Protecting Yourself from U-Haul - Use your Camera Phone to Take Photos

A picture is worth a thousand words and in this case, $$ cash $$.  Protect yourself as I did, and perhaps your photos could be worth thousands of dollars, not just words.

Read on.

I helped move my daughter and her husband to their new home this weekend.  We rented a U-Haul truck and returned it as required - broom cleaned, no dents and with the required amount of gasoline to replenish what we used.  The vendor where we dropped it off was closed, so I dropped the key in the slot in the secure metal box provided for key returns.  As a precaution, I took photos with my camera phone just in case any issues might arise later.

The next day I received an email from the vendor indicating I had not refilled the gasoline in the truck and I was fined $38.75 as a penalty.  WHAT!!!

Boy was I angry.  I called and filed a protest (twice) with U-Haul's "customer advocate" division.  They promised me a call back within 48 hours.  Well, it's been 52 hours and I'm still waiting for that call and I am @#$%^'&*!!! 

OK.  I'll let you decide.  I say this was either fraudulent (make a quick buck on the side) or incompetency (they need to learn how to read their own fuel gauges!). 

The tank reading from my first receipt when I picked up the truck (between 3/8 and 1/2):

Here is the vendor receipt showing the mileage and the gas tank reading (along with the $38.75 fuel charge penalty) after I returned the truck:

and here are my photos:

           

I ain't payin this penalty and I will keep up the protest until I win.  Man, I'm happy to have these photos.

Protect yourself from U-Haul.  Tell your clients to take photos when they finish with the rental truck.

Tell me what you think...  Oh, and then have a nice day!