National Car Rental
Reviews and Complaints

My lost and found reference # [protected]

My Rental Agreement # [protected]

My Invoice # [protected]

License Plate : CJX9634

Vehicle # NU 014335

I placed the National Car Rental Key on my personal house key ring. There are multiple keys on my house key ring. When I returned the rental car on Monday July 18th, I turned the ignition off and left the key in the car. I forgot to remove the National Car Rental Key from my house key ring. All the keys were left in the car. When I got back to Michigan, I placed a claim the same day on National Car Rentals Lost and Found Website. The following day the web site listed 2 sets of keys that were found in cars. Yet I'm never contacted. When I try to reach someone at National Car Rental I am confronted with constant voice mails, phone numbers that no one ever answers and total frustration. It's now been over a week of trying each day to get my keys back. I could not be more disappointed with such awful service.

I'm an executive elite member with very many positive experiences with national in a lot of locations, today I was in lga and there weren't many cars available due to it being 4th of July (according to what a worker there said) and I was trying to get a minivan as I needed the space, I had a reservation for a bmw 5 series class, so I asked to get a minivan, the employee by the desk told me I can't get a minivan even though they didn't have the 5 series class, and that I won't be able to take any car today because I didn't make the reservation 24 hours in advance, eventually I spoke to Ashley, a manager there, and I still respectfully asked her to help me, after a few minutes during which I was being as cordial as possible she told me she could refuse to give me a car for no reason simply because she's the manager and could do whatever she wants.

I ended up going to a different national location and getting a a minivan from there.

I understand that nobody likes to be at work on the 4th of July but thats not a reason customers should be treated like that

My last rental with National Car Rental in Harrisburg, PA was poor. They gave me a clearly abused car with much damage, high mileage and in poor maintenance. It was a Ford Fusion with a slash in the driver’s seat, burn holes in the middle console, clear visual damage to the back fender from a wreck, visible damage to the back of the car, windshield wipers which needed changed and a person answering the phones at their customer service department which could not communicate clearly nor follow through with the email as requested. I was charged our normal rate for a beat up car in disrepair. Nobody within the company seems to care, so here we are.

I am having issues with National Rental Car at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport, who will not release the car I returned on 6/3/2022, online is states the car is “Overdue.” I am getting the run around with National and the local branch doesn’t answer the phone. I have talked to at least 8 of your customer service employees, and I am being told I cannot be transferred or escalate my concerns to a supervisor for further assistance.

After speaking with a customer service representative on 6/8/22, she informed me that the issue on obtaining the receipt or closing the of the rental was classified as “damaged.”

The rental car location is alleging I damaged the vehicle, but according to the claim’s department there is no documentation/report or claims filed. There was previous damage to the vehicle, in which I took pictures of, but I did not damage the vehicle, and it was returned in the same condition it was picked up as. I made many trips around the vehicle when I stopped for gas and had to walk my dog- there was no additional damage. When I returned to the lot on June 3, 2022, there was nobody to assist me, and no walk-around was completed. When I attempted to have a walk-through the week before at the same airport, a rude employee told me to “just leave the keys in the vehicle” and waived me away.

My concerns are the following:

I am being accused of damaging a vehicle, in which I deny. I am requesting review of the video surveillance at the airport/location to prove the condition of the returned car when I drove/parked it at the location, and this rental agreement be closed out. This includes not being charged additional fees.

I need of a receipt for reimbursement from my company, and this is holding me up from getting money owed to me for this prior trip. I am requesting forwarding of the receipt to the address on file.

There is a total lack of communication from the customer service hotline, who will not seek supervisor assistance, and the local rental car location doesn’t answer the phone. I am requesting information and discussion related to this situation. Nobody has reached out to me personally.

I have been a loyal customer with National, my company uses National, and I rent a car nearly every week. I am requesting closure and resolvement, as I am being held hostage for even a receipt. I will report this to my contact at the local Attorney General’s Office if this is not resolved immediately and will need to notify my corporation’s legal department.

Case of being rudely attacked at Tampa Airport National Car facility by employee.

I am an elderly highly esteemed physician. For work I travel to various hospitals and I am a National Car "Executive Elite" member.

