Rental companies typically draft complex rental agreements that customers must closely follow. However, as the Sunbelt Rentals class action lawsuit proves, discerning customers hold rental companies to the same contractual obligations.
Primary plaintiffs filed a class action lawsuit against Sunbelt Rentals for overcharging renters for refueling equipment after the conclusion of rental periods. The plaintiffs assert Sunbelt Rentals also overcharged for transportation costs. Sunbelt’s contract states the company can recover “deliver and pickup costs to and from the store.” However, the lead plaintiffs insisted Sunbelt charged renter more money by adding on a transportation surcharge not mentioned in the rental contract.
The Sunbelt Rentals class action lawsuit results from the combination of five separate class action lawsuits that claimed Sunbelt Rentals applied excessive fees not mentioned in rental contracts. Sunbelt Rentals represents the second largest American equipment rental company. The terms of the class action settlement require Sunbelt to set up a $10 million fund to compensate class members and deliver incentive awards for the primary plaintiffs. Money in the fund also goes towards covering court costs and attorney fees.
Sunbelt Rentals continues to deny all of the allegations, but the company settled the class action lawsuit to avoid the high costs of litigating a protracted civil trial.
What You Need To Know About The Sunbelt Rentals Refueling, Transportation Fees Class Action Settlement
According to class counsel, eligible class members “include all persons in the U.S. who during the applicable Class Period entered into a rental out contract with Sunbelt that contained this language: RENTAL RATES. … . Customer is responsible for … (ii) delivery and pickup costs to and from the Store; … (vi) fuel used during the Rental Period (Customer may either return the Equipment fully fueled or a fuel charge shall be assessed (designed to cover Sunbelt’s direct and indirect costs of refueling the Equipment).” Eligible class members have until October 19, 2017 to opt out of the class action settlement or dispute any of the agreement provisions. The potential award is based on a specified percentage of the total amount each class member overpaid. Class members have the option to receive a 20% bonus on a refund by asking for a credit towards future rentals from Sunbelt.
The deadline to submit a valid claim form is January 16, 2018. All-South Subcontractors Inc., et al. v. Sunbelt Rentals Inc., Case No. 1:14-CV-1376-1, in the Superior Court of Dougherty County, State of Georgia has the final hearing scheduled for November 2, 2017. To learn what transpired at the final hearing, visit the class action settlement website www.SBRfeeSettlement.com. The class action settlement website also lists the periods that make class members eligible for compensation, as well as the attorneys who represent the class and defense counsels.
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