Enterprise Holding, Inc. Enterprise Rent A Car Falsely Charging for Loss of Vehicle Due to Theft Dearborn Michigan

I had been renting a vehicle from the mentioned location for the purposes of transportation due to not having a vehicle of my own.  I did not own personal auto insurance because I did not own a vehicle of my own.  Upon renting the vehicle I was asked do I have personal auto insurance and I explained I did not because I did not own a car at the time. 

I asked what insurance would be the best for this reason and it was purchased at the time of the rental.  This insurance was to cover me for any loss of the vehicle including theft. When I rented the vehicle there was a winter storm going on with tempertures of negative ten degrees.

The instruction by the office was to start the vehicle up and let it warm up for at least 10 minutes so as not to hurt the mechanics of the vehicle due to the extreme temperatures.  At the time of the instruction I informed the facility that both sets of keys given to me were linked together and were unable to be separated.  I told them that if I started the care and left the keys in the ignition I would be unable to lock the vehicle.

The facility confirmed that this would be fine.  They confirmed that they understood that the vehicle would be left open and therefore vulnerable during this period of heating it up.  I was not instructed I had to stay with the vehicle while the vehicle was heating up, in fact, I was told exactly the opposite that it was ok to return inside so as to not freeze while the vehicle was heating up.  I was asked where the vehicle would be left and I informed the facility it would be outside on the side of my house in the drive-way.

I was not given any other instruction.  I did as instructed and started the car in the early morning hours to take my son to school.  I started the car, closed the door and walked into my house to get my son.  I was gone for two minutes.  When I returned the car was gone.

I immediately called the police, made a report and was told their had been a rash of thefts.  That people were watching people getting ready for work and starting their cars so they could jump in and drive away.  When the facility opened I told them what happened and gave them the police report number.

The facility asked for the keys.  I stated that they were in the car because as I had told them they could not be separated and I was told I was not allowed to separate the keys and just as I had told them it was dangereous to leave the car unlocked while heating it up.  They said it was my fault and I was neglectful for doing as I was instructed. 

I asked well if I had been out there I would have been held up by gun point as the police had told me I was lucky I was not in the car during the theft.  Enterprise literally stated whether I was help up by gun point or not I was considered liable and neglectful because the thief had both keys.  "Are you serious?!"

I informed them that I purchased the correct insurance that would cover for the theft an they stated because in thier eyes I was neglectful that that voided the insurance and I would have to pay for the full price of the car.  I told them I was following their instruction for the care of the car and they refused to have me do an incident report because I was going to write exactly what they told me to do and what happened.

I was harrassed and treated horrifically and they had no remorse for the experience I had been through.  I told them that the police stated to activate the ONSTAR that came equipted on the car.  The facility refused to do so stating they did not pay for it, however the service was at no cost to them.  By the time they actually did use the service it was well over 24 hours.

I have been told that the facility ended up getting the vehicle back eventually.  However, the facility has not tried to transfer this charge for the cost of the vehicle to a third party debt collector.  I have written the collection and invoked my rights under the fair debt collection act and the fair billing act. 

I had the proper insurance to cover the theft of the vehicle.  The facility assumed liability and responsibility when they refused to separate the keys after been told that the instructiuon given to heat the vehicle up during extreme winter conditions would leave the vehicle vulnerable for theft if left unlocked and that also instructing me that I did not have to be in the vehicle during this period further holds them liable.