Three Days, Three Terms of Service Violations
Don't Do What These Hosts Do
If you’re a fan of the Seinfeld television show, you know the Soup Nazi. Upon entering his restaurant there are some “terms of service” to follow. These include the way you walk in the restaurant, the way you stand in line, the way you approach the counter, and the way you place the order. If you break one of the terms of service, no soup for you, and you are banished from the restaurant. You may be able to come back in one year.
Turo also has terms of service. Rules you’re required to follow. Rules you agree to abide by when you opened your account and became a host. If you’re caught violating these rules, you’ll be warned, possibly fined, and maybe even banned from the platform. And you don’t get to come back in one year.
In the past three days I’ve I’ve seen three different hosts, at least one of them a Power Host, posting and commenting openly in Facebook groups about the terms of service they violate, with one of them even responding to this pointed out to him by saying, “I don’t need those extra steps, you have to think outside the box.”
Some hosts knowingly violate the terms of service simply because they don’t like them and they want to do things their way. Some violate them simply by mistake, not knowing they’re doing anything wrong. I want to help you avoid getting into trouble with Turo and potentially losing the business you worked hard to build. Here are three terms of service violations to be aware of and not violate.
Accepting damage payments from a guest without first filing a claim
Turo has in place a process through which you can work out a damage claim directly with your guest. In fact, they prefer that you do it this way. It’s a win for everyone. You get paid quicker, the guest avoids estimating and admin fees, and Turo doesn’t have to allocate human resources to your claim.
This is a great way to settle a claim, but, you may only do so after you’ve properly filed a claim with Turo and selected that option in the claims submission process. Here are three reasons why:
If the guest ghosts you, doesn’t pay, you can escalate to Turo within 20 days of the claim being filed, but you lose this option if you don’t file the claim first within 24 hours of trip end.
Your guest may have chosen a protection plan that limits the amount they are responsible for. They even could have chosen the top-tier plan and are not responsible for paying you anything. Turo wants to make sure you are not charging a guest for something they aren’t required to pay.
Without filing a claim, there is no documentation for legal purposes in the event the process falls apart and your guest makes accusations against you. It’s simply a “he said, she said” dialogue with no proper documentation.
Turo wants to make sure that with every damage claim, you are paid appropriately according to the terms of your protection plan, that your vehicle is repaired, and that the guest is charged appropriately according to their protection plan. Please invest some time to read and understand the damage claim terms of service here.
Making up reimbursement amounts
This morning I read a couple of hosts talking about how they charge for missing fuel. Their process is to simply charge the guest a “suggested fee” for missing fuel, with no fuel receipts. This too is a violation of terms of service. Under no circumstances can you simply make up your own fee schedule. And under no circumstance can you request reimbursements/incidentals of any kind without documentation to substantiate the charge. Again, here are three reasons why.
Turo already has a fee schedule in place for most reimbursements that do not involve a variable amount. There are established fees for cleaning, late returns, smoking, excess mileage, and even a $10 convenience fee you are paid for missing fuel, in addition to the cost to replace the fuel.
If your guest does not accept the invoice for the reimbursements, and you’ve provided no documentation to substantiate it, when it escalates to Turo for them to process for you, it will be denied. No pay for you!
The terms of service are in place to ensure you are paid fairly, but also to ensure guests are not charged unfairly. You can thank all of the bad, shady hosts who gouged guests in the past for this policy!
Let’s discuss the proper way to charge for missing fuel.
Before your trip begins, take a picture of the fuel gauge as your guest will see it when they pick up the vehicle.
Enter the fuel level into the appropriate field during the pre-trip documentation process.
When the vehicle returns and fuel is missing, take a picture of the fuel gauge showing the fuel level when the vehicle was returned.
Go to the convenience store, refuel the vehicle to the same level shown in your pre-trip photo.
Upload a picture of the fuel receipt into trip photos.
Submit your incidental charge to the guest for the amount shown on the fuel receipt. The app will automatically add a $10 convenience fee.
If the guest doesn’t accept the charge within 72 hours, it will automatically escalate and Turo will pay you, if all of the documentation is there.
Asking the guest to drive the host back home after delivery
A host recently offered feedback in a conversation about how to handle personal transportation back home after the vehicle is delivered to the guest. She shared that, if it’s reasonably close, she simply asks the guest to drive her back home.
This too is violation of the terms of service which clearly state, “You may not ask your guest for a ride home from a delivery location.”
There are significant liability issues involved here, not just in the event of an accident that results in injury, but also involving the potential of sexual harassment, physical harm, inappropriate behavior, etc. Imagine if your guest falsely reports to Turo that you sexually assaulted them, or harmed them in some way, during that trip home, or at your home when you arrived? You do not want to be put in this situation.
Hosts choose a variety of ways to manage their personal transportation with vehicle delivery. Some have a helper, friend, family member drive them back home. Some Uber or use public transportation. Some even use scooters, bicycles, and I know one crazy cat (my friend and Associate Coach at the Carshare Academy) who rides a Segway home!
There are plenty of options available to you, but your guest transporting you is not one of them.
Following the Terms of Service is a pro move!
You didn’t build this business to be a weak host who will eventually be caught, called out, removed from the platform, and then have to figure out what to do with all of the expensive assets you acquired for your business. You built this business to win. Reading, understanding, and meticulously following the Terms of Service is your first pro move as an outstanding member of the host community.
Please join our Carshare Academy Facebook group here, where bad advice is not allowed!
Great, concise info. Thank you.