Trapped tourists say 'we've been unfairly charged'

Tourists Mathieu Bekkkai and Laetitia Lambert.

The two French tourists caught in a slip in the lower Buller Gorge a fortnight ago believe they have been unfairly charged an excess of $2000 for damage to their rental camper.

Mathieu Bekkai, 29, and Laetitia Lambert, 28, both of Normandy, were travelling in their hired camper when it got stuck on a log.

Mr Bekkai left the vehicle to try and remove the log when the slip fell across the road, hitting him and the camper. He sustained minor injuries.

Minutes after the police arrived at the scene, Mr Bekkai received an email from Wicked Campers informing him $2000 had been taken from his credit card "for the damage caused as you advised roadside".

The camper was not fit for driving after the slip, and Mr Bekkai and Ms Lambert have since made their own way to Auckland and travelled on to Australia.

Mr Bekkai emailed Wicked Campers owner John Webb on March 7, requesting the $2000, as well as the $500 bond the pair paid, be returned, as the slip was a natural disaster.

Mr Bekkai also paid $189.67 for the salvage of the camper.

Mr Webb responded to his email on March 9, saying it had been forwarded to the company's damage department.

Mr Bekkai contacted Mr Webb again on March 13, saying he had yet to hear from the department and asking if this was this normal.

Mr Webb responded that day saying he had sent a follow-up email to the department on their behalf.

The News emailed Mr Webb on Monday, but he has yet to respond.