In March at the Tampa Airport location I noted I was overcharged more than $250 on my rental. THIS HAPPENED IN TAMPA OFTEN.

The evening manager said she was going to correct it. I was irritated, but polite.

As the manager was working on the computer a "person" standing there attacked me being verbally very abusive. She had NO uniform on, NO ID badge. I assumed it was a psychotic individual who was passing by. She kept yelling at me "who are you?" approaching me in a threatening way. She kept yelling.

The night manager and another girl in uniform (a return staff) just ignored the yelling. Finally, I asked her "can you stay out of this and not be so abusive?"

She kept yelling and acting very abusive.

I asked her "sorry, but do you work here?" Again she had NO uniform on, NO badge. She refused to answer if she worked there or not. I turned to the manager and the other employee and asked "who is this woman? Does she work here?" They did not answer.

I felt they were intimidated by her, a clearly psychotic person. 

The woman kept yelling, the manager ignored it. So I told the woman, "if you work here can you go back to wherever you work, the office or car wash and let us talk?"She got more upset, screaming even more "who are you?"

Later I found out National BLOCKED my rental profile and a pop-up said call [protected]. I called, just a recorder, no answer. I called the Tampa manager Ed Tindale who said that I was rude to an EMPLOYEE because I told her to go to the carwash and that "offended her" and that is why they put me on the "do not rent list". I told him the details about what happened.

He said "I apologize for our employee's behavior, but since we overcharged you (several times, he recognized that) it seems we cannot meet your needs".

I had 8 FREE RENTAL DAYS on my profile that were EARNED BY ME. I said I want to use them. He said they will just CANCEL it. 

I was overcharged, rudely attacked by apparently an EMPLOYEE WITHOUT UNIFORM OR ID BADGE WHO REFUSED TO SAY IF SHE EVEN WORKED THERE, the night manager ignored the attack, did NOT intervene, and they decided to penalize me and confiscate my 8 free days.  

We rented a vehicle on May 17, 2022 at the Cincinnati Northern Kentucky Airport . My husband asked for a car without smoke due to my medical condition. After driving approximately fifteen miles, I smelled smoke coming through the ventilation. I thought I dropped my phone in the car. My husband looked underneath my seat and found marijuana. What would have happened if we were stopped by the police and they found the drugs? This emailed will be sent to The Travelers, your corporate account.

Prior Rental Billing Issues 56N0 - NASHVILLE

Language Preference: English (United States)

Brand: NATIONAL

Select a Rental Location: 56N0

Topic: Prior Rental Billing Issues

First Name: Kenia

Last Name: Sandoval

Confirmation Number or Rental Agreement Number: [protected]

Comments: I was billed incorrectly for our rental on Thursday, April 21, 2022. This is incorrect. I had the car for less than 10 hours with the car being parked for more than half of the time.

I was billed for 1,058 miles but when I mapped out the total potential miles, this added up to less than 40 miles total. I included the locations I visited for reference. I submitted an inquiry and have yet to hear back from anyone.

Location & Miles

Airport to Milk and Honey 8.8

M&H to Parthenon 2.5

Parthenon to SandBar 1

Sandbar to Airbnb 3.7

Airbnb to Costco 2

Costco to Airbnb 2.2

Airbnb to Nashville airport 17



Total Miles 37.2



Addresses:

Airbnb 6511 Robertson Ave. Nashville, TN

Milk and Honey 214 11th Ave S. Nashville, TN

The Parthenon 2500 West End Ave Nashville, TN

SandBar 3 City Ave. Nashville, TN

Costco 670 Charlotte Pike, Nashville, TN

I have an Emerald Club account through work that I have used on occasion for personal use to book & get the points. When I do I enter my personal credit card info & make sure to tell the staff at the counter/garage that it has to be charged to my card. My recent rental was charged to my company anyway, and the four(!) people I have talked to have only given me a litany of excuses as to why they "can't" change the charge to my personal credit card. I don't believe this for a second, because this happened once before and that time it was corrected after the fact. One person even suggested that I would have to travel to Florida (FLL) a second time to make it happen.

