U-Haul requires its customers to pay upfront for their rental vehicles and towing equipment. However, customers are required to pay additional fees if they use more miles or days than they are allotted.
This payment process can become tricky if the customer can’t pay the additional fees upon returning their vehicle. So, what exactly happens if you don’t or can’t pay U-Haul on time?
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What Happens If I Don’t Pay U-Haul?
Unfortunately, the answer is quite tricky. Usually, you pay U-Haul upfront before you move or lease a rental truck. However, your debt may be transferred to collections if you rack up fees and can’t pay them upon removal. Let’s take a deeper look at the U-Haul payment process.
How Does the Payment Process Work?
The U-Haul payment process will vary depending on your choice of payment. In some cases, you’ll have to make a deposit beforehand. In other cases, you won’t need to make a deposit upfront.
You Need to Make a Deposit if You’re Paying in Cash
You’ll need to make a deposit If you’re paying for a rental truck or moving equipment in cash. Here are the general deposit guidelines:
- In-Town Rental Truck: $100 or approximate rental charges (whichever is higher)
- One-Way Rental Vehicle: $100 plus the flat rental rate
It’s important to note that you cannot reserve Cargo Vans and Pickup Trucks with cash payments or deposits. These rental vehicles must be booked with a significant credit card compan.
You Pay Upfront
One of the reasons it can be tricky to tell what happens if you don’t pay U-Haul is that you’re typically required to pay upfront. Regardless of the payment method, U-Haul requires you to pay the total estimated charges for your leased equipment.
Not to mention that you’ll still need to present a valid credit or debit card with a significant bank logo with your name on it. This rule applies even if you pay with cash.
What Forms of Payment Does U-Haul Accept?
The forms of payment can vary from location to location. Some independent dealerships have varying rules, regulations, and restrictions on the forms of payment they accept. However, most U-Haul locations will take credit, debit, check, or cash payments. Here’s a list of debit cards most U-Haul dealerships accept:
- American Express
- Discover
- Mastercard
- Visa
What Are the Late Fees?
As mentioned earlier, the late fees and prices can vary from dealer to dealer. Some independent locations may have different guidelines and costs. Not to mention, U-Haul doesn’t specify their late fees directly on their website. Here’s a general policy to give you an idea of what to expect:
- U-Haul Trucks: $40 for every extra day
- U-Haul Trailers: $20 for additional days
- U-Haul Towing Devices: $20 extra for every additional day
This means you’ll have to pay one of the costs above if you go over your allotted time or need additional days. For the most accurate information, use the official location finder and contact your local dealership. From there, you can speak to a team member to figure out what works for you.
What About Additional Miles?
Let’s say you don’t need an extra day for your rental vehicle and only need a few extra miles. U-Haul allows this and will charge you accordingly. Here are the rates for additional miles for U-Haul rental trucks and vans.
- $0.40 per additional mile
This may or may not apply to towing equipment and trailers. As always, contact your local U-Haul dealership for the most accurate information available.
Will My Debit Get Sent to Collections?
Your debt may go to collections. If you racked up more fees after your initial rental agreement and can’t pay it. For example, you may have to pay an additional $120 if you used an extra three days with a U-Haul rental truck. This price doesn’t include any extra miles you may have accrued.
Will I Get Sued for My Debt?
Whether or not you get sued will depend on the dealership, debt, and your credit card company. The chances of you getting sued are slim, but it can happen. In most cases, it’s safe to assume your debt will be sent to a collections agency, or you’ll have to work out a payment plan with the U-Haul dealership.
Can I Go to Jail?
In one of the worst scenarios, you may end up in jail for not paying your U-Haul debt. The company may or may not be able to press charges for your outstanding fees. You may get arrested and charged with felony theft and fraud for your outstanding debt. However, this is probably unlikely and a rare scenario.
What’s the Worst Case Scenario?
The worst-case scenario for not paying your U-Haul fees would be all of the above. Your debt may get sent to collections, ruining your credit score in the process. You could also be sued by the U-Haul dealership or your credit card company. You also run the risk of being arrested and charged with felony theft and or fraud.
However, it’s most likely that your debt will be sent to collections, and you’ll have to handle it with the collections agency or your credit card company.
Will My U-Haul Debt Get Sent to Collections?
Unfortunately, it’s hard to say for sure whether or not your U-Haul debt will be sent to collections. However, this is most likely the case, as it’s rare to be sued or sent to jail for these types of situations. You may have to contact your local dealership or credit card company to find out the specifics.