Enterprise Car Rental - Non Return of Deposit

nickbristol83

Interested to know if any one has experience or knowledge of consumer rights surrounding car hire.
I hired a car from Enterprise over the festive period, about 3 hours after picking up the car I got a flat tire. As hire cars don't appear to come with spares any more (guess people nick them?)I used the supplied tire sealant inflation kit, but the puncture was to big and the tire refused to inflate. The AA attended and got me to a Kwik fit branch who replaced the tire. I had contacted the Enterprise branch and they authorized the payment for the replacement.
On returning the car to the Enterprise branch, I was told that it was company policy to with hold the 200 pound deposit and take a further 400 pounds to cover the excess payment (600 total!) the remaining would then be refunded to me once the cost of the repair had been ascertained from Kwik Fit. However after some 'discussions' I got the amount down to 150 pounds, considering the guy that had fitted the tire told me that the retail value was 70 pounds, this was still over what needed to be paid.
Three weeks later I have still not received a refund of the difference, despite repeated phone calls to head office, I am told that Kiwk Fit have not provided evidence of costs so they are unable to release the funds.

Two questions:
1) Should I be paying for the tire in the first place?
2) How long are Enterprise legally allowed to keep my deposit without proof of costs?

Thanks

mattyprice4004

If the flat happened in your possession, then yes you should be paying for it.

Not sure about the 2nd point though!

ThumbRemote

nickbristol83 wrote: »

2) How long are Enterprise legally allowed to keep my deposit without proof of costs?

Is there anything in the terms and conditions you signed to cover this.

If not, they have withheld your money outside the terms of the contract - write to insist on it being returned giving an acceptable timescale, then move to a letter before action and small claims court.

UnderPressure

All seems a bit harsh to me, I have hired of Enterprise a number of times and always had a great experience with them sorry to hear they are being like this over a tyre!

Have you tried phoning their head office customer services and seeing what they can do? I know sometimes all car hire branches can be a law unto themselves when head office get involved it sometimes redresses the balance