Car rental companies in the Eastern Province are said to be facing a number of problems such as the replacement of original spare parts with fake ones and failure on the part of some people to pay outstanding leases, which are threatening their business with closure.
They said they are trying to counter these problems by finding ways that could guarantee their financial rights and prevent the use of fake products during the lease period.
Saud Al-Jallasi, a car rental business owner, said: “The business and service sectors that handle the business directly with the public face many problems, but they are doing their best to address these challenges in their own way.”
“These phenomena, especially thefts and nonpayment, are not new. We see them all the time. Companies are aware of the difficulties of dealing with the public, but not all people are the same,” he added.
“Some people take very good care of the car. Others replace new tires with older ones or replace parts. But companies have adopted a strict mechanism to secure their financial rights. Some companies simply refrain from leasing cars to certain segments of society. Some tend to take a deposit from which they will deduct the cost of any deficiency in the vehicle. We tend to concentrate on government civil servants or people who are known to us,” he said.
Ali Al-Qahtani, a store owner, said that acts of vandalism on vehicles come in various forms, but that the most serious problem is that those who lease the cars do not comply with the terms of the lease contract.
“Some severe all channels of contact once they’ve taken the car. Others hand the vehicles over to people who are not qualified to drive, and engage in illegal practices,” he said.
“Others simply drop the car at the office and run away without paying the remaining sum. Note that some people use the car for 2 or 3 months. Many companies are just sick of trying to collect their money because it takes too long. In plain English, sometimes it costs you more to get the money than the original sum,” he said.
Clients’ unethical practices threaten car rental firms
