Help! Sixt car hire trying to overbill hugely!

norwichlondon

Hello all,

Wondered if any of you had come across a similar situation, as the one I am in at the moment.

Hired a car from Sixt, for a week's holiday. A fairly cursory check out was completed, during which significant damage (big scratch on the car door) was pointed out but no minor sratches or chips. Upon return, the employee took AGES going over the car with a fine tooth comb and found 3 tiny chips (possibly caused from stones kicking up? Although we didn't drive on gravel or off road). They said we would be contacted in writing. Invoice arrived this morning and they are trying to charge us almsot FOUR HUNDRED POUNDS for the repair!! :mad:

Obviously I have written straight back saying we don't accept the damage, or the costs of repair and asking for their appeals procedure to be sent to us. I would have thought that, inherent within a car hire contract, is an expectation that normal wear and tear comes as standard, a little bit like renting a house.

Does anyone have experience of challenging this kind of thing, or any advice?

Many thanks

NL

anotherbaldrick

did you pay them by credit card ?

norwichlondon

Yep - hence writing immediately to tell them that we dispute charge and do not agree to pay it until the matter is resolved. In the vain hope they won't simply take the payment unilaterally...

Sgt_Pepper_2

Bet they already have done.

MrLopez

This company Sixt did something similar to us, we saw a few minor scratches when collecting the car, but they told us not to worry about them, as these were hair-line scratches.

When returning the car they took photographs of them and claimed £600. After our complain they took 5 months to come back to us requesting this time £300.

We come back to them complaining about the whole situation and today I receive a letter threatening with take us to court if not money is received within 3 days.

I would not recommend this company to anyone.

Tilt

What excess is stated on the RA? Or did you take out damage liability waiver?