Existing law authorizes a rental company, when providing a quote, or imposing charges for a rental, to separately state the rental rate, additional mandatory charges, if any, and a mileage charge, if any, that a renter must pay to hire or lease the vehicle for the period of time to which the rental rate applies. Existing law prohibits a rental company from charging in addition to the rental rate, additional mandatory charges, or a mileage charge, as those may be applicable, any other fee that is required to be paid by the renter as a condition of hiring or leasing the vehicle. Existing law requires, if a rental company states a rental rate in print advertisement or in a quotation, the rental company to disclose clearly in that advertisement or quotation the terms of mileage conditions relating to the advertised or quoted rental rate, as specified, and requires all rate advertisements to include a prominently displayed disclaimer providing that additional specified mandatory charges may be imposed.
This bill would additionally apply the above-described provisions to third parties. The bill would instead require a rental company or third party, when providing a quote, or imposing charges for a rental, to separately state the rental rate, additional mandatory charges, if any, and a mileage charge, if any, that a renter must pay to hire or lease the vehicle for the period of time to which the rental rate applies, and additionally require a rental company or third party to provide the overall cost of the charge for the rental, including all taxes and fees imposed by a government, as soon as potential dates for the rental are provided to the rental company or third party.
Existing law requires rental companies that impose additional mandatory charges to comply with certain requirements, including providing the person receiving the quote with a good faith estimate of the rental rate and all additional mandatory charges, as well as the total charges for the entire rental, as specified.
This bill would additionally apply the above-described requirements on third parties that impose additional mandatory charges, and instead require a rental company or third party to provide the person receiving the quote with a total cost estimate of the rental rate and all additional mandatory charges, as well as the total charges for the entire rental, as specified.
Existing law requires a person or entity other than a rental company, including a passenger carrier or a seller of travel services, to clearly disclose the existence and amount of additional mandatory charges, as applicable, and that the rental car company is not responsible for the failure of that person or entity to comply with this provision if a rental company provides the person or entity with rental rate and additional mandatory charges information.
This bill would remove that provision.