National Rental Agreement [protected]

I rented a car for a week back in December my rate was $387. I was billed $1,427.05 dollars at the bottom of my bill it had this. 12/11T18:11/2021 MC (7478) next to a charge of $1,427.05, and 01/28T17:20/2022 MC (7478) with a price of -$1,039.13. Can you explain to me what these charges are for?

It's interesting, I "Googled "National Car Rental Scam" and found the following link (https://www.complaintsboard.com/national-car-rental-charging-me-for-damage-i-know-nothing-about-c6226) and it's nearly the identical story I have. It's specifically from the same location no less (of all the National Car Rental joints on the planet...).

Specifically, our car rental was initially uneventful but nobody came to check the car with us when we were leaving the airport rental in South Carolina. It was dark so it would be hard to know if there was damage (or what extent) when we were leaving. They told us to just call and let them know if there was any manage the next day if we saw any. We didn't see any significant damage but perhaps we didn't look as carefully as we should have if there was a small paint chip?

Anyway, we return the car several days later after minimal and uneventful driving. (Oh, and I've never been in a car accident in my 40+ years).

A couple weeks later we receive a letter in the mail asking us for our credit card and/or insurance information to give them a blank check to charge for untold damages. Literally, the letter doesn't say what damage, or where, or how much or anything. There is a number to "Damage Recovery Unit" with a PO box mail address in Kansas City, MO. I try to call the phone number. After trying every permutation of the automated answering service, and a long wait on hold, I get a "customer service rep" who can't tell me anything about the damage other than something reportedly happened to the back passenger side door. He doesn't have pictures to see nor to send me. He can't tell me what it's going to cost. He urges me to send them my credit card and/or insurance information now unless I'm going to contest the unknown charges (what a scam!). I explain I will need to see before and after photos that are time-stamped and dated of the actual damage to the car rented. He states they will eventually, but of course, he actually works at home in some 3rd and unknown state than the one I rented from or the one I'm meant to send a blank check to a PO box to (so sketchy/scammy).

1 month later I receive another letter. This time it states nearly $1, 300 for and wants my debit card, credit card, or bank account numbers to pay them. They sent me very low-resolution pictures (you can tell it's a car but not much more) without a license plate in them. Nonetheless, one can't see any appreciable damage in the photos. The photos are undated and no timestamp. So there is no way of knowing if this is the same car, or even close to the date or time. There is no before and after photos. And again, you literally can't see any damage.

Of the $1, 300, roughly $700 is in damages. They charge another $100 for an unknown "admin fee." They charge another roughly $400 for loss of use during the time of "repairs" and

My company rents thousands of cars per year and most of our frequent flyers have Executive Elite status. I have had 120 rental days this year and have been very loyal to National. My last four rentals have been disasters! Richmond, Atlanta, Indianapolis and Chicago have all done and said the same thing. I reach the executive Isle and there are no cars available. I mean empty isles! When I ask for an executive car, (never mind elite), they say no cars are available. I have a reservation but no cars? When I ask again for a car, they tell me to wait for an hour or so or go elsewhere. I don't understand how you can tell your highest level renter to go elsewhere or that you do not have a car available even with a reservation.

Tomorrow I am going to Ft Meyers for a two week rental from National. I am afraid the same crap will happen to me and again all I have left is frustration with no way to resolve the problem

I just called Chris at the escalation department, employee number E748YZ who told me he has no-one to call, is not authorized to call the branch in Ft Meyers or escalate this to a higher lever (guess that's why he is in the escalation department)? He did however say he was sorry and there are hundreds of calls like mine that he handles.

This is not good business. Hertz wants our business and I am sure they would not treat their best renters in this manner.

How do I get National to listen to me or react to my complaint?

My name is Ray Millers, my National Number is [protected] elite Executive? Can I get a call back?

Fyi, as I am writing this I tried to call the Ft. Meyers office at [protected]. I was on hold for 30 minutes and then the line disconnected because they could not connect me, the line was busy.

WTF?

On September 17, 2021, I purchased a pre-paid car rental through Hotwire.com. The rental was for September 28 through October 5, 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky. Hotwire partnered me with National, reservation number [protected] for $355.78 paid in full, no changes or refunds allowed.

