Sixt - Car rental damage dispute

Pippaki

Hi All,

My OH hired a car from Sixt.

We have now received a damage claim from sixt, saying they want to charge my OH £600 for damages to the windscreen and a big scratch on the driver side door.

My OH is adamant that he did not cause the damage and I believe him.

When he picked up the car at Heathrow Airport it was dark and nobody from Sixt went to show him the car. The rental agreement he signed, was signed before he was given the keys and before he saw the car.

Upon returning the car (at a different branch), a staff member went around the car and took some pictures. My OH was then asked to sign something which he believed it was that he had returned the car (it was kind of a tablet thing?).

We have sent an email to Sixt, denying their claim and requested all documentation relating to our car rental, timestamped photographs from prior and after our rental and also any previous rental return checklists and an itemised list of the cost of repairs.

Sixt were quick to respond, sending us pictures (no timestamps on them), a return checklist which has my OH signature on (from that tablet thingy). The signed rental agreement and the itemised list of repairs.

My OH has cancelled his credit card and informed AMEX about the dispute.

I would think my OH was a bit naive when it comes to contracts and legal stuff. However, if he says that he didn't cause the damage, I fully believe him.

So, where do we stand? I kind of think that if this doesn't get resolved amicably then it will go through small claims?

What should our next steps be?
I am grateful for any advise.

Pippaki

Strider590

Gap between this claim and the date the car was returned?

This is a common occurrence now with hire car companies, you have to be soooo careful.

Did they send the requested information by email? If so, check the properties of the image files, the date stamp will be in there. If the files have been edited or taken after the date stated, then they're really taking the p*ss.

Pippaki

Thanks for your comment. To add an additional point: the original car my OH was given was a vauxhall which he was shown and signed for. However as this was an upgraded model they asked him to return the next day to get the Fiat 500 but for that he was just given the key and told were the car is. He doesn't remember having signed anything for that when he picked it up.

Strider590

^^ Well that's just dodgy as f**k

I don't know how they expect him to pay for damage on a different car to the one he signed for.

Pippaki

We had an email from Sixt which says:

I have read your comments and appreciate where you are coming from however, if it was not a convenient time to check the vehicle at time of collection this should have been carried out the next morning in the daylight.

Have spoken to my OH last night (he is currently away) and he told me that:

1) He picked up a Vauxhall on 7th Nov at Branch A but was told their is a car at Branch B the next day. At Branch A he was shown to the car and all damage was shown to him in a well lit area and he signed on a tablet.
2) On 8th Nov he took the Vauxhall to Branch B were a Sixt staff took his keys and drove the car off. He signed again a tablet and then was given the keys to the Fiat and told the car is at parking lot xx
3) He then returned the Fiat to Branch A, where the car was checked over and he signed on a tablet. No mention of any damages or anything.

It appears that Branch A are more thorough in their work than Branch B who didn't do any of the checks as they should.

The receipt they have sent is for the Vauxhall not for the Fiat. I have checked the pictures but there is no timestamps or anything. I also requested previous return checks of the car but got the following response to this request: I can confrim these new damages are not listed as preexisting on this document.

Where do we go from here? Bit stumped.
Pippaki