Party Rental Fees?
Fees, taxes, and tolls are a part of our everday lives. We expect to pay these things when certain services are rendered to us. However, how can you clearly understand all the fees that are associated with services that you purchase, specifically in regards to party rentals?
Delivery Fees: Many party rental companies like to tack on delivery fees to the price of their rental equipment. Delivery is a real cost of doing business for all party rental companies. However, these fees can many times be misleading. There are even horror stories about companies who do not specify a delivery fee upfront at the time of the reservation, but charge a fee upon delivery. This is an unethical practice that some choose to engage in. This basically forces the customer to pay a fee that they were not aware of. The worst thing about this scenario is that the equipment will not be setup until the fee is paid. This is a raw deal indeed.
Equipment/Miscellaneous Fees: This is the “catch-all” fee category. Beware of these. Many times these fees are just adders that add to the bottom line of the rental company. These fees can range from a few percent to several hundred dollars depending on the size of the event. Buyer beware of these!
Taxes: Most rental companies do not include sales tax in their rental price. This charge, like most retail stores, is added on top of the rental price. It is often unclear if the taxes are added on top of the other fee items that may be included on the rental invoice. There are however, a few companies out there who may choose to include this charge in the base price of their rental rate. This is many times convenient for people because they can easily predict the price that they are going to be paying for the services that are being rendered. This arrangement may be convenient for many people, and could be an advantage to you.
When renting party supplies, be sure that you are specific with the party rental company on the fee structure. Be sure to get something in writing that shows exactly what is and what is not being charged to your for their service. This will lead to less surprises, and a happier party experience.