I arrived at the National rental kiosk at approximately 12:00PM, exactly when I was supposed to be there. I handed the National employee my rental car confirmation through Hotwire. He looked it up. He found the reservation, because he began referring to me by name, "Mr. Lyons". He says "You're renting a truck from today, the 28th until October 5th". I said "Correct." He asked me if I would like to sign up for the Emerald Aisle Club. He said by doing so, I could get an upgrade for $30/day. I told him that Hotwire did not allow changes. He corrected me by saying, "If you become an Emerald Aisle member, it is no problem". I said, "sure, for $30/day, why not?". The process took longer than what is normal. Finally, the gentleman called his manager over. I could not tell what they were saying as a glass partition separated us.
Finally, the female manager handed me the keys. I asked if I needed paperwork or a receipt. She said they were having system problems and would have to give me the receipt when I returned the car. I reluctantly agreed. I left the garage, with no paperwork. When I got to the exit gate, the manager waved at the security guy and he let me through. Everything seemed fine. I returned the car at 12:00 noon on October 5, 2021. I was running behind, so got the receipt from the man checking in cars and left.

Two days later, there was a charge for $808.93 on my debit card. I have contacted National several times. Together, we have pieced together what really happened, yet no resolution has been reached. When I got to the kiosk, and the guy encouraged me to become an Emerald Aisle member...he falsely put that I was a "no show" for my reservation. (National has already verified this). He then went on to open a totally new reservation and charged me as if I were a walk up client for the full cost of the vehicle. No one ever mentioned any of this to me. They did it without my knowledge. Who pays $355 for a rental...then goes up to the window and says "forget it. i don't mind wasting $355...just charge me full price for a different vehicle". That is what National customer service expects us to believe. It doesn't even make sense. Also, the reservation was entered as a "no show". If the clerk had handled things honestly, wouldn't he have just typed that I changed my mind and decided to open a new reservation? Why lie and say i was a no show. National argues that I signed a new contract with them at 12:18pm at the Louisville kiosk. Well, if I was a 'no show' for my reservation...how did i sign anything at the same time at the same location? Doesn't make any sense.

I have filed complaints with the Better Business Bureau ([protected]) as well as the Bureau of Consumer Protection, a division of the Federal Trade Commission in Washington DC. I have done preliminary interviews with Brendan O'Keefe and Bill Liss for a story that will run on 11 Alive news in Atlanta regarding your industry and fraud. "Better Call Harry" on CBS 46 Consumer Investigative Reporting has also requested an interview.

No one I have discussed this with at National has cared anything about your company's reputation. They don't seem to care that a story about consumer fraud, regarding their company is going to be broadcast to 6 million people, potentially. At some level, someone will care about a PR nightmare. That nightmare is forthcoming if this situation isn't immediately resolved.

The only reason I am writing this and calling National one more time is so that there are written communication as well as recorded dialogue verifying my claims against National.

