Can I get a refund for this Priceline car rental?

Dear Travel Troubleshooter: I recently booked a rental car through Priceline with Dollar. My car didn’t have front or rear license plates, so I had to bring it to the rental place that night.

The amount the second car gave me in dollars was not the amount I had. It was too small to accommodate my passengers. The next day, I got Dollar to agree to give me the vehicle I reserved, a mid-size SUV.

A representative told me to return my car for another exchange. But instead of changing the vehicle, Dollar did my exchange as an early return. A representative told me that if I wanted a car I would have to pay for another deposit. The Priceline rep promised me a refund. But Dollar said I voluntarily returned the car, which is untrue.

I’ve been talking to Dollar and Priceline for the past two weeks, trying to get a refund for the days I can’t — at least — use my rental. They both kept telling me that they didn’t have my money and that the other party should refund my money. I have tried disputing the charge with the bank, but no help.

– Vivian Everhart, Houston

Answer: You should have gotten your car from Dollar. Instead, they gave you rental keys without plates, and canceled your next reservation. Are you sure!

But things went wrong on both sides of the counter. When taking a rental, the first thing you should do before leaving the facility is to carefully inspect and take pictures. If you had done this, you might have noticed the missing plates. Then, you wouldn’t have to pay back the original rent.

If the original vehicle needs to be replaced for any reason, make sure the new vehicle meets your specifications before accepting it. If you had just said “no” to the second rental, you could have avoided this problem.

It sounds like you have a prepaid rental, which means you’ve paid Priceline in advance for the three days you plan to rent the vehicle. So when you return the car, Dollar simply leases a new one and puts the money toward your old car. Then, it seems he tried to push the responsibility on Priceline to fix the problem. I think everyone is a little confused.

Priceline does not fully understand your refund request. Tried to reconcile your refund request with Dollars, but the rental car company says I gave you the correct vehicle. He had it in the beginning. But that car had no license plate. To make up for it, Priceline has given you a $25 gift card. However, you wanted – and were entitled to – a refund for the two days you missed.

I have published the names, numbers and email addresses of both Priceline and Dollar executives on my consumer advocacy sites www.elliott.org/company-contacts/priceline/ and www.elliott.org/company-contacts/hertz/. A short, polite email may have moved your refund into the fastest lane.