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I hired a campervan this year for 6 days over the Easter break for a location finding job visiting waterways in UK.
My first booking made over a month previously, was cancelled by the owner a few days before departure claiming bodywork issues. Gaboony made lots of apologies and said they would discuss the reasons with the owner. Luckily I was able to book an alternative camper in time for the trip.
This van was okay but the hot water did not work nor the speakers for the cd/radio. It appeared to use a lot of diesel too £300 from London to Scotland via Liverpool and Cumbria. In Scotland I discovered why - a diesel leak from the engine. I then had to deal with recovery services over 36 hours, sleep in a service station car park. Reduce the trip by two days and drive back from Scotland to south of England in one day.
The owner Stefan failed to offer a refund, claimed the engine was not leaking before I hired it - implying my fault- refunded my deposit “despite the diesel tank not being full” when RAC delivered the van separately.
I have not been issued a refund nor compensation. While Gaboony apologised and said they will discuss it with the owner I still have not heard from them in over a week. They are an advertising platform. They will not assist you when things go wrong. The issue is you pay the money upfront and there is no way of reversing that payment if Gaboony don’t assist.
April 2021
Response from Stefan
I have to apologies again for the inconvenience caused by the breakdown. We maintain our motorhomes to the highest standards to ensure a hassle free trip, but unfortunately on rare occasions something mechanical does break while the vehicle is out.
Rebecca collected the vehicle on the Friday and spent 5 days touring Liverpool, the Lake District and the Highlands of Scotland, travelling 853 miles in total. Shortly after heading off from Scotland for her final nights stop in London, it appears that the fuel filter housing cracked, fuel was escaping, finding its way onto the exhaust and smoking. As it was unsafe to drive the vehicle and a roadside repair was not possible, she spent her final night in a service station in Scotland, rather than her intended stopover in London.
The following morning she was provided with a courtesy vehicle and made her way back to our compound just south of London saying she “was tired from the long drive and did not wish to discuss money”, so no discussions regarding refunds where made. The following morning we received a demand for a refund of £500 on a booking of £672 to account for the £300 worth of fuel she’d spent and the one night she had lost. When asked for receipts to back up her claim, she eventually produced receipts to the value of £194.48, meaning she’d used a total of £240 (as there was still half a tank left), not the £300 she’d stated. Based upon the type of driving, the mileage covered, the type, weight and aerodynamics of the vehicle, £240 worth of fuel seems fair. We have however made allowance for the inconvenience and provided a refund that far exceeds the lost day travelling, allowance for fuel lost due to the leak, plus the offer of additional vouchers.
We strive to provide the best vehicles at affordable prices to ensure our customers enjoy their trips … the list of 5 star reviews appears to shows we succeed in this. It therefore saddens me when we receive a bad review while waiting for the customer to reply to us.
Family
Diesel
Sleeps 5
4 Seats
with seatbelts
Dominic
Steven
Jeff
Emma
Simon
Sally
Tony
Gary
Irene
Laura
Alan
Rodrigo
