Car hire abroad damage warning!

Stoy77

This could act as a warning to others but also a plea for any suggestions how to deal with this situation or whether it’s worth pursuing.

We hired a car in Italy from Budget, the rental period passed without incident. It was only a week later I noticed on my credit card that I had been charged £300. I rang up Budget Uk and they said it was due to damage found on the vehicle after I had handed it back.

We diligently took a 4 min video of the vehicle prior to hire, but on return we handed over the keys directly and the form showing different views of the car and any damage caused. The attendant spent 10 mins inspecting the car inside and out taking photos with a mobile device. He then completed the form and handed it back showing no damage. Which there wasn’t as I inspected it too. My big mistake in hindsight was not videoing on return also to corroborate with the video taken on hire. Though I doubt as the firm stance Budget have taken on this they wouldn’t accept anyway. I took it that the form being completed by the attendant acted as my proof of no damage. Naturally (obviously incorrectly) we thought nothing more of it. I still have copy of this form BTW.

I have since asked for evidence from Budget and they sent me photos of the damage taken four hours after the car was handed over and three hours after my contractual period ended. The photos were taken in another area of the car park so the car had been moved since handover and i can prove this too with timed photographic evidence. It was substantial damage, not to be missed.

I have appealed twice but they are sticking to the fact that the vehicle was damaged since the beginning of my hire period, but are not showing me the report that the attendant completed electronically on handover including the photos took.

Where do I stand with this? My position is that the damage was done since hand over and most probably after my rental period had lapsed. (I do have excess insurance to cover damage but the principle is the issue that this is wrong and potentially illegal).

Next steps?

Stoy77

DUTR

Stoy77 wrote: »

This could act as a warning to others but also a plea for any suggestions how to deal with this situation or whether it’s worth pursuing.

We hired a car in Italy from Budget, the rental period passed without incident. It was only a week later I noticed on my credit card that I had been charged £300. I rang up Budget Uk and they said it was due to damage found on the vehicle after I had handed it back.

We diligently took a 4 min video of the vehicle prior to hire, but on return we handed over the keys directly and the form showing different views of the car and any damage caused. The attendant spent 10 mins inspecting the car inside and out taking photos with a mobile device. He then completed the form and handed it back showing no damage. Which there wasn’t as I inspected it too. My big mistake in hindsight was not videoing on return also to corroborate with the video taken on hire. Though I doubt as the firm stance Budget have taken on this they wouldn’t accept anyway. I took it that the form being completed by the attendant acted as my proof of no damage. Naturally (obviously incorrectly) we thought nothing more of it. I still have copy of this form BTW.

I have since asked for evidence from Budget and they sent me photos of the damage taken four hours after the car was handed over and three hours after my contractual period ended. The photos were taken in another area of the car park so the car had been moved since handover and i can prove this too with timed photographic evidence. It was substantial damage, not to be missed.

I have appealed twice but they are sticking to the fact that the vehicle was damaged since the beginning of my hire period, but are not showing me the report that the attendant completed electronically on handover including the photos took.

Where do I stand with this? My position is that the damage was done since hand over and most probably after my rental period had lapsed. (I do have excess insurance to cover damage but the principle is the issue that this is wrong and potentially illegal).

Next steps?

Stoy77

When you returned the car, they do a check list and receipt that there is no chargeable damage, proceed to your credit card company and dispute the charges.

tonyh66

If you have the handover form saying there was no damage on return, why are Budget not accepting this? I would also be onto my card company with the story and tell them the £300 is a fraudulent transaction because of this.