Bottom line:  I won't rent from U-Haul again.  Their renatl return system gives the company a wide opportunity to commit fraud, which they apperently choose to make use of.

Your bottom line: If you rent from U-Haul, demand a receipt of some sort when you return the rented equipment.