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How to avoid unexpected car hire 'damage' charges
We've had a previous bad experience with Europecar and now are a bit paranoid about getting staff to check the car before and after use. However, this doesn't seem to be the norm and no other customers we seen asked anyone to check. When we did ask, on another occasion, the staff clearly thought we were a bit odd! I'm also thinking that even if we do get someone to check it, a more senior staff member could later look at it and still charge.
There are also issues with the rental offices being closed at our time of return, when they usually just say to put the keys through the letterbox.
There are also issues with the rental offices being closed at our time of return, when they usually just say to put the keys through the letterbox.
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Used to regularly rent vehicles, cars and vans, and to date never had a problem - even though on two occasions we did cause minor damage to the vehicle (wing mirrors clipped in one case and door edge chipped on opening it into a bollard in the other).
There certainly are times when companies try it on but I dont think its as big an issue as forums would suggest.
Where possible its good to get the two inspections done and signed. Depending on the exact terms of the form there may or may not be a case to be argued if they sign saying no additional damage on return and subsequently find something. If its a 2' dent in the wing it'd be hard for them to argue no matter whats on the form but if its undercarriage damage then they may reasonably only find out later.0 -
with modern phones having cameras why not take a picture of the vehicle after you park it in the returns area. that way when they claim for the massive dent you can show them the time/date stamped pictures and decline the claim.just in case you need to know:
HWTHMBO - He Who Thinks He Must Be Obeyed (gained a promotion, we got Civil Partnered Thank you Steinfeld and Keidan)
DS#1 - my twenty-five-year old son
DS#2 - my twenty -one son0 -
We did take lots of photos but only of the exterior. When we picked up the car initially, there was a cigarette butt and ash on the passenger seat. We just took it anyway as we couldn't find staff anywhere. When our credit card bill arrived, they had charged us because they said someone had been smoking in the car. We agreed someone clearly had and complained about the state of it on collection but it was too late to prove.0
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The garage I used to work-in got a lot of passing trade from drivers who had just rented from the car hire place just up the road (IIRC it was Europecar!) - a great many of them who clearly knew the ropes used to ask us to do a basic once-over of the vehicle's condition and for a couple of quid (ok, this was years ago!) we would give them a chit saying all was ok, so they could use it to challenge any complaints of damage/neglect on return.
One thing soon became obvious - the car hire place seldom if ever did any pre-rental checks and we often had to deal with vehicles that were dangerous to drive or near serious failure in various ways and if we couldn't quickly sort it out advised the drivers to take them straight back!0 -
One thing soon became obvious - the car hire place seldom if ever did any pre-rental checks
With no pre-rental check the hire car company has little comeback on you as you can easily say that any dents/scratches etc were there when you collected it and they cannot prove otherwise.0 -
InsideInsurance wrote: »With no pre-rental check the hire car company has little comeback on you as you can easily say that any dents/scratches etc were there when you collected it and they cannot prove otherwise.
Maybe we just picked the worst company, but when we told them no one had checked the car (or cleaned it) on collection, they still refused to refund us, even though they agreed there was no pre-rental check. We even got the credit card company involved but they eventually said we couldn't prove we didn't do the damage and let the charge stand.0 -
InsideInsurance wrote: »With no pre-rental check the hire car company has little comeback on you as you can easily say that any dents/scratches etc were there when you collected it and they cannot prove otherwise.
Yup - we would often write that in our opinion it had not been properly checked as well.
Next to flat tyres, pads worn to below the minimum, failed lamps, oil levels off the bottom of the dipstick and nearly dry batteries were seriously common events. We'd do the lamps, liquids and pump the tyres but if the brakes needed attention or worse we suggested they went right back to get another car - and quite often they would come back with it and that too needed basic care!
Personally, whenever I've had a hire car since, the first thing I've done is checked everything then re-checked before returning it, simply to ensure all is good for the next person to take it out!0 -
fannyadams wrote: »with modern phones having cameras why not take a picture of the vehicle after you park it in the returns area. that way when they claim for the massive dent you can show them the time/date stamped pictures and decline the claim.
Usually the problem is that there will be tiny 2cm dents and paint damage that you never seen when you collect the vehicle. These will be spotted by a hawk eye car body damage evangelist on return.
Pictures wont help because they'll just deny that the pictures were from collection and could be taken after the damage.
Your only protection is to get full damage waiver.0 -
None of the full damage waiver/excess insurance policies for hire cars seem to cover damage to the interior. I've just been reading about people getting charged over £350 because there was a bit of mud on the carpet. Another was charged because the company said they could smell takeaway food.
It seems to be easy money for the car hire companies and little the customer can do about it.0 -
I was helping a family member move home. Required a long wheelbase extended box luton. Arranged well in advance. Went early in the morning to collect and they said it had not come back yet.
Kept me waiting saying its on its way. I said i cannot wait any longer i have an 800 mile round trip. So they brought out a 7 ton vehicle instead.
I checked it over and found the 2 inner tyres were flat.
They had to source another 7.5 ton lorry from another company for me.Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...0
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