hertz damage claims? anyone dealt with 'em?

agenthunt

Hi all

I have been fighting Hertz for almost 5 months now. Just wondering if anyone had similar experience and could share their expertise?!

I rented a car with Hertz around 8 months ago. I've booked it online and collected within 2 hours time at Stansted airport. The car I was given had just come off from another renter and they didn't even bother to clean it before giving me the keys. Anyways so I drove off the car only to find out the windscreen had a chip after like 15 miles on my way. It was a rainy night and there was poor light when I collected the car and couldn't manage to notice the chip at the time of collection.
I immediately called them but like any other customer service, they were 'closed' for the day. Had to ring them up first thing in the morning and report the damage. The lady suggested me to use the car 'carefully' and return it back as there are no repalcement cars available (it was christmas time)
Finally I've returned the car that night. Then after a month they deducted £580 pounds from my bank account for windscreen repacement+labour. As this transaction was not agreed upon, I called my bank and had them cancel the transaction. From that day on Hertz has been sending me letters regarding debt collections. I've formally written many complaints to the main office but they were unwilling to acknowledge the fact that the error was on their side failing to inspect the crack on the windscreen when the previous renter returned the car. Now this week they threatened me to pay the 'debt' by next monday or else they will have to escalate it to 'debt collectors'. 580 is a massive amount to pay for something that you didn't do. I ran out of options and just wondering if someone out there have had any experience with them?

thanks a lot for your valuable time

bris

The only rights they have are if they get a court order, until then it's all just threats with no powers.

Write to them one last time telling them the debt is in dispute and not to write to you again unless it's with a court date which is where you will settle the matter.

They will go away as it's not in their best interests to take you to court, the time and money they would need to take on this would far outweigh the chance of recovering £580 and they know they probably wouldn't win anyway.

agenthunt

Thanks for that bris. I guess I will write to them one last time. Just annoyed about the way they've approached things. And the fact that they will approach debt collectors is daunting for customers, especially when we think about it's effect on the individual's credit rating.

ThumbRemote

What was on the paperwork you signed? Usually there's a picture of the car, with damage marked on it. Does it specifically say uninspected? You could run into difficulties if you signed to say the car was OK.

Buzby

Can anyone substantiate the damage was Pre-existing on collection? Without this - and the fact their paperwork - which you will have signed noting pre-existing damage is crucial, if this did not note the crack, you are liable for it regardless.

Your bank should have made you agree to an indemnity when cancelling be CC transaction as car hire damage does not have to be previously agreed. They will most likely claim the bank who will simply bill you.

To challenge this you need corroboration, urgently.

Hintza

I have been in exactly the same situation, but I was lucky the rental company went bust.

Did you sign anything to say the car was in good condition with any faults marked? If you did you might struggle.

agenthunt

Unfortunately I did. Well when I was collecting the car, they just gave me the keys and said the paperwork was in the car 'waitin' for me. So I took a quick look and yes I've signed it off. No mention of the windscreen crack on the paperwork. Hence the whole problem.

No evidence can be produced from my side to support that the crack was indeed present when hiring the car. Only point is the car has just come off from a previous renter and hasen't been cleaned and checked before handing it over to me. (they just filled the documents for the sake of it and handled them to me)

malchish

agenthunt wrote: »

Unfortunately I did. Well when I was collecting the car, they just gave me the keys and said the paperwork was in the car 'waitin' for me. So I took a quick look and yes I've signed it off. No mention of the windscreen crack on the paperwork. Hence the whole problem.

No evidence can be produced from my side to support that the crack was indeed present when hiring the car. Only point is the car has just come off from a previous renter and hasen't been cleaned and checked before handing it over to me. (they just filled the documents for the sake of it and handled them to me)

Maybe, you can ask them to provide the time the other car was returned, and the time when you were gi ven it? To see if the time in between is too short for a proper inspection, and also time of the day ...?

agenthunt

I asked them investigate this in all possible ways. They just dont want to. Even when I was returning the car, the guy saw me returning it and suddenly (and weirdly) turned off the office lights to pretend they they were shut. So I had wait there for like 10 mins for this gut to peek at me from the dark room (totally creeped me out) and told me to put the keys in the drop-box. Anyways the officials now argue that their system shows that I've returned the car out of office hours and it was my responsibility for the car until they opened the office next day.

The damage collection is handled by some dept in Ireland and they gave me till 12pm today to paythe bill of £572.01 pounds, and if I fail they will send it to 'debt collectors' (also they offered me to pay this bill monthly when is mentioned that this whole thing was not my fault and i couldn't afford such amount anyway)

I've just a complaint letter to BVRLA asking them for support and advice. Hertz is not willing to wait till I get any reply from BVRLA. How unprofessinal. I just had to ignore any more emails from them and the threat that I pay the amount by 12:00 pm today and will wait for a official reply from BVRLA.

pinkshoes

They haven't taken you to court so no need to pay debt collectors. Just tell them the debt is disputed.

agenthunt

Thanks everyone. I have made a complaint to BVRLA regarding this issue. They were quick in investigating this. I just received an email from them saying that Hertz has agreed to cancel the damage invoice. No reason given as to why Hertz has finally agreed on doing this. I strongly recommend you to contact BVRLA, if you have any issues with hire cars in the future. They were really professional and the right body to contact regarding hire cars in the UK.

Now all I can hope is Hertz wont send me anymore invoices!!

cheers