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Found a hidden fee in my equipment rental contract
I rented a skid steer from a place in Boise last month for a driveway job. The contract had a line about a "return cleaning fee" buried on page 3 that said $150. I asked the guy at the counter about it and he said it's for when people bring back machines caked in mud. I told him I'd wash it myself before returning and he said that doesn't matter, it's mandatory. I ended up paying it after I finished because the contract said I agreed by signing. How do you even spot these kinds of clauses before you're stuck with them? Has anyone else dealt with surprise fees that were buried deep in the fine print?
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abbyf7913d ago
Is it just me or does every rental place have some sort of hidden fee these days? I got hit with a "seasonal surcharge" last fall from a place in Salt Lake for a mini excavator and I was so mad. They said it was because demand was high but they never once mentioned it when I booked or when I picked it up. I scrubbed that machine down too and they still tried to tack on a cleaning fee anyway. The counter guy shrugged and said it's just how they do business. I swear they count on people not reading the whole thing or being too tired to argue. Now I take a picture of the contract with my phone and read every line before I hand over my card.
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the_mary13d ago
That "doesn't matter, it's mandatory" line would have made me walk out right there. Sounds like they know the fee is shady but don't care. Next time, try taking a photo of the machine before you sign anything, and cross out that line on the contract with your pen right at the counter. If they refuse, just leave and find another rental place. I had a similar thing with a rental company that charged a "fuel surcharge" even though I brought it back full, and I never went back there again. Have you checked if your state has any laws about mandatory cleaning fees?
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Honestly I read about a guy who got charged for "documentation fees" nobody told him about either.
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