Uhaul Story

U HAUL you’re on your own. U Haul

When I moved into my new old home I got a good deal on a used washer and dryer from some people that I met and who worked at the same place that I did. The only condition for the great deal was that I had to move them. “NO prob.” I thought to myself. two guys in my office and several others at work owned trucks and I should have no trouble bribing one of them to help move them.

The week came to pick them up and all avenues of loaned bribed trucks fell through so I called U-haul to reserve a small truck for 1 day. No prob. “give us a credit card number to hold the reservation”

Okay, fine. Standard procedures these days all round. The day of the rental came and I had a U-HAUL for 1/2 day starting at 3PM. I showed up a bit early to find out “We gave your truck away. You didn’t get the deposit to us in time and your card was not accepted.”

No call, no message on the machine, nothing to let me know that 3 days ago my card was declined.

I found another U-HAUL rental place in town less than half a mile down the same street and was able to get a truck for the next day for half a day. I decided to pay the deposit right then and since the card was being problematic I offered a check (local bank, local address and all the local information printed on the check) and was told “Sory buddy but U-HAUL policy is cash or credit card only.”

After scrambling all over town on a weekend afternoon cashing smaller checks at stores to get the deposit I returned and paid the fee. $100 to be returned, minus the rental fee and any other fees that they saw fit to deduct, upon return of the truck.

I made the trip the next day with no major problems other than the truck’s lack of power and acting as if it would drop dead at any moment.

I returned the truck with slightly MORE fuel that it started with so as to be sure that they didn’t charge me the $20 fueling fee plus $5.00 a gallon and returned home.

I discovered after the fact that I had neglected to return the dolly with the truck so I got up the next morning and returned it (15 min before the required return time.)

I found the manager when I returned it and explained the oversight to him (with 5 min to spare at least) and was told that it was fine and no charges would be assessed.

I returned for the deposit the next day and settled up the bill which was correct at the time and left with the remnants of the deposit.

Three weeks later I got a bill from U-HAUL headquarters in another state for $20.00 pluss tax for some code and no explination at all.

I called the 1-800 number on the statement and asked about it. The code was for a late fee and was submitted by the renting store so they (the HQ)couldn’t be any more speciffic than that. If I wanted more answers or had a problem with it I was told to take it up with the place that I rented the vehicle.

I went to the rental place and took the bill with me only to be told that it wasn’t their responsibility since it didn’t come from them and that I had to deal with the originator of the bill.

It has now been 2 months and sevral phone calls, e-mails, and 2 letters to no avail. The status of the charges is as far as I can tell un-resolved but in contest.

The conveniance of location has been GREATLY out weighed by the lack of communication, poor quality of vehicles and equipment, and completely non-existant customer service.