Many reviewers describe surprise charges, preauthorisations that stay held, and disputed damage fees that never get cleared up. Complaints also often mention long waits to reach support and refunds that arrive late or not at all. A smaller group report quick, professional help, clean cars, and problems fixed right away. Ratings sit at the extremes, with many one-star stories alongside a few five-star experiences.
Examples from available reviews (Mar 2022 – Feb 2026).
Avis holding a £500 deposit unfairly and barely answering calls.
“they’ve been holding my deposit of 500 unfairly”
Multiple unauthorised charges were taken from my card without notification.
“I checked my credit card and they had taken $780 (£400) for upgrades that I never made.”
Received a free upgrade, clean car and instant deposit refund.
“I was given a free upgrade when checking in”
Rental car battery died and replacement later had a flat tyre overnight.
“My rental cars from AVIS at the Maui airport broke twice.”
Several reviews say no car was available at pickup, reservations were cancelled, or staff were rude at the counter. Some describe messy recovery arrangements after breakdowns. A smaller number mention fast, helpful fixes and free upgrades that solved problems immediately.
Unexpected fees come up repeatedly, including unauthorised card charges, fuel penalties, and large damage holdbacks. Customers often mention added "package" charges, exchange-rate surcharges, and fees after drop-off that they did not agree to. Complaints about value outweigh praise for clear pricing.
Reviewers point to booking and usability issues, including prepaid reservations with no vehicle available and local systems that did not work. Long lines and slow processing at the desk also appear in multiple accounts. These issues show up less than billing and communication problems but still recur across locations.
Some reviews describe cars returned dirty, smelling of smoke, or showing faults such as dead batteries and low tyre pressure. Several customers also report expired tags or multiple defects at handover. Mentions of well-kept vehicles appear, but not as often.
Many reviewers describe slow or missing responses, with long phone waits, unanswered complaints, and invoices that never arrive. Numerous accounts mention preauthorisations kept on hold and refunds delayed without a clear reason. A few reviewers report follow-up contact, though those cases are less common.
Reviews swing between frequent one-star accounts focused on charges and poor communication and a smaller number of five-star accounts praising staff and smooth rentals. Billing and customer support problems drive most negative impressions. Positive experiences exist but are heavily outweighed by service and value complaints.
For each review, the core experience based on original source reviews.
Sources: Trustpilot (40) · yelp.com (20) · Collected.reviews (1) · Quotes shortened · As of: February 2026
Charged £1500 for alleged damage and received no response.
“Charged us £1500 for damage we didn't do.”
Booked an SUV but given an unsuitable estate and rude service.
“I was told no automatic SUVs were available.”
Reservation cancelled five minutes late; charged reactivation and cleaning fees.
“my daughters car had been cancelled as we were 5 mins late!”
Charged £500 for alleged damage despite prepayment and unresolved extra charge.
“Charged with damage fees (GBP 500) but I did not scratch the car.”
Unexpected extra charges were applied to my rental.
“I didn’t expect the extra charges.”
Rented vehicle had multiple defects and an unexplained $800 charge.
“AVIS took over $800 from my VISA card without explanation”
£300 preauthorisation deposit not returned and no response from Avis.
“Still waiting for the preauthorisation deposit of 300 pounds to be returned”
Booked rental advertised at £65 but faced undisclosed extras and charges.
“I feel this is a case of mis-selling clearly.”
Denied vehicle despite digital licence and urgent need; no refund received.
“They didn’t let me take the car and had to do it in another car rental office”
Charged for a parking violation which Avis refused to dispute or document.
“Avis won’t dispute this on my behalf but wouldn’t provide the necessary information”
Reviewer alleges Avis fraudulently used their card details without authorisation.
“they fraudulently used my card details”
Avis added an unexplained £255 after drop-off; card issuer refunded via chargeback.
“Avis added £255 on to the final bill credit card after dropping the car off”
Staff promptly arranged a replacement vehicle and resolved the issue professionally.
“they acted quickly to resolve the issue without any hassle.”
Paid extras missing and promised refund not received despite follow-ups.
“have had nothing other than emails asking me to call them on a premium rate number”
Excess charged far more than quoted, significantly increasing holiday cost.
“They ended up charging over £360!”
Extras and fuel charges were added despite showing pre-paid agreement.
“they had added the extras that I told them I didn't want”
Avis charged me again for a parking fine I had already paid.
“They sure did take care of it by charging me the fine again.”
Prepaid rental incurred an unexpected exchange-rate surcharge after return.
“we were still charged a supplement on the credit card after we left”
Desk added undisclosed 'package charges' without informing the customer.
“They will add “package charges” & Not tell you.”
Charged £110 for late drop-off despite proof of earlier return; no refund.
“Was charged £110 for a late drop off when I’d dropped off the car already the day before.”
I recently booked a car with Avis for my family vacation, and I must say that the overall experience was remarkable. The booking process on their website was smooth, and I received an instant confirmation of my reservation.
The car rental pickup and drop-off locations were conveniently located near the airports, which saved us a lot of time. We were greeted warmly by the staff at both locations who patiently assisted us through the rental process. They thoroughly explained all the details regarding insurance options, fuel policy, and any additional charges upfront.
The car provided to us was in pristine condition - clean inside out, fully fueled up without any dents or scratches. Also noteworthy is its extensive fleet of cars available for hire; we had many options to choose from depending on our needs.
During our journey, we contacted their customer service department once regarding an issue with navigation in our hired vehicle. Their team was quick to assist us over the phone- they guided us step-by-step until we resolved it.
Overall our experience with Avis has been nothing but positive- hassle-free pick-up and return services coupled with excellent customer support made this trip easier than expected.
This page combines submitted experiences with public reviews from platforms such as Google, Trustpilot, etc. Recurring points are summarised without changing the content of reviews.
Avis is an international car rental company with airport and city locations. It rents vehicles for short or long periods across types including compact cars, SUVs, and vans. Customers can book online or through a mobile app and add extras such as GPS, child seats, and additional insurance. Avis also offers corporate rental programmes and membership options that save driver details for faster pickup.