Hire van damage
Discussion
Hi All
I rented a van from a well known international rental company.
Van was returned on 2 May. They inspect it on return, say everything is ok, say credit card hold will be released. Hold is released.
12 days later I receive an email from their damage unit saying a "change of condition has been registered" and they "acknowlegde that you raised a dispute". I reply immediately saying I was unaware of any damage, and therefore had not raised a dispute, and asking them to clarify what it's all about. No reply is received.
7 days later, they take £2000 off my credit card.
Debating how to proceed - either call up damage unit for a chat, raise a dispute with credit card company, phone the branch I rented it from, or all three. Can't do anything until after the bank holiday, so thought I'd ask here for advice in the meantime!
Thanks in advance
I rented a van from a well known international rental company.
Van was returned on 2 May. They inspect it on return, say everything is ok, say credit card hold will be released. Hold is released.
12 days later I receive an email from their damage unit saying a "change of condition has been registered" and they "acknowlegde that you raised a dispute". I reply immediately saying I was unaware of any damage, and therefore had not raised a dispute, and asking them to clarify what it's all about. No reply is received.
7 days later, they take £2000 off my credit card.
Debating how to proceed - either call up damage unit for a chat, raise a dispute with credit card company, phone the branch I rented it from, or all three. Can't do anything until after the bank holiday, so thought I'd ask here for advice in the meantime!
Thanks in advance
Proceed with all of the above options. Hire car companies are complete shysters.
Great in hindsight, but I have learnt to take a video of the vehicle on pickup and dropoff.
A colleague recently had similar, he captured damage on collection and sent them an image. The hire company used the SAME imagine he took to claim he damaged the vehicle.
Great in hindsight, but I have learnt to take a video of the vehicle on pickup and dropoff.
A colleague recently had similar, he captured damage on collection and sent them an image. The hire company used the SAME imagine he took to claim he damaged the vehicle.
I had similar a while ago...............parked in drop-off area and fella came out and checked it...all ok..........he then moved it into their compound.
Some time later they claimed damage and sent photos.......except van obviously not where I had left it on drop-off so informed them and c-card Co van had obviously been moved by them around their compound.......c-card Co refunded and never heard any more about it.......shysters these hire co's!
Some time later they claimed damage and sent photos.......except van obviously not where I had left it on drop-off so informed them and c-card Co van had obviously been moved by them around their compound.......c-card Co refunded and never heard any more about it.......shysters these hire co's!
I had ann issue with Hertz, basically they tried charging me £1000 for returning the car back to the wrong site. The booking clerk had been working at another site and booked the car in did all the checks, but the tablet was incorrectly programmed. Tried the online approach with no effect. I ended up going into the branch to get it sorted. I now only use small local companies that you can get a real person on the phone.
I once rented a van from sixt which was absolutely f
ked and had a scratch or dent on every panel, and a cracked windscreen. Whatever, I only needed it for taking ste to the dump and local runs for the weekend.
Returned it in exactly the same condition. They then tried it on that the subframe was bent. Absolutely no idea how I’m supposed to assess that on picking it up, or how the guy I handed it back to is able to inspect that. Anyway, I replied that I didn’t accept it and based on the fact that the van was visibly fked in every way when I picked it up, and nothing I have done in the 120km I’d used it for would have caused that level of damage, and I would be defending this rigorously if it came to it.
They dropped the claim.
If you’ve scratched it or damaged it then you’re on the hook. The only way of defending yourself against this is to take a full 4K video with commentary at the time of rental, and photos. Or, buy their rip off insurance. They are alls.
ked and had a scratch or dent on every panel, and a cracked windscreen. Whatever, I only needed it for taking ste to the dump and local runs for the weekend. Returned it in exactly the same condition. They then tried it on that the subframe was bent. Absolutely no idea how I’m supposed to assess that on picking it up, or how the guy I handed it back to is able to inspect that. Anyway, I replied that I didn’t accept it and based on the fact that the van was visibly f
ked in every way when I picked it up, and nothing I have done in the 120km I’d used it for would have caused that level of damage, and I would be defending this rigorously if it came to it.They dropped the claim.
