Lyft charges Toronto mom $50 for ‘damaging’ vehicle with kids’ snowy boots

TORONTO — A Toronto mother says she felt robbed after a ride-sharing company charged her a $50 damage fee because her children left snow from their boots inside the floor of a vehicle.

Rehana Parvin told CTV News Toronto that she ordered a Lyft vehicle during the winter squall Friday to pick up her two children and a neighbour’s child from school.

“In that weather, what do you expect? It was snowy weather everyone would have snow on their boots,” she said. “It makes me feel like I have been robbed that someone is taking advantage of this weather.”

Although her walk home from the school would have been short, she said she chose to order a vehicle because of the sharp wind and snow.

During the three-minute ride home, she said she noticed the children had left snow from their boots on the floor of the vehicle and apologised to the driver.

“He said that it was okay and he understood, but when I got home I saw that he had reported the damage,” she said. “I don’t understand how someone could do this.”

Parvin said the ridesharing company sent her photos of the snow left behind inside the vehicle, and told her that after completing a “holistic review” of her case, they will not be able to reverse the fee.

The photos show the honeycomb-patterned floor mat partially filled with melting brown snow. The actual floor of the car and beneath the door also appeared wet from snow.

“I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but please know that we have investigated this case to its fullest extent,” the support team wrote in an email to Parvin on Feb. 28.

“If the ride matches the anecdotal evidence of the situation given by a driver then a fee will be charged accordingly.”

Parvin said the initial ride was supposed to cost $7.75, but with the additional charge it came to $57.75.

After CTV News Toronto reached out to Lyft Canada, the company contacted Parvin and told her that the fee was reversed.

"We take damage disputes such as these very seriously. Lyft’s support team investigates each incident individually and takes action based on the evidence available," the company said in a statement to CTV News Toronto.

"After completing our investigation, we made the determination to refund the damage fee and have reached out to notify the rider."

Parvin said she's pleased the fee was reversed, but added that her real aim was to raise awareness about the unfair charge and warn others.