One of Europe’s biggest car hire firms faces a new deluge of complaints despite promising to clean up its act.
British holidaymakers say Goldcar forced them to pay hidden charges and billed them for damage that wasn’t their fault.
A new voluntary code came in this year meaning headline prices must match the final prices.
But campaigners say this is being ignored.
London-based Aussie bar worker Michelle Linke, 28, was charged a further £360 for airport tax, fuel deposit, tax and extra insurance on top of the £120 she had paid Goldcar for a six-day hire in Barcelona.
Michelle said: “I asked several times why I had to pay these and why they were not in the contract.”
Goldcare charged retired policeman George Heron, 57, and his wife Louise, 44, of Durham, an extra £600 for a cigarette burn on the driver’s seat of their Seat Ibiza in Majorca – even though they don’t smoke.
George said: “The cigarette burn was there when we hired the car because I photographed it.”
Greg Kirsch, 29, of Walsall, also photographed a damaged bumper when he picked up his Renault Megane in Malaga, but got a £320 bill when he returned it to Goldcar.
He said: “It’s disgusting. They are whacking on extra charges for pre-existing damage.”
Martyn James of complaints website Resolver said: “Goldcar is the worst for ripping off customers in an already tarnished industry.”
Goldcar said: “We are making operational and cultural changes, including clearer rental agreements and simplified damage check-in statements.”