If you’ve scratched it or damaged it then you’re on the hook. The only way of defending yourself against this is to take a full 4K video with commentary at the time of rental, and photos. Or, buy their rip off insurance. They are all
s. Panamax said:
elise2000 said:
7 days later, they take £2000 off my credit card.
Did you really rent a van with a £2,000 excess on the insurance?Last time I rented (some years ago) it was £250
I did take out excess insurance with another company, so I should be able to claim it back if all other avenues fail.
ashenfie said:
I had ann issue with Hertz, basically they tried charging me £1000 for returning the car back to the wrong site. The booking clerk had been working at another site and booked the car in did all the checks, but the tablet was incorrectly programmed. Tried the online approach with no effect. I ended up going into the branch to get it sorted. I now only use small local companies that you can get a real person on the phone.
I wanted to use a local company but sadly due to distance needed (3000 miles) and across Europe, none of the local companies would let meelise2000 said:
ashenfie said:
I had ann issue with Hertz, basically they tried charging me £1000 for returning the car back to the wrong site. The booking clerk had been working at another site and booked the car in did all the checks, but the tablet was incorrectly programmed. Tried the online approach with no effect. I ended up going into the branch to get it sorted. I now only use small local companies that you can get a real person on the phone.
I wanted to use a local company but sadly due to distance needed (3000 miles) and across Europe, none of the local companies would let meGoogle the hire car company. You might find the reviews say they are scamming barstewards.
vikingaero said:
elise2000 said:
ashenfie said:
I had ann issue with Hertz, basically they tried charging me £1000 for returning the car back to the wrong site. The booking clerk had been working at another site and booked the car in did all the checks, but the tablet was incorrectly programmed. Tried the online approach with no effect. I ended up going into the branch to get it sorted. I now only use small local companies that you can get a real person on the phone.
I wanted to use a local company but sadly due to distance needed (3000 miles) and across Europe, none of the local companies would let meGoogle the hire car company. You might find the reviews say they are scamming barstewards.
When I used hire cars for work I would refuse to sign for them. Chances are they would drop the keys through the letter box anyway. They would drop cars off days in advance and then not collect for days after too, so plenty of opportunities for damage when not on hire.
I also got charged, through my wages, for "damage" that after much chasing, turned out to be a parking charge for a car that was nothing to do with me.
I also got charged, through my wages, for "damage" that after much chasing, turned out to be a parking charge for a car that was nothing to do with me.
vikingaero said:
elise2000 said:
ashenfie said:
I had ann issue with Hertz, basically they tried charging me £1000 for returning the car back to the wrong site. The booking clerk had been working at another site and booked the car in did all the checks, but the tablet was incorrectly programmed. Tried the online approach with no effect. I ended up going into the branch to get it sorted. I now only use small local companies that you can get a real person on the phone.
I wanted to use a local company but sadly due to distance needed (3000 miles) and across Europe, none of the local companies would let meGoogle the hire car company. You might find the reviews say they are scamming barstewards.
A few years back, a friend of mine was working in America. He'd come back periodically and rent a car.
One time, they signed off the car as ok on return (and he got a copy) - but weeks later claimed it was damaged. And even said that he had acknowledged the damage on the form.
Went to court where the company produced their 'proof' - which did indeed have writing acknowledging damage when the car was returned.
Then he produced his copy with no such writing.
Thrown out immediately.
Not sure whether there was any comeback on the company for fraud.
(I can't remember what company it was)
One time, they signed off the car as ok on return (and he got a copy) - but weeks later claimed it was damaged. And even said that he had acknowledged the damage on the form.
Went to court where the company produced their 'proof' - which did indeed have writing acknowledging damage when the car was returned.
Then he produced his copy with no such writing.
Thrown out immediately.
Not sure whether there was any comeback on the company for fraud.
(I can't remember what company it was)
Forums | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff