Claim for reimbursement
On October 28, 2008 I rented a car from the Herz agent in Playa Blanca Central, Lanzarote (Canary Islands). After I had driven a while, I discovered to my surprise that the gasoline tank was almost empty. So I filled it up at the first possible place – luckily before I ran out of gas. The cost was € 32.45).

Before I handed the car back I filled it up again, which cost € 8.00. (The island is small, the car was small - and I only had the car for a day which explains the low gas consumption.)

When I turned the car in I asked for reimbursement for the first filling (that is, the gas used up by the previous renters). To my great surprise, the man at the office refused. His explanation was that if I get the car with an (almost) empty tank – then I should give it back in the same state!

I told the man that I have rented cars in many other countries, and that I had never before met a system like this. The only way to know how much gas I should fill in for MY use of the car is, of course, that the tank is full when I get it – and full when I give it back. Otherwise every driver will leave the car with a little less gas than when it was rented, which eventually means a renter gets a car with close to no gas - as in my case!

It will be very interesting to hear if you can give any logical explanation for this system.

If not, I expect that Herz:
1. Pays € 32.45, preferably to my bank account in Sweden. SEB 5365 04 739 41, IBAN electronic: SE9350000000053650473941. IBAN paper: SE93 5000 0000 0536 5047 3941. Bic: ESSESESS. (I will, of course, be happy to send copy of the rental agreement and receipts for the gas I purchased).
2. That Herz changes this unique, and unpractical, system for payment of the gas.

If Hertz does NOT react to this, I will warn all the people in my surroundings against renting from Hertz.

Looking forward to reply.

Yours sincerely,

Sven-G Hultman
Nastuna
740 20 Vange
Sweden
+46 18 130690