Over 75?

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16 yrs ago

Dear friends at About Seniors,

We would appreciate your help in sharing this information about the restriction applying to other Over 75ers should they desire to hire a Campervan to enjoy a travelling holiday,

We would hope they shall avoid the stressful time that followed for us after we flew to Perth from Sydney to pick up our previously booked a FULLY EQUIPPED campervan only to be told that we were not eligible, both of us being over 75. They told us we would have to get a Doctor's Certificate but this is next to impossible to do in a short time where no doctor knows your history. After speaking with one doctor who was not prepared to do this, we assumed that as they had refused the van to us, we would have to make other arrangements. A fortnight before leaving, we had filled in and emailed their pre-registration form which had both our dates of birth. Nowhere on the form did it mention a restriction on age for over 75, only under 25.

However to add further to our trials, we discovered a few days later, that the hiring company had debited our Visa account with the full hire expense. They have refused to offer us any compensation despite many pleas.

So please help us to get this warning across to your members and advise them to be sure they read ALL THE FINE PRINT IN THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. We are willing to give the names of the hiring website and the firm they made the booking with if anyone contacts us. Both firms deny any responsibility in the matter.

Glenrae Barker

6 comments

clay

16 yrs ago

This is the most disgracefull state of affairs that I have heard for a long time and although I have not hired the same type of van before it should be aired at the highest level .........These people are crooks and I would be fairly certain that they can not keep your money ...........As to what to do about it

1 Would make a good story for 60 minutes

2 Talk to your local Auto Association who may be able to shake them up

3 Talk to the Caravan Asssociation also

4 Talk to your Member of Parliament

5 Talk to your bank and ask for a refund and give your full story ............Banks are often helpfull in cases of fraud

If I get any other ides I will post them but dont let these people get away with it and the bad publicity will bring them to heel I feel

clay

glenbark

16 yrs ago

Over 75?

Thank you Clay. We have placed our facts with the Bank, but the two companies involved persuaded the Bank that as we had not observed the Terms and Conditions, we were liable to pay the 15 days hire - amounting to $2948, which included an insurance item of $736.

Thank you Clay, I have written to NRMA, and their response was:

"Thank you for taking the time to email us. We have heard of this

situation, it is actually fairly common and it is an insurance issue for

hire companies. Over 75s and under 25s incur higher insurance premiums.

Thankfully, over 75s are given the opportunity to prove they are not a

risk by means of a doctor's certificate, whereas the under 21s have no

opportunities.

Where a contract includes terms and conditions, these can make or break

a contract. May I suggest, you put your individual case to the hire

company through their complaints system. Once you have exhausted all

routes, then you can get in contact with the fair trading body for WA".

Fair Trading is open to us but as one company has headquarters in Qland and the other in WA, we will need to apply through each State.

We have a substantial file of correspondence with the two companies, but each one says it is not their responsibility. We have placed it in the hands of a Solicitor. We would have been happy to pay an extra insurance or get a Dr's certificate from our local GP but were never given these options.

We are a bit bashful about approaching the TV Media, but who knows. Mostly we want to alert Active Oldies like ourselves to the pitfalls. PS We seem to have lost the beginning of this message. Glenrae

(they too will require you approach the company first).

marlene meier

16 yrs ago

Hi Glenbark

Sorry to hear about this disgrafull treatment. I worked in the Car Rental industry and I do know that 75 is the cut off age for hire vehicles, it's to do with the insurance companies. I would pursue this with one of the TV reporting shows like A Current Affair or Today Tonight. The car rental company had no right to charge you anything. They should have been apologising to you for their own incompitance in not noticing your dates of birth when you filled out the forms in the first place. You go for it, they should refund your money.

glenbark

16 yrs ago

Thank you Marlene for your encouragement. We shall persevere in seeking a refund but most of all we want to publicise this information so that it is widely known. Anybody else had a similar experience?

BETH

16 yrs ago

I'm new to this site, but here goes...another thing elderly people need to be aware of when travelling the country, is to make sure you have a good check-up before you leave. Take a letter from your doctor detailing any medical conditions, your prescriptions and anything else pertinent.

My niece was a nurse in a country hospital and she said many times they had emergency cases of 'grey nomads' needing medical attention...they'd have nothing with them, or were unaware they had, for instance, a heart condition...all sorts of problems. With country hospitals already stretched to the limits caring for 'the locals', these 'grey nomads' make it harder still.

So spare a thought for the hard working medical staff and be prepared when you go a-wandering the outback.

By the way, I am one of those with a medical condition...a couple actually...

Over 75?

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