Booked rental 5/24/2021, Chicago to California. Price quoted time and distance 744.35. Took the trip with my husband and my 80 year old mother. Turned the car in July 24 charged 641.72. Next day after arriving to NJ we saw another charge for 1410.84, this charge overdrew our account so we immediately called 7/25 & 7/26. He received a return call from Gretchen and a credit of 236.62 for a toll device that we did not take. He explained we booked the trip based on the time 2 weeks and 2 days and distance from Chicago to LA., which would either be 2031 miles or 2400 miles if it's a 150 miles a day. and.25 charge for each additional mile. We were charged 3802 miles. My husband called again on Wednesday 7/28, spoke with Gretchen again who said she was meeting with a supervisor on the 7/30 at 1pm and she would get back to him to let him know what could be done. No call!
I in turn called our bank to file a dispute for the 1410.84, they received no response from National so unfortunately they asked us to deal with the merchant. So, on 8/27 I called and spoke to Kia, then she transferred me to Velvet from the Escalation department, who I once again explained this entire situation, only to be told the contract states this and she would escalate it. See also stated that the contract you pay for every mile. But I asked her why the contract says only additional miles? Couldn't give me an answer, just more run around.
So, guess what today 8/28 my husband received a call from Gretchen, after almost 30 days. So, I called her back this morning only to be told this is a corporate rate and she has already called and told my husband and apparently he doesn't understand.
So, as I explained to her she said we had the rate because of a van, the rate was for a full size vehicle. Rental agreement has a code and she would try another; but that my husband should get with his company to go over the contract. So, I asked her about why the call after almost 30 days, it's only because I called and escalation prompted this call, not because she was following up as indicated in July.
I also asked about the time and distance component on the contract, she said the distance means nothing. It's just time, so the contract states distance; but no distance is involved even though we traveled from Chicago to California a one way trip. So why notate the distance if it has no bearing what so ever. Then I asked about the additional mileage charge, she told me we had Zero mile period. But on the bill it is listed excessive distance charge? But we have no excessive distance charges listed on the contract from May? Gretchen response was that's a lot of miles to put on a car so that would be the charge. But when we booked the one way trip states from point A to point B. What's excessive would be after I reached my destination 2031 miles or 150 miles a day 2400, then charge the.25 cents. Instead, we paid daily for time only according to Gretchen, even though it say time and distance and then additional mileage would be above and beyond the listed destination. How else would you get to location without miles? So either a daily rate, with excessive after the suggested miles from point A to Point b and then pay for over that.
So, in speaking to her she already indicated she gave us a credit for the 236, however, that wasn't any type of credit, it was deserved or owed back to us since we did not take a toll device. She offered a one time 100.00 credit, which to be fair my account is overdrawn by 1410 and 200 in fees, so what will 100 do? So, 100 compared to a 1400 charge that we were not expecting, how if you are trying to help or assist a customer will that help or assist me? She stated she would make the dispute closed and that I refused the 100, I told her fine. She stated it's our error, not National's. I explained we had a budget and now this is causing a hardship, she wasn't interested and she continued to state that I just wasn't getting it, she understood my philosophy, but the corporate rate is the corporate rate, there is nothing more that can be done.
I told her that as far as Customer Service goes she was awful, there was not one ounce of compassion. So, I will continue to reach out to National and Corporate with my dispute. Maybe I won't get a different outcome; but the email confirmation of the contract or guidelines and what happen to us, do not line up. So, maybe someone with a modicum of kindness or courtesy for their customers will actually do something to a help with this financial hardship.

Thank you,

Christine Scarpulla
[protected] confirmation number

Hide full review

RA #: [protected] Emerald Club # [protected] When I picked up my car in Denver, CO on 10/13 your systems were down & they had to write down the serial # of my car. The manager told me to bring the car back with 1/2 half a tank of gas. I brought the car back with 3/4 of a tank of gas and I mentioned this to the representative who checked the car in on 10/21. She wrote a note on the receipt to her manager. She advised that the refueling charge of $30.54 would be removed and I would receive a revised receipt to the email on file ([protected]@aol.com), reflecting the reduction in the $377.33 charge that I paid for my Denver, CO rental. It's been 6 days since I returned home and I have not received any communication from National notifying me that the refueling charge has been removed and I am interested in the status of the removal of the refueling charge .

