I was in Norway skiing a couple of weeks ago and hired a car. It was from one of the major international companies. I should have asked to inspect
the car prior but I was tired and completely forgot. I'm sure you can see where this is going.
After I returned it (and they didn't check it on return but contacted me a couple of days later) they said it was damaged. After asking for
proof they sent me pictures of the front bumper which does indeed have cracks in it. I told them it must have happened prior to me picking it up as I
certainly hadn't done that.
The manager has just sent me a damage report (the kind you normally fill out prior to taking the car to say there's no damage) with my name
written on it (not by me!) and not signed.
I'm pretty angry - its a major f-up at best and a total scam at worst. They still have my£900 deposit. Not sure whether to take it up with the
head office. Social media. Or try to get my bank to reverse the charge.
What are the dates on the images they sent? Are they the same as your drop off day.
Ask them the the inspection report that you signed too. Explain that you didn't sign anything to say that the car had no damage.
Unfortunately it's ar car hire scam, get the same damage paid for multiple times so all you can do is argue and ask for the previous hire notes.
quote:
Originally posted by mark chandler
Unfortunately it's ar car hire scam, get the same damage paid for multiple times so all you can do is argue and ask for the previous hire notes.
Best thing to do for the future is buy insurance through a UK company.
Everything is covered and it's far cheaper than the insurance offered by the companies.
Eurocar tried it with me a couple of years ago.
Tried to tell me id cracked the windscreen and left the interior a mess and it would cost me £500!
I dropped the car off out of hours and they contacted me days later, they sent photos there were date stamped from 3 days after i returned the car!
I think I threatened them with court after stating the reasons why I wouldnt be paying and they promptly backed off and as a gesture of goodwill
wouldn't charge me... ha!
Standard scam just fight it and they will go away. It common these days I only use enterprise now got that reason.. Just argue lots and it will be ok. Unless they have your signiture on your rental date its generally ok
If he has sent you the pick up for your hire, and you have not signed it, then surely that proves that you did not accept that the car was spotless.
Did you sign anything? If you signed the hand over of keys doc the small print days that you would contact them in the event of any damage or
accident. This therefore shows that if you had done it you would of contacted them.
You may have several pieces of evidence that build your case, they need concrete evidence to prove you did it.
Fight your corner.
I've found recently that hire places don't have someone about when you return the car, or if they do they pretend to be busy and say "just leave the keys there". When questioned they say they don't need to inspect it. Generally it's not been an issue but we did get caught out on one time, fortunately I always do a walk round video and photograph hire cars when I leave them to prove how I left it. That said, I can see how you can forget to do this or not have time, and it's a joke that you have to.
+1. Video inside and out on pickup and one on dropping off. Stick the first one on youtube as a private video as soon as filmed......
Playing Devil's advocate, there are a number of ways this could have happened:
1. You failed to notice pre-existing damage, and the hire company also had not noticed it beforehand, leaving you looking culpable. Your hire
agreement will include small print that states that by driving the car you are accepting the condition it was handed to you in. You not signing is
probably no defence.
2. The car wasn't damaged before you had it, and either you damaged it (and are not owning up to it) or someone else caused the damage whilst
parked up (but in your care). Either way it was damaged whilst under your hire contract
3. The car was damaged, you failed to notice it, and the hire company have a sideline in seized damage deposits.
My best mate operates one of the largest and busiest hire car locations in the country, and you would be amazed at what some people try to claim. Just
last week he had someone write off a brand new M4 by driving it off a cliff in Wales. It landed 100m from the road having bounced off lots of rocks,
and yet the driver claimed he was doing 20mph when a sheep stepped out in front of him. My point being that the public are more likely to be pulling a
fast one than the company. How many of us have tried to get away with a minor mark, or nor filling up the fuel..?
Why not just take the optional insurance next time, and avoid this. I am sure there are plenty who will say it is a money making scheme, but they are
a business after all!
quote:
Originally posted by twybrow
Playing Devil's advocate, there are a number of ways this could have happened:
1. You failed to notice pre-existing damage, and the hire company also had not noticed it beforehand, leaving you looking culpable. Your hire agreement will include small print that states that by driving the car you are accepting the condition it was handed to you in. You not signing is probably no defence.
2. The car wasn't damaged before you had it, and either you damaged it (and are not owning up to it) or someone else caused the damage whilst parked up (but in your care). Either way it was damaged whilst under your hire contract
3. The car was damaged, you failed to notice it, and the hire company have a sideline in seized damage deposits.
My best mate operates one of the largest and busiest hire car locations in the country, and you would be amazed at what some people try to claim. Just last week he had someone write off a brand new M4 by driving it off a cliff in Wales. It landed 100m from the road having bounced off lots of rocks, and yet the driver claimed he was doing 20mph when a sheep stepped out in front of him. My point being that the public are more likely to be pulling a fast one than the company. How many of us have tried to get away with a minor mark, or nor filling up the fuel..?
Why not just take the optional insurance next time, and avoid this. I am sure there are plenty who will say it is a money making scheme, but they are a business after all!
Aye same scam..
I picked a motor up at Brussels airport, they gave me a report to say no damage (brand new mercedes) which was hard to see in the multi car park...
Drove up the motorway to the Genk Ford factory, parked it in the car park, went inside for a meeting, got me arse roasted, came out and drove back to
the airport. At no point did I touch, or crash into anything. Far too busy concentrating on driving on the wrong side of the road!
On arrival at the airport a dude with a clipboard walks over straight to the front of the car and immediately points to a scratch on the underside of
the bumper.. I had to bend down on the ground to see it and he never went from straight up...
Told him to F off and handed the keys back in at the hut and walked off.....
A while later.....
Booked a car from Avis in Fuengirola and specifically told the (English) guy on reception I would be leaving it at Malaga airport. no problem sir,
happens all the time...
Arrives at the airport end of the week to be told Im a day late and in the wrong location and without taking a breath she goes thats another 90euro...
pulled the original bit of paper out of my pocket and sticks it in the tarts face... ok sorry sir, have a nice day she says....
Im sure, sure they try it on to see how much extra they can ring out of ya....
quote:
Originally posted by twybrow
How many of us have tried to get away with a minor mark, or nor filling up the fuel..?
Why not just take the optional insurance next time, and avoid this. I am sure there are plenty who will say it is a money making scheme, but they are a business after all!
Spectated on the Manx Rally a few years ago and picked up the hire car at the airport in the IOM
Refused to sign anything until I'd checked the car for damage
There was more ripples & dents on it than the surface of the moon
Made sure that everyone was noted by the hire car agent before taking it away and they were less than impressed
The up-shot was there was no come back
BUT if i hadn't been so arsey about it in the first place, I'd have left myself wide open to comeback on its return
Sorry, I just don't trust 'em...
Appreciate that time can be pressing, but its just not worth the risk imho
Well here's the follow up. I'm not sure if its a good outcome or not. Basically European Car Rental Conciliation Service have backed up
the hire company and don't believe me (stating at one point that I signed it and at another that I didn't). But at the same time the hire
company seems to have refunded my deposit. Also they sent me a small invoice for toll road fees and made no mention of damages. So maybe they just
don't want to pursue it/were never going to repair the damages anyway.
I've attached the letter from ECRCS:
Dear Mr ******
We have now received a response from Sixt regarding your complaint. Having carefully reviewed the information from both parties we are now in a
position to offer our comments and observations.
We note that you rented a vehicle and on return were charged for damage that was deemed to be new. We understand that you dispute the charge as you
were not given the opportunity to inspect the vehicle at collection and did not sign an inspection report.
Sixt has provided a copy of your signed rental agreement and the inspection report. We note that you signed the rental agreement accepting financial
responsibility for damage to the vehicle up to the agreed excess amount of NOK 9000.00. We acknowledge your comments that you were not given the
chance to inspect the vehicle when collecting it. We are of the view that it is your responsibility to inspect the vehicle carefully on collection
looking for any signs of damage. Any damage found should be recorded on the rental agreement or inspection report.
We appreciate that the inspection report was not signed and you did not write your name on it. However there does appear to be a similarity between
this and your initials on the rental agreement.
In light of the evidence before us we are of the view that the charges have been correctly raised by Sixt and we are unable to uphold your complaint
against them. We would like to assure you that all aspects of your complaint have been fully examined and would wish to thank you for bringing the
matter to our attention.
Kind regards
European Car Rental Conciliation Service