Red Dirt Rentals

Guess the rating says everything... Stay away from this company!!! No customer service, car in bad conditions and don't expect that you get your bond back

AVOID. I would give 0 stars if possible. I rented a 4WD from them in October 2024 and they took an $8,000 bond deposit which was to be returned upon returning the vehicle. 2 weeks after I returned the vehicle, I still hasn't received anything so I contacted them and they said there was damage to an ABS sensor and the part wasn't available so until it was, they would hold on to the full $8,000. I asked for the inspection report but they refused to send it to me. I decided to raise a dispute with my credit card company. During the dispute I was given a copy of the inspection report which gave the detail of the damage and the cost of the part, they also tried to claim further damage to the vehicle that they wanted me to pay for that wasn't on the inspection report. I finally settled for $500 which was the cost of the part and labour, nearly 5 months after I handed the vehicle back. In short, they are thieves and I would avoid at all costs

Terrible Service. Stay Away From This Company – Our experience with Andrew and Red Dirt Rentals has been poor, and it has come time to share our concerns and warn others. It has been over 18 months and we are still awaiting a promised refund of greater than $2K due to an unavoidable COVID-19 cancellation (our refund entitlement is clearly written in writing from Andrew himself through email communication and clearly stated in our booking contact). We have continuously made phone calls to check in on the progress of our refund, beginning May 2021, and as of January 2023, we have consistently been given a later date for when our refund will arrive. Most recently, we have attempted to use email communication to resolve this matter, however it has been 4 weeks with no reply. An email titled ‘Refund update’ from Andrew himself in August 2021 stated refunds would be made in 8-12 weeks, however, 18 months later, we have nothing, nor have we been given any update unless we have sought one. We have been lenient for 18 months, however, we are now currently in the process of seeking further legal action. Whilst things seemed positive when first booking, I can no longer recommend this company and would warn others to be aware.

Update: This company has failed to make contact with us despite the involved of WA Consumer Protection. To date, we still have had no contact from this company, nor have we received our refund.

Beware Red Dirt Rentals – Beware Red Dirt Rental. They don't refund deposit even when you cancel 4 months in advance. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. We are following up with lawyers in an attempt to get refund minus cancellation fee.

Never again! – Proceed with caution! Crikey Campers (WA) Pty Ltd, trading as Crikey Camper Hire, Red Dirt 4WD Rentals, and also known as Red Dirt Rentals, do not have 'force majeure' clauses in their contract Terms and Conditions. You can find their Terms and Conditions on their website, which state that the company asks for a 20% deposit, or other amount (in our case the full hire fee), at the time of booking. They then ask for an $8000 payment for bond at the time of vehicle collection. 'Force majeure' clauses deal with what happens to the deposit or any amounts you've already paid when, for example, the hire can't proceed due to factors beyond either side's control.

With this company, your deposit or upfront payment is at risk, particularly in a COVID environment where travel restrictions can easily interfere with the best laid travel plans. Rather than refunding your deposit, their Terms and Conditions state that they will issue you with a 2 year credit note at standard rental rates, with no admin fees and no 'change fees'. If you are happy with that, then that's fine.

But a credit note in the top drawer isn't going to help you much if you are at all uncertain about when you will next be able to use it, and in a pandemic, who isn't? And if you really need a refund for whatever reason, but you've hired the vehicle in WA or the NT, there is no 'force majeure' or 'frustrated contract' legislation in those jurisdictions, to enable you to recover your deposit.

Reputable hire companies ask for a credit card for bond, rather than cash, and they offer a cooling off period after you book the vehicle and pay the deposit. They also have 'force majeure' clauses in their contracts, offering full refunds of deposits or other upfront payments in the event that COVID restrictions interfere with your travel.

If a company can't take your credit card details for bond, and can't adequately insure themselves (to gain the customer's trust that their deposits will be refunded for force majeure), you really have to ask why not? Particularly when that's the industry standard. It's worth checking out. Be well and stay safe out there folks!