Hertz Rental warning....

[TheRogue]

Well, finally got a good enough day yesterday to rototill the back yard. Cancelled two different tractor reservations from Hertz Rental because of the rain in the last couple of weeks. Stopped by yesterday morning, they had one available! Great. Slapped down the debit card, and the guy said "No debit cards". Huh? A little sign on the counter, "credit cards or blank checks only" because of something about some banks holding deposit charges too long. The guy was a bit rude about it, which is his prerogative, I guess. So, made a call, and had a check there in about 10 minutes or so. In that time, two other people had the exact same issue......and a cash deposit doesn't work either. I said, "hey, maybe since you're the only business in Oregon that doesn't take debit, you should try putting a big sign on your door that says you don't, so people know walking in that they have to do something else". Not a word in response.

So, got it squared away, towed it home, rototilled to my hearts content (well, actually I ran the shovel and rake, and my neighbor ran the tractor). Got it back to Hertz Rental, and spent about 10 minutes around the counter to get it checked back in. Had three other people go through the EXACT same situation I had before with debit cards!!! And, one of the guys behind the counter was borderline rude again. Once again, I remarked, "why don't you put a sign in your window so people know this before they come in the door?" Reply was, "been this way for about a month, people should know by now". I don't know about you all, but I'm in an equipment rental place about once a year, if that, and I bet most others are that way, too. I think the real reason they don't put a sign in the window is lost business.....right now you load up whatever it is and then take care of the deposit/payment., otherwise some might just say the heck with it.

This country made a mass migration to debit cards in a very short time, and to not take them??

I'm assuming this is all Hertz Rental places, not just the one in McMinnville. If you're going to rent something from then, make sure you have a check book or a true credit card. While more of information than a rant, I'll still sign my name.

Kyle Hensley

[Pete]

That's kind of weird. Most debit cards have the little visa logo on them. I've had businesses run my debit as a debit and have it not work, so they then run it as a credit and it goes through just fine. Perhaps they didn't know about that option.

[Swamp Puppy]

they don't take them for Renting cars either...just FYI. and that wasn't in Oregon, it was in Minnesota. i think it has something more to do with a corporate policy instead of just a local guy making "the call" so-to-speak.

[TheRogue]

Pete, that's what I said, and they said, NOPE it will not work. Done it before, but, what can ya say?

I think it is some sort of corporate policy, probably saved a couple of pennies somewhere along the line.

TR

[crabbait]

They won'ty take a debit card for membership in Blockbuster as well. They say that they can't bill a debit card without your permission but they can a credit card. Evidently, with a credit card number they can get the money for late/damamge fees just by billing the cc.

They get none of my business.

[fineline]

This guy calls them fake visas: http://clarkhoward.com/
Maybe a call to this national radio consumer advocate could would be helpful? Then again, maybe they are just fake visas.

[Hare's Ear]

Kind of odd considering the bank charges the vendor about 50 cents for a debit transaction, but 4% to 7% of the total transaction cost on a VISA charge.