Answered by Kelly Martini
June 7, 2018Hi, and thank you for contacting Movers.com with your question!
Most rental services require a credit (or debit) card to secure the reservation, but it varies based on location. Some offices ask for the card number at the time of the rental rather than time of booking and place a credit hold on the provided card. Upon return of the truck, they will release the hold and only charge you the cost of rental plus other fees (empty gas tank, damages, administration). Sometimes, it takes up to two weeks for companies to release the hold while they inspect the vehicle.
Why the deposit?
Companies use the deposits as collateral to insure against a customer backing out and canceling the day of. Losing a booking costs the company money, because that lost time could have been spent on a legitimate move. A mover's busiest season occurs in the summer months (May through August). Budget, for example, offers a 48 hour window to cancel without penalty.
I suggest checking your reservation by visiting https://www.budgettruck.com/reservations and submitting your 13-digit reference number. If you don't have that readily available, try calling back to confirm. Don't forget to book through Movers.com Truck Rental for a 10% discount off your rental!