Booked rental 5/24/2021, Chicago to California. Price quoted time and distance 744.35. Took the trip with my husband and my 80 year old mother. Turned the car in July 24 charged 641.72. Next day after arriving to NJ we saw another charge for 1410.84, this charge overdrew our account so we immediately called 7/25 & 7/26. He received a return call from Gretchen and a credit of 236.62 for a toll device that we did not take. He explained we booked the trip based on the time 2 weeks and 2 days and distance from Chicago to LA., which would either be 2031 miles or 2400 miles if it's a 150 miles a day. and .25 charge for each additional mile. We were charged 3802 miles. My husband called again on Wednesday 7/28, spoke with Gretchen again who said she was meeting with a supervisor on the 7/30 at 1pm and she would get back to him to let him know what could be done. No call!
I in turn called our bank to file a dispute for the 1410.84, they received no response from National so unfortunately they asked us to deal with the merchant. So, on 8/27 I called and spoke to Kia, then she transferred me to Velvet from the Escalation department, who I once again explained this entire situation, only to be told the contract states this and she would escalate it. See also stated that the contract you pay for every mile. But I asked her why the contract says only additional miles? Couldn't give me an answer, just more run around.
So, guess what today 8/28 my husband received a call from Gretchen, after almost 30 days. So, I called her back this morning only to be told this is a corporate rate and she has already called and told my husband and apparently he doesn't understand.
So, as I explained to her she said we had the rate because of a van, the rate was for a full size vehicle. Rental agreement has a code and she would try another; but that my husband should get with his company to go over the contract. So, I asked her about why the call after almost 30 days, it's only because I called and escalation prompted this call, not because she was following up as indicated in July.
I also asked about the time and distance component on the contract, she said the distance means nothing. It's just time, so the contract states distance; but no distance is involved even though we traveled from Chicago to California a one way trip. So why notate the distance if it has no bearing what so ever. Then I asked about the additional mileage charge, she told me we had Zero mile period. But on the bill it is listed excessive distance charge? But we have no excessive distance charges listed on the contract from May? Gretchen response was that's a lot of miles to put on a car so that would be the charge. But when we booked the one way trip states from point A to point B. What's excessive would be after I reached my destination 2031 miles or 150 miles a day 2400, then charge the .25 cents. Instead, we paid daily for time only according to Gretchen, even though it say time and distance and then additional mileage would be above and beyond the listed destination. How else would you get to location without miles? So either a daily rate, with excessive after the suggested miles from point A to Point b and then pay for over that.
So, in speaking to her she already indicated she gave us a credit for the 236, however, that wasn't any type of credit, it was deserved or owed back to us since we did not take a toll device. She offered a one time 100.00 credit, which to be fair my account is overdrawn by 1410 and 200 in fees, so what will 100 do? So, 100 compared to a 1400 charge that we were not expecting, how if you are trying to help or assist a customer will that help or assist me? She stated she would make the dispute closed and that I refused the 100, I told her fine. She stated it's our error, not National's. I explained we had a budget and now this is causing a hardship, she wasn't interested and she continued to state that I just wasn't getting it, she understood my philosophy, but the corporate rate is the corporate rate, there is nothing more that can be done.
I told her that as far as Customer Service goes she was awful, there was not one ounce of compassion. So, I will continue to reach out to National and Corporate with my dispute. Maybe I won't get a different outcome; but the email confirmation of the contract or guidelines and what happen to us, do not line up. So, maybe someone with a modicum of kindness or courtesy for their customers will actually do something to a help with this financial hardship.

Thank you,

Christine Scarpulla
[protected] confirmation number

Rental agreement #[protected] my name is John irvine I left some important papers in the rental car and while still at the airport I tried to call the location to have someone fed ex the papers to me the phone I called was [protected] this phone was always answered by a voice mail.
The a called the number on the back of my executive card #[protected] I've been a executive since at least 2009.
I'm director of sales and have a few folks working for me and if this issue is not resolved I will recommend they no longer rent from your company, my loyalty to National has not been returned in kind.

06/22/2021 12:30 am
confirmation number
1528147223count

i made a reservation for a standard suv. When i get to national's counter, the associate proceeds to tell me that he is fully out of vehicles. The only vehicle that he has is a luxury suv but requires a credit card to reserve. I specifically stated on my original reservation with priceline that i will be booking with a debit card only. I was left stranded in the middle of the night at the rental car area.

I called priceline on 06/24/2021 to explain the situation above and when the representative contacted national to confirm the information, somebody named "charlie" at national car rental stated that i actually took a vehicle from them. When i told priceline that this was false information, another representative at priceline contacted national car rental again and got a hold of "joe" but joe put the priceline representative on hold for 5 mins then heard a series of beeps which ended the call

i need a refund on my money as this is theft

I was refused service by an employer named Ivan, stating that I was with someone who provided a paper license which had nothing to do with me. I'm a commercial truck driver and I provided my CDL and credit card and was refused service. You can't assume because there are two African American in the same place that someone is trying to pull a fast one. Very distasteful, racism will not be tolerated in the times we are living in. This also will be forwarded to higher ups. I've dealt with National and Alamo for several years and have never been treated in such a way.