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A Melbourne luxury car hire business has been accused of ripping off its customers by refusing to return deposits of up to $30,000.
Consumer Affairs Victoria issued a warning on Tuesday that almost 50 complaints had been made against Melbourne Luxury Car Hire over its alleged failure to refund security deposits in a “timely manner, or at all”.
The business has links to another prestige car company that was the subject of a drive-by shooting and a bikie assault last year.
The company, located on Queensbridge Street, Southbank, charges deposits of $2000 to $30,000 for its prestige cars including Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Mercedes, BMWs and Aston Martins.
A lawyer acting for the company denied the claims by the consumer watchdog and threatened to issue civil court proceedings against CAV and its director Simon Cohen.
Documents from the Australian corporate regulator show Melbourne Luxury Car Hire shares the same contact address with Dream Drives Melbourne in Burnley St, Richmond.
Dream Drives Melbourne was sprayed with several rounds of bullets on June 23 last year.
A month earlier, Comancheros president Hasan Topal punched one of its staff members over a $20,000 contract dispute. He was later convicted of the assault that left the victim with a fractured eye socket.
“Im going to start beating you guys up one by one, and then destroy your cars one by one,” he told staff.
Dream Drives was also accused by its customers of failing to return large deposits.
CAV said it received 46 complaints about Melbourne Luxury Car Hire between November 2017 and August this year, including from vehicle owners who said they had not been paid after leasing cars to the company.
Mr Cohen said he was concerned the company was offering unfair contract terms.
“You should be very cautious before dealing with Melbourne Luxury Car Hire,” the warning said.
The car hire companys lawyer, DSA Law Partner Joseph Alesci, said he had instructions to launch civil proceedings against CAV and Mr Cohen.
He accused CAV of maliciously damaging the company’s reputation and repeatedly refusing to provide details of the complaints made by aggrieved customers.
“We’re not asking for War and Peace, we just want the details of who made the complaint and the nature of the complaint,” Mr Alesci said.
Mr Alesci confirmed there had been occasions when deposits had not been returned, but insisted it had only occurred when vehicles had been damaged or speeding fines incurred.
“Our client is deeply aggrieved at the conduct of CAV and the obvious denial … of natural justice,” he said.
CAVs investigation into Melbourne Luxury Car Hire Pty Ltd is ongoing.
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