CSi RentalsReviews of csirentals.com

Helpful and friendly staff. Reliable gears.

Seamless transaction. Easy pick up and drop off. They show a lot of care in dealing with us. My rental house of choice.

They are wonderful!

I decided to utilize the 4 day rental for the price of 1 over the Thanksgiving holiday. I called CSI Rentals on 11/22 to make a reservation to pick up on 11/23. I inquired about what I had to bring in order to facilitate the in person rental. I was informed by the person on the phone that I only needed to bring my State ID and a credit card. I then asked if there was anything else I needed to bring. Twice. Both times I was told no. I also double checked the CSI website and it said the same thing. On 11/23 I arrived 4 hours before closing to pick up my rental. I was told by the person behind the counter that my NY State Photo ID wasn't acceptable because it has a P.O. Box listed as the address. I informed them that it was my official address and all my documents including my passport has this P.O. Box on it. The person behind the counter then referred to the "boss" whom I can only assume is George Hertz. Hertz then told me that I needed to bring a utility bill of some sort with a street address on it as a proof of address, otherwise they would have to hold $2100 on my credit card. I asked them if the hold could be partial; like $1900 or so, since I did have a valid ID. They said no, it has to be the full $2100. So I left Manhattan and returned to my home in Brooklyn to search for a bill with a street address on it. Once I found it, I called CSI to make sure the proof of address would be accepted. When I called in to explain the situation, the worker on the other end seemed legitimately surprised and confused. He asked "They didn't let you pick up because of that? Your order is already packed." At this point, it was an hour before closing and I was becoming more and more suspicious that the way I was being treated was not protocol. I expressed this to the person on the phone and they assured me that is was policy and every customer is asked for proof of street address. I then inquired as to why I was not told to bring this on the phone when I made my initial reservation, why this was not listed on the CSI website and why he seemed shocked and confused when I told him I had been denied because of it. He deflected the question. He then spoke to someone in the store, apparently the man I had dealt with in person, who lied and said I was denied rental because I provided a debit cart. That is a blatant lie. I provided a valid credit card and at no point did anyone express to me that they assumed it was a debit card. I was even advised to call my credit card company to request a bump in limit over the weekend, if I didn't have enough credit for the entire $2100 hold. When I told them this, they put me on hold again. Then the worker came back and asked if it would be ok to hold $1000 on my card to facilitate the rental. I said fine because it was late and I had a shoot over the weekend and I was just tired of the whole thing. He then put me on hold again and said if I came back with my CC and ID I could make the rental. (The same things I brought before?! Including a partial hold that I was told was not possible?) I agreed and told them they had run me around and wasted my time and since I was in Brooklyn, I couldn't make it back by 6pm. They said if I came before 6:30pm someone should be there and to hurry up. Then they called me back 3 MORE TIMES to raise the hold to $1500 from $1000 and to ask me to send my credit card info and photos of the front and back so they can run the card before I come. I refused. Why would I give some rando on the phone all that info when I will be there in person with said card in an hour? And to charge me for equipment that I didn't check out and didn't even have in my possession? Why would I ever let a business do something like that? So I can roll up after 6pm to closed gates? I had no record of my transaction or order number because I did it by phone and picked up in person. They could have charged my card and gone home for the holidays and said "Welp, it was after 6pm. She was late. Not our fault." And I would have had no recourse. Basically, their racist brains could not fathom how a young Black person could have an extra $1500 sitting around on my credit card for this hold. So because I am Black, they assumed I was lying, and wanted to run the card before I came. I refused once again. The person on the phone actually had the audacity to tell me "Well if you feel confident you have the $1500," (Are you KIDDING me ?!) "then it is fine." The 3rd and final time they called me back it was to offer me an ultimatum: If I didn't give them the info for them to run my card before I arrive for equipment that is not in my possession, I could not complete the rental. I was so offended and disgusted at their racist, dishonest and unprofessional behaviour that I told them to cancel it. I did everything right, but because they are unduly suspicious of Black people and think it is impossible for us to have money, I had to cancel my 2 day shoot. This is unacceptable. And when I called back to address the situation after the holiday weekend, at first the woman on the phone was friendly. But when I told her my name, her tone completely changed, like an "Ugh, it's you." kind of tone. For what?! They inconvenienced me. I did nothing but refuse to allow myself to be mistreated and abused by racists. Then, she actually had the nerve to ask me if I wanted to re-reserve the gear. Like I would actually still patronize their business after the way they treated me! That is when I realized that they saw absolutely nothing wrong with what they did and had probably done it to a million Black renters before me. So I thought it better to make my experience known, so other Black renters can be aware of the biased treatment. Do not give money to businesses that don't respect you. CSI Rentals are despicable and have no respect for Black renters.

Personal customer service. Friendly, professional, and easy to work with.

Everything went perfectly smooth. The rates are not the best in the market and a little discount would have been appreciated, but the staff is very helpful and professional.

Everything positive with CSI Rentals. Equipment always in good shape, delivery punctual, customer service a pleasure, great website for placing order and checking account.

It's not often that you walk into a rental space and feel so cared for.