• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

Rental companies ripping you off!!!

Ronsii

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
3,464
Location
Western Washington
Occupation
s/e Heavy equipment operator
Anyone else notice that just recently most all of the big guys are now charging you time and a half above the hourly rental rates if you go over 8 hours a day?

We rented some light towers recently and noticed on the fine print that anything over 40 hours a week is billed at 1.5X and 2.0X when you go over 50 hours:eek: called them up and they said anything with an hour meter is like that now!!!

We rented a bunch of stuff several months ago and there were no overtime charges then.... now all of the sudden they basically up their rates without upping their rates ;)

sinbelt-tower6.jpg
 

NepeanGC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2017
Messages
203
Location
Ottawa, Ontario
Occupation
#dirtherder
That is absolutely insane...I would be finding a different rental house. They don't do that around here - though admittedly I never deal with Sunbelt...because they're scum.
 

John C.

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
12,865
Location
Northwest
Occupation
Machinery & Equipment Appraiser
Welcome to telematics and the internet. They won't miss a minute of use anymore.
 

Ronsii

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
3,464
Location
Western Washington
Occupation
s/e Heavy equipment operator
That is absolutely insane...I would be finding a different rental house. They don't do that around here - though admittedly I never deal with Sunbelt...because they're scum.
We deal with all the big guys.... called around and apparently they are the same now... :(
 

old-iron-habit

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2012
Messages
4,233
Location
Moose Lake, MN
Occupation
Retired Cons't. Supt./Hospitals
Sounds like they are bring all the machines into the same realm as Dozers, loaders, cranes, etc, have always been. Although they used to give us 50 hour weeks per our agreement.
 

Ronsii

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
3,464
Location
Western Washington
Occupation
s/e Heavy equipment operator
We've rented lifts. excavators, rollers, dozers, etc.... pretty much anything they rent we get and don't ever remember seeing the overtime calcs. on them before.... they said it has been this way for a little while now. There has always been a 40-50 hour week rental price and if you go over then you get charged more for the extra time... but not the overtime calcs!

Same thing with SB, UR, HZ etc...
 

92U 3406

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2017
Messages
3,100
Location
Western Canuckistan
Occupation
Wrench Bender
That'd go over like a lead balloon up here. Nobody works 8 hours. Almost every operation here runs either 12 or 24 hours a day, 7 days week.
 

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,260
Location
Canada
Most contracts I've seen state the hours but not all hour meters are totally accurate either. Some hour meters, like on tractors, are at a certain RPM and run faster at a higher RPM. I've seen hour meters that keep running for while even after the machine is shut off. I guess it would be something to try and negotiate and have written on the contract. If not try another rental outfit. It's like the buyers (and sellers) premium that auctions now have. What a farce!
 

ianjoub

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2018
Messages
1,437
Location
Homosassa, FL USA
Some hour meters, like on tractors, are at a certain RPM and run faster at a higher RPM. I've seen hour meters that keep running for while even after the machine is shut off.
Sounds like a heck of a lawsuit. Have them mail you the bill and it is mail and wire fraud and someone will spend some time in federal prison.
 

Nige

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Messages
28,985
Location
G..G..G..Granville.........!! Fetch your cloth.
That'd go over like a lead balloon up here. Nobody works 8 hours. Almost every operation here runs either 12 or 24 hours a day, 7 days week.
Correct, but if you wanted to rent something for your operation you'd first (I assume) get a quote from the rental company based on the working schedule that you were expecting to use it, no.?

Dave, with electronic engines most hour meters are now considered accurate to at least 2 decimal places, if not more. The latest PSR I looked at the hours were quoted to 4 places of decimals. Example below.
upload_2020-1-11_16-57-18.png
 

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,260
Location
Canada
I guess it would depend on the machine but some hour meters work off the tach. What happens if you accidently leave the key on or something? For a day rental I can maybe see an hour limit but for a week or month rental, it's just gouging in my opinion.
 

92U 3406

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2017
Messages
3,100
Location
Western Canuckistan
Occupation
Wrench Bender
Correct, but if you wanted to rent something for your operation you'd first (I assume) get a quote from the rental company based on the working schedule that you were expecting to use it, no.?

Dave, with electronic engines most hour meters are now considered accurate to at least 2 decimal places, if not more. The latest PSR I looked at the hours were quoted to 4 places of decimals. Example below.
View attachment 208392

When I worked at the rental shop, majority of our rentals were long term deals. Usually 3+ months during a major shutdown or plant build. I imagine most customers were given quotes and what not. I never dealt with the numbers side of the business though.
 

Knepptune

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2012
Messages
757
Location
Indiana
I thought that’s how all rentals worked. Every rental agreement I’ve ever seen stated that a normal week was 40hrs and anything above that would be billed extra.
 

Ronsii

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
3,464
Location
Western Washington
Occupation
s/e Heavy equipment operator
I thought that’s how all rentals worked. Every rental agreement I’ve ever seen stated that a normal week was 40hrs and anything above that would be billed extra.
Yes, this is how it always was. But now they've decided the machine is worth a lot more(per hour) when you use it for more than 8 hours in a day or more than 5 days a week:eek:.
 

John C.

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
12,865
Location
Northwest
Occupation
Machinery & Equipment Appraiser
All rental contracts I've had eyes on state exactly the rates charged. I can't believe this would be a surprise to anyone who rents regularly. When I was an employee my time was worth more after eight and twice as much on Sundays. Why would machine time be any different?

Analog hours meters haven't been on any rental machines I've seen in at least ten years. Hour meters driven from governors went out in the seventies or earlier when Hobbs brought in their electric meters. What are the chances of any rental company handling machines that old.
 

Ronsii

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
3,464
Location
Western Washington
Occupation
s/e Heavy equipment operator
Yes, personal wages have always(for a long time) for the most part had overtime but overtime for a machine...o_O and this is a fairly recent change in billing practice within the last 3-4 months for all these guys. With rates like that it would be cheaper to rent two or three machines and alternate them every 8 hours :confused: just more of a hassle...
 

hosspuller

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2014
Messages
1,869
Location
North Carolina
I can top that … I wanted to rent a skidsteer for a week. The rate was for 40 hours, okay.. Only the week was 5 days. Drop off sometime on Monday, Pick-up at their schedule on Friday. I could only depend on it being available for 3 days use. Weather being a critical factor in my requirements.
Needless to say I went to BobCat. Their weekly rate was 7 days. 40 meter hours included.
 
Top