Stolen Enterprise rental has woman facing $47K bill

[Always Sunny]

Stolen Enterprise rental Mustang has woman facing $47K bill

Kristen Cockerill dropped car off at Enterprise on a Sunday, but company says she should foot bill

What started as a fun getaway weekend has turned into a financial nightmare for a Dartmouth, N.S., woman who's now facing a huge bill she can't afford to pay.

It's all over a Ford Mustang that was stolen after she returned it to an Enterprise rental lot.

Back in October, Kristen Cockerill treated herself and her partner to a Mustang convertible for a day trip to the South Shore.

“It was nice. It was a Mustang GT convertible. Yeah, I don't know Mustangs the way that other people might, but it was a nice car,” she said.

At the end of the two-day rental, Cockerill returned the car to the Enterprise rental lot on Portland Street in Dartmouth.

She dropped the car off on a Sunday. Most Enterprise locations in the Halifax region are closed on Sundays and people who need to return vehicles that day are instructed to leave the key in a secure drop box.

The next day, Enterprise called Cockerill. The company had the keys, but no Mustang.

“I was pretty panicked, wondering where this car went, and actually went in to the shop that evening after work just to speak to [the clerk] in person and kind of find out what's happening here,” she said.

Police investigated and determined the vehicle was stolen. That appeared to be the end of it until Monday when Cockerill got a bill from Enterprise for $47,000, the replacement value of the Mustang.

Cockerill's insurer said the car wasn't in her control, so it shouldn't be her problem.

Enterprise, however, said that if her insurance doesn't cover it, they'll bill the $47,000 to the credit card she used to rent the Mustang. The charge won't go through, but it could cause her serious financial problems.

CBC News contacted Enterprise, which said it is working on a response to Cockerill's concerns.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scot ... -1.2482273

If this is their policy, I'll be going out of my way in the future to avoid renting with them.

How does one follow the (basic) instructions laid out here and still wind up responsible for a stolen vehicle? Outside of their rental period, out of their possession, keys placed where they're supposed to be.

[Captain Awesome]

It usually goes like this:

- Would you like to purchase insurance for your vehicle?
- No thank you, I'd rather save $50 and risk losing $47,000.

[Bsuds]

I would suspect with the negative publicity that National will back off on that one and do they not carry theft insurance on their fleet?

[Always Sunny]

It usually starts by:
- Would you like to purchase insurance for your vehicle?
- No thank you, I'd rather save $50 and risk losing $47,000.

Theft of a vehicle after it is out of your rental period/control is still you problem? I have no issue with insurance if it's a result of my negligence. This story is BS.

I've dropped keys off in these types of boxes dozens of time. This mess would certainly have me thinking twice.

[Donald G]

If she parked the vehicle in the designated location and left the keys as instructed there is no way that she should be held liable for the vehicle. It sounds to me like the company is simply trying to pressure her into paying. So much for any future rentals from Enterprise.

[Captain Awesome]

Yes, but she saved $50 on insurance! Insurance gecko would be proud.

[Always Sunny]

Yes, but she saved $50 on insurance! Insurance gecko would be proud.

Why would the insurance still be applicable to the renter once the car and keys have been returned and the rental period has ended?

It's pretty reasonable to suggest that if I rent a car from 9:00am Friday to 7:00pm Sunday that coverage has expired after my rental contract has expired. Anything happening after that contract has ended should be far outside the responsibility of that renter.

[Beerhunter341]

If she parked the vehicle in the designated location and left the keys as instructed there is no way that she should be held liable for the vehicle. It sounds to me like the company is simply trying to pressure her into paying. So much for any future rentals from Enterprise.

Not only trying to pressure into paying but over-inflating the value of a used Mustang

[GordonH]

Based on what I read if she dropped off the vehicle did as she was told leaving keys in drop-box.

In my opinion having no one at the office to except returns is foolish practice, bite the bullet Enterprise and take the loss.

[Always Sunny]

Based on what I read if she dropped off the vehicle did as she was told leaving keys in drop-box.

In my opinion having no one at the office to except returns is foolish practice, bite the bullet Enterprise and take the loss.

If you rent a car at any smaller airport...more often than not there is no one there when you go to return your car prior to a flight. They do have people manning the booths when flights come in, after that, good luck.

[Captain Awesome]

It's pretty reasonable to suggest that if I rent a car from 9:00am Friday to 7:00pm Sunday that coverage has expired after my rental contract has expired.

Coverages don't go by hours. If you rented a vehicle on Friday 9AM, the turn in point would be Monday 9AM at which point the branch either has the car back from you or they extend your rental time. So, when you drop off the car on Sunday night and leave the keys there, technically the car is still your liability, not theirs - until 9AM on Monday. Once they process the car on Monday morning and it goes back into general pool, than the commercial fleet insurance kicks in. But when it sits there overnight, your insurance (or lack of thereof) is in effect.

[GordonH]

Based on what I read if she dropped off the vehicle did as she was told leaving keys in drop-box.

In my opinion having no one at the office to except returns is foolish practice, bite the bullet Enterprise and take the loss.

If you rent a car at any smaller airport...more often than not there is no one there when you go to return your car prior to a flight. They do have people manning the booths when flights come in, after that, good luck.

If thats the case maybe Enterprise should install camera's at both drop-box & lot. To prevent customers from this hassle in the future, since they are unwilling to pay an employee to receive returns.

By the way this location is not at an airport

[oneh2obabe]

Yes, but she saved $50 on insurance! Insurance gecko would be proud.

Where does it state she didn't buy insurance on the rental?

[Donald G]

To Captain Awesome ...

I assume there is case law to support your contention that the person leasing the vehicle is responsible for the insurance until the contract expires REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE AND KEYS HAVE BEEN RETURNED ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN. I find it hard to understand the judicial logic behind the decision. Do you happen to know how one can quickly surface the specific case law supporting that position?

[Always Sunny]

Coverages don't go by hours. If you rented a vehicle on Friday 9AM, the turn in point would be Monday 9AM at which point the branch either has the car back from you or they extend your rental time. So, when you drop off the car on Sunday night and leave the keys there, technically the car is still your liability, not theirs - until 9AM on Monday. Once they process the car on Monday morning and it goes back into general pool, than the commercial fleet insurance kicks in. But when it sits there overnight, your insurance (or lack of thereof) is in effect.

Where is that written? I rent my cars as a day + hour rate. If I rent from 12:00pm Monday to 4:00pm Friday I pay 4 full days from Monday 12:00pm to Friday 12:00pm plus an additional 4 hours to bring me to 4:00pm which is less than renting for 5 full days.

It'll be cold day in hell that I'm responsible for a rental car AFTER my rental period has ended (if I'm not paying for it, not driving it, having returned it to the company as stated in the rental contract).