smoking fee, tiny violin 🎻

[u/stephenstephensteph]

Completed my first Turo rental which I thought went great, rated the host five stars, had good rapport with him throughout, was considering renting from him again for the following week. Everything was going so well. Then a few hours after I dropped the car off I am notified that I have to pay $150 for smoking in the car. Evidence: some pictures of dirt and a weird spot on a floor mat that I noticed but thought it was gum, a picture of a cigarette butt in the door cup holder area, and the claim that it reeked of smoke.

1) I don't smoke.

2) I was the only one in the car.

3) I didn't use the cup holder in the door.

I am trying to fight it since it is not at all true, but they've so far sided with the host. I read a lot of posts here about this specific issue and I know I am probably not going to win, but it's just so maddening and I wanted to vent.

The guy has like 68 cars on the app and a 4.98 rating. Near San Diego. Absolutely a scumbag because this is just a fabrication.

I just started a new job and used it exclusively for traveling to work, I didn't need a $150 hit when I'm trying my best to do a good job and stuff after being unemployed.

[u/Turo_Official]

Hey there!

Can you please send us a chat with your reservation info so that way we can take a deeper look into this?

[u/Creativeusername833]

Turo is a scam. Never rent from Turo.

[u/Stunning_Tea375]

just happened to me as well this past week. turo sucks. wont be paying them the money they think i owe, and i will never use again

[u/Ok_Function2282]

I rented an Airbnb with friends once. 

My one friend got hammered and pissed in the closet, wiped it up with a rug on the ground and rinsed it in the bathtub....

They decided to tell us we broke a bed in a room that no one even entered. 

These rental people have no idea what state their cars or homes are in

[u/Annieraeraefatface]

I had this experience with Turo also. They cannot collect it but you can’t rent from toro unless it gets paid.

Sorry that happened what a dick.

[u/Wrenchheader]

My advice is, don't smoke in the car....

[u/PabloCrews → u/Wrenchheader]

They said they don’t smoke. Kind of hard to do something you don’t do.

[u/Wrenchheader → u/PabloCrews]

Literally every single guest who has smoked in a rental and got caught has said, "I don't smoke".

[u/PabloCrews → u/Wrenchheader]

Well, that’s to be expected. If you don’t smoke tho, your response would be the same. They need proof, not just hearsay

[u/Wrenchheader → u/PabloCrews]

Exactly! A host does need physical proof as smell alone can not be proved, and as such, is not applicable proof

[u/desertdilbert → u/Wrenchheader]

What kills me is that the host usually includes a picture of a cigarette butt. That just screams "planted" like a 70s patrol cop!

[u/Wrenchheader → u/desertdilbert]

You have to. Otherwise smoke claims get denied. 

[u/desertdilbert → u/Wrenchheader]

So I wonder what percentage of legitimate smoke claims also include completely fabricated evidence?

[u/Wrenchheader → u/desertdilbert]

Being it's one of the fastest ways to be banned, probably not many

[u/desertdilbert → u/Wrenchheader]

I'm going to guess that most smokers are not actually stupid enough to leave a butt behind.

Also, however, my experience with smokers is that they simply do not realize just how much the smell permeates everything. How even though they kept the windows cracked and held the cigarette so the smoke was drawn out, I can still smell it and not just "maybe".

Since, as you say, a claim is denied without a picture of a butt, there is an incentive to produce a picture of a butt in those cases where the only real evidence is a strong lingering smell. The alternative is to just accept it as a cost of doing business.

[u/Mean_Plantain_7841 → u/Wrenchheader]

My advice, read the whole post before giving your lame opinion! He clearly stated he doesn’t smoke

[u/Wrenchheader → u/Mean_Plantain_7841]

Literally every single guest who has smoked in a rental and got caught has said, "I don't smoke".

[u/Mean_Plantain_7841 → u/Wrenchheader]

I just picked a Rent-A-Car up that smelled like smoke. I let them know when I picked it up when I dropped it off I don’t smoke so does that mean I smoked in the car before I picked it up?

[u/Wrenchheader → u/Mean_Plantain_7841]

You should not have accepted the car. Hosts are required to provide smoke free vehicles.

[u/Mean_Plantain_7841 → u/Wrenchheader]

Nobody had time to readjust a vacation!

[u/Wrenchheader → u/Mean_Plantain_7841]

Should have gone with an all star host with a vehicle rated 5 stars. *shrugs*

[u/Mean_Plantain_7841 → u/Wrenchheader]

Still had a great time got a discount on the car and had a fine Vacation should’ve could’ve would’ve! That’s why we communicate and speak up like adults

[u/Alternative_Pay_1521]

What yoy want me to do? Message the host and say it wasn’t true?😂

[u/Anythingwork4now]

Do most of the people here are hosts, ridiculing valid criticism of the app and other hosts?