Car rental damage

Silver-Surfer_2

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

Of course they do.
Are you saying that if someone tried charging you for something for which you thought that you were not responsible for, you would be happy to pay the money?

He wouldn't get caught out, he's too smart for that.

marlot

bigadaj wrote: »

It's fairly standard protocol for car hire firms to ignore minor damage, charge for it where they can on return. Then rinse and repeat with the next guy who doesn't insect in minute detail...

The whole process seems designed to catch the average consumer out.

I'd much rather have a system where you can see the condition report from last time it was checked in, so you're just looking for any additional damage over and above.

Otherwise, where do you stop when doing the check? Recording every gravel pock mark? Every blemish in the paint?

shaun_from_Africa

A few years ago, I picked up a hire car from Aberdeen airport. It was late in the evening and the rental parking area isn't very well lit and being mid February, it had recently been snowing and the car was fairly well covered.
I had a reasonable look around the vehicle I was given and the desk assistant advised me to have a better look the following day.
I tried this but by then the whole body was covered in semi frozen slush (and all the local car washes were closed because of the freezing conditions).

When I took the car back to the airport, the person who took the keys off me seemed to go straight to the rear bumper where he noticed a couple of scratches that looked like they were caused by someone lifting something into the boot. (I only had a small bag which went on the passenger seat).
I was told that I would have to pay £150 for this scratch, something that I refused to do.
He then called the manager on the phone and he said that he would be there shortly. I waited 30 minutes and he still hadn't arrived so I signed the rental form and wrote that I disputed the damage.
Nothing ever came of it and my credit card wasn't debited for the £150.

I'm convinced that they had a list of damage for each vehicle and simply try it on with each renter.