Family faces legal threats after Budget Rent-a-Car mishap

The initial Budget rental cost $1,391. Changing their flights to return the second car cost $1,051. An extra night’s hotel stay added $220, along with $251 for additional food and gas.

Budget sent a threat of prosecution for not returning the car and banned them as customers. “Failure to return the vehicle will subject you to prosecution. Unauthorized use of a vehicle is a Class A Misdemeanor, which is punishable by a fine up to $1,000 or a sentence to a term of imprisonment for a period of up to one year, or both fine and imprisonment,” stated the letter. “If the vehicle is not returned, a report will be made to the local Police Department and a request for warrant of arrest will be sought.”

Budget eventually retrieved the vehicle from impound and acknowledged its error. The Police Department stated that while they conducted checks, databases might not have been updated for newly registered out-of-state vehicles. Budget agreed to cover some costs but insisted on a non-disclosure agreement from the customer.

Fortunately, the renters were not charged with car theft despite initial police suspicions that it was stolen.