Car rental damage dispute

alexthepenguin

I have recently rented a car from an established car rental company in the airport. On returning the car they discovered that the windscreen was chipped and that one of the tyres is damaged. They are charging us £600 for the windscreen and £200 for the tyre repair. We picked up the car late at night when there wasn’t much visibility. We didn’t spot either damages and we obviously did not damage the car. Do we have a case for disputing this?

Shaun_of_the_Dead

alexthepenguin wrote: »

I have recently rented a car from an established car rental company in the airport. On returning the car they discovered that the windscreen was chipped and that one of the tyres is damaged. They are charging us £600 for the windscreen and £200 for the tyre repair. We picked up the car late at night when there wasn’t much visibility. We didn’t spot either damages and we obviously did not damage the car. Do we have a case for disputing this?

You can dispute it but what evidence do you have or what do they have against you?

AdrianC

Shaun_of_the_Dead wrote: »

You can dispute it but what evidence do you have or what do they have against you?

They will have check-out and check-in reports where the OP accepted there was no damage when they took the car...

alexthepenguin wrote: »

...and we obviously did not damage the car.

Unfortunately, it's not obvious to anybody but you. It's your word saying "We didn't" against the paperwork you signed.

Do we have a case for disputing this?

You can certainly try.

Farway

Presumably you opted out of CDW? If so then a lesson learned for next time

born_again

UK or overseas?

https://www.ecrcs.eu

If you do not get anywhere with the company.

alexthepenguin

I don’t really have any evidence other than my words against them. I do have a car hire excess insurance. Will I be able to claim that? I’d be admitting liability if I do make a claim? And what should I put in the claim form given I didn’t damage the car?

AdrianC

Whether you "admit liability" or not is a bit irrelevant, unless you want to make a point of principle out of it.

Currently, you're staring at a bill of £800 (I'm assuming your excess is higher than that), with no real way to dispute it - but you've got insurance that'll cover it...

What does the claim form ask for?

Car_54

alexthepenguin wrote: »

I don’t really have any evidence other than my words against them. I do have a car hire excess insurance. Will I be able to claim that? I’d be admitting liability if I do make a claim? And what should I put in the claim form given I didn’t damage the car?

Isn't that what the excess insurance is for?
Just put the truth.

alexthepenguin

AdrianC wrote: »

Whether you "admit liability" or not is a bit irrelevant, unless you want to make a point of principle out of it.

Currently, you're staring at a bill of £800 (I'm assuming your excess is higher than that), with no real way to dispute it - but you've got insurance that'll cover it...

What does the claim form ask for?

The claim form asked for how did the incident occur? If this incident didn't happen do I just make something up??

AdrianC

alexthepenguin wrote: »

The claim form asked for how did the incident occur? If this incident didn't happen do I just make something up??

No, you tell the truth.

"Not known."

scd3scd4

£200 for the tyre repair.

You don't repair you replace. Decent type for £200!

This is why I pay for full coverage. Just not worth the risk for me.