Irish family faces $450 cleaning fee for rental car at JFK Airport
- A family from Ireland returned a rental car at Kennedy Airport in New York after a two-week vacation.
- Days later, they received a $450 charge for excessive cleaning due to dirt and sand in the car's interior.
- Upon review, it was determined that the cleaning charge was excessive, resulting in a full refund as a gesture of goodwill.
In August 2024, a family from Ireland rented a car for a two-week vacation, returning it to Budget at Kennedy Airport in New York. Upon returning the vehicle, the car rental staff indicated that everything was fine, but the family received an unexpected bill four days later. Budget claimed there was excessive dirt and charged the family $450 for cleaning related to sand in the vehicle's interior. The family disputed the charge, providing time-stamped photographs and video showing the car’s clean interior with only minor footprints and dirt present. According to Budget's own damage report, there appeared to be little evidence of excessive cleanliness issues. The company has terms and conditions allowing them to charge for 'excessive' cleaning, but in this case, the fee seemed unwarranted. Despite initial pushback from Budget regarding their decision, the company’s director of marketing later stated that while they required additional cleaning, they decided to refund the charge fully as a customer satisfaction gesture. This decision was made after reviewing the circumstances that led to the charge, which highlighted a proactive approach to customer relations. Overall, this incident illustrates the often contentious relationship between car rental companies and customers regarding cleanliness charges, leading to disputes over what constitutes excessive dirt and the interpretation of rental agreements.