Customers Accuse Budget Licensee in B.C. for Overcharging for Damage Claims
The Better Business Bureau had received almost 70 complaints from customers when CBC News’ Go Public investigative news segment published articles highlighting comments from former employees and customers about possible intentional damage claim ‘rip-offs.’
According to CBC News’ Go Public investigative news segment, customers and former employees of Budget Rent a Car in British Columbia, a licensee, have accused the rental car company of overcharging for alleged damage to the vehicles.
In almost 70 cases of recent complaints directed to the Better Business Bureau, customers said they were overcharged for items like windshield chips and small scratches. The BBB currently has the company’s rating set at an “F.”
Former employees then revealed to Go Public that Budget allegedly would not only overcharge for scratches, dents or windshield chips, but the company wouldn’t repair the vehicles until it needed a full replacement.
The licensee location is currently under investigation by the U.S. Budget corporate office. In a response to Auto Rental News, spokesperson for Avis Budget Group Alice Pereira said: “At Avis Budget Group, we hold integrity and responsibility among our core values and we take very seriously any allegations regarding customer service regardless of whether it concerns our corporate locations or, as in this case, an independently owned licensee facility. We can confirm that we are investigating the business practices of our independent licensee in British Columbia, but as we have not completed that investigation we cannot make any further comment about the reported allegations.”
Here are the two articles from CBC News’ Go Public, written by Kathy Tomlinson, in the order they were published:
More Rental Operations

Clean on Paper: Red Flags in Exotic Car Rental Verification
A suspicious $45,000 Lamborghini booking reveals the strengths and limitations of renter verification, from forged insurance documents to coverage gaps and unauthorized drivers. (Part 2 of 3)
Read More →
Turo and Tesla Take the Next Step Toward Autonomous Car Rentals
The partnership brings Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology into the rental experience, offering a glimpse of how increasingly automated vehicles could change car rental.
Read More →
How Rental Operators Can Navigate Personalized Pricing Rules
As regulators scrutinize the use of customer data in pricing, rental operators need to know whether they can explain why one renter pays more than another.
Read More →
Direct, Broker or Hybrid? How Travel Retailers Source Rental Cars
As travel retailers weigh direct supplier relationships against third-party distribution, rental operators need to understand how those decisions affect their business.
Read More →
How Did This Independent Rental Operator Grow to 170 Vehicles in 4 Years?
With 170 vehicles across three Kentucky locations, Joel Price relies on an overseas team to handle reservations, payments, and after-hours customer service. It's one part of an unconventional approach to growing an independent rental operation.
Read More →
What Does It Take to Succeed in B2B Rentals?
The fundamentals may be familiar to daily car rental operators, but project-based truck rentals put different demands on the fleet and the business.
Read More →
NPR Builds on International Partnerships to Grow Rental Bookings
With Ana Laborde supporting broker development, NPR Auto Group is tailoring distribution strategies, rate packages, and partnerships to grow international reservations across its three brands.
Read More →
Advantage, Sixt Place Among Top Five in Annual Satisfaction Study
While Enterprise and National retain the top spots in JD Power’s 2026 rankings, the latest customer satisfaction results suggest renters can find competitive service beyond the biggest car rental names.
Read More →
The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals
Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.
Read More →
The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?
For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.
Read More →
