Update, 23.03.2018:
The Italian competition authority (AGCM) imposed another penalty against Goldcar, due to the resumption of aggressive commercial practices. The fine is 680.000 Euro.
Goldcar puts pressure on customers to take overpriced additional insurance coverage, when they pick up the car at the store. When the consumers return the car and show small damages to the employees, they tell them that those are irrelevant. Afterwards, the company withdraws 100 to 200 Euro from the consumer's credit card as a fee for those allegedly "irrelevant" damages.
11.01.2017:
The European Consumer Centre Italy reports that the rental car company Goldcar was sentenced by the Italian competition authority (AGCM). According to the verdict, the Spanish and Italian branches of the company used unfair commercial practices. Goldcar has to pay a fine of two million Euro.
The Italian authority sentenced against the following two practices:
- Aggressive advertisment of additional products: When consumers, who already booked the rental car online, pick it up at the store, the staff offers them an additional "insurance cover". The terms & conditions of Goldcar suggest that the consumer has to cover all costs of eventual damages, accidents or theft. If they book the additional package, those costs as well as the deposit would be significantly lower. According to the AGCM, the company takes advantage of the consumer who is in a weak position at the pick-up. Furthermore, Goldcar provides only insufficient information about how they calculate the costs of damages.
- Rules regarding fuel: The "Flex Fuel" package offers that the consumer gets the car with a full tank but is not obliged to refill it before he returns it. He gets a refund for fuel he didn't need. Goldcar, however, charges a service fee for this refund that is not mentioned nor explained to the consumer beforehand.
