QLD Hidden fees charged without knowledge/consent, refusing to return.

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VanHouse

Active Member
1 March 2020
6
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I've recently been in a situation similar to what is explained here: Hidden Fees? Your Australian Consumer Law Rights - Legal Blog - LawAnswers.com.au

A certain car rental company has hidden their change of booking and/or cancellation fees in an obscure, fine print part of their website. At no point during the initial booking nor the changing of booking was such a fee ever mentioned. They then took the fee out of my debit card without consent after the trip was over, and customer service has refused to help because this is most likely one of the main ways they unfairly earn revenue.

I have contacted the ACCC, who have referred me to the AFIA (unfortunately, this company is not one of their "members"), and/or filing through the small claims court, which currently has a fee of ~$27? The amount to be recovered is only about double of that.

If I do go ahead with the small claim, am I also entitled to have the filing fee covered by the defendent? How about any potential legal fees from drafting a formal claim?

Or should are there other routes to recover my money more suited for cases like this?