Complaints about Houston IAH ALAMO car rental

I wish to complain about the service that my husband and I received for Houston Iah Alamo rental car. I booked a reservation for a car from the website car rentals.com and Alamo was the cheapest so I booked it under my husband's name so we could pick up at 5 am for a trip down the Texas coast.

We went there at 4:45 waited and quite a long time for the Alamo rep to finally process our order. My husband presented the print out of our reservation in his name, presented his driver's license, presented his credit card and was the sole signature on the rental contract.

So we were done and we went upstairs picked up our car and headed toward the exit. When we got to the gate, my husband was driving the car and he presented the paperwork to the lady at the exit gate. She wanted to know if we wanted to add a driver to the rental contract and I thought she meant me so I told her okay and proceeded to hand her my driver's license. Then she clarified her statement and said if we wanted to add my husband to the contract which had been made in my name. I was a little stunned since I didn't present my driver's license or any form of ID like a credit card nor did I sign the paperwork for rent a car.

Wanting to start our trip we agreed to add my husband (who of course should have been the only one on the contract to begin with). She failed to mention that the addition of another driver was $12.

The following day when returning the car, the same Alamo representative who rented us the car processed our rental return. He then told us of the additional charge. I informed him that the rental should been under my husband's name only. He told us he would let us slide this time but the next time we would have to pay for an additional driver.

Here are my complaints.

1. How can someone make a car rental in someone else's name, without presenting driver's license, a signature, credit card or anything? My guess is that they have a database of phone numbers attached to names and my name popped up because I rented a car strictly in my name a previous time before this visit. The Alamo rep probably saw the last name was the same and didn't bother to check the first name. But what if this were separated couple and one partner wanted to do damage to the other's credit, then what? What if this is a child living in the same house with the parent, then what?

2. If you are going to make alteration to an existing contract, wouldn't it be nice to inform the consumer that this will be at an additional charge. Then they would have to deal the the condescending rep telling them he is going to let them slide.

3. Here is Alamo's response. It does not address my concerns. I don't even think she read the email

Dear Ms (Last name deleted):

Thank you for contacting Alamo Rent A Car regarding this matter.

Our records indicate that the reservation was booked under (name deleted),

but the rental is attached to your information. In order for the

location to

attached an alternate driver, the credit card and driver's license must

be

presented at the counter. We apologize for the confusion.

Sincerely,

Christine Meekins

Alamo Customer Service

As for me I will not rent cars from Alamo any more. Poor customer service and Sloppy, Sloppy, Sloppy

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