Overcharged for repairs by a car rental

Jack_Cork

As I am sure you know its part of their business model. Buy their insurance, which they always offer at time of hire, or pay the excess if you damage it and unless it serious damage they wont get it repaired, so better for them if you've had to pay them a nice big excess. It just another revenue stream, and as for not adding a margin on to the repair cost why wouldnt you? They are a business after all
If you dont like it dont hire a car, take public transport, which is pretty good in Germany I have found

agent008t

Jack_Cork said:

As I am sure you know its part of their business model. Buy their insurance, which they always offer at time of hire, or pay the excess if you damage it and unless it serious damage they wont get it repaired, so better for them if you've had to pay them a nice big excess. It just another revenue stream, and as for not adding a margin on to the repair cost why wouldnt you? They are a business after all

So do I go to ECRCS to dispute the charge, or take the 350 euros they are offering (after emailing back and forth for a month and having to contact their senior management directly)?
For a money saving message board, I am surprised that the prevailing sentiment on here seems to be to just accept their dishonest business practice and pay up. Had I followed this advice from the start, I would be 350 euros poorer now. Perhaps if fewer people put up with it they would have to abandon the dishonest practice and the world would be a slightly better place!

Grumpy_chap

The OP seems certain and decided they want to take this further.

Best for the OP to go to the conciliation service, which the OP advised is free of charge to the complainant, and see whether they get a better outcome.

The OP may want to make sure they open the case before 31st January as after the end of the BREXIT transition period the ECRCS may not still be available to the OP.

Before lodging the case, the OP probably wants to receive back the 300 EURO that has been offered by the car hire company as that may not be available if the conciliation service determines a less-favourable outcome for the OP.  Unless, the hire company say the 300 EURO is only available as full and final settlement and requires the OP to waive rights to then go to the conciliation service.  In that case, going to the conciliation service is a gamble.

NottinghamKnight

agent008t said:

Jack_Cork said:

As I am sure you know its part of their business model. Buy their insurance, which they always offer at time of hire, or pay the excess if you damage it and unless it serious damage they wont get it repaired, so better for them if you've had to pay them a nice big excess. It just another revenue stream, and as for not adding a margin on to the repair cost why wouldnt you? They are a business after all

So do I go to ECRCS to dispute the charge, or take the 350 euros they are offering (after emailing back and forth for a month and having to contact their senior management directly)?
For a money saving message board, I am surprised that the prevailing sentiment on here seems to be to just accept their dishonest business practice and pay up. Had I followed this advice from the start, I would be 350 euros poorer now. Perhaps if fewer people put up with it they would have to abandon the dishonest practice and the world would be a slightly better place!

It's your choice, as it was to not take excess insurance before hiring, the latter decision seemingly being based on your misunderstanding of the relative risk. Will the firm offer the 350 euro reduction with an appeal to dispute, the closest analogy I can think is of the reduction for a parking fine that is offered for prompt payment which is obviously withdrawn if appealed. 
Regular posters on these boards tend to be realists, car hire companies are known to charge for any damage and it's no surprise that would happen, it seems to have come as a surprise to you. 
It would be nice to think that things might change but it's a business model that people have accepted, pay minimal rates and hope you get away without additional charges and fees and/ or make sure you have suitable insurance. 

born_again

Wonder how many people realise that the Hire company figure is just their repairers estimated charge for the repairs. And that YOU can engage your own (of choice) repairer to do the work. 
So in this case OP could have gone for one of the cheaper options.

Flight3287462

born_again said:

Wonder how many people realise that the Hire company figure is just their repairers estimated charge for the repairs. And that YOU can engage your own (of choice) repairer to do the work. 
So in this case OP could have gone for one of the cheaper options.

Aye that's fine unless the repair is not up to scratch and the hire company wants it done again.

AdrianC

born_again said:

Wonder how many people realise that the Hire company figure is just their repairers estimated charge for the repairs. And that YOU can engage your own (of choice) repairer to do the work. 
So in this case OP could have gone for one of the cheaper options.

Of course you can.

Don't forget that you're still hiring the car while the work's being done.

fred246

I can afford to pay the excess and don't often pay for unnecessary insurance but when I hire a car I always buy excess insurance before I go either an annual or single trip policy. I do so exactly so I don't have this sort of stress. The last car I hired was £40 for a week. It was so cheap I was convinced they would claim for something but they didn't. I suspect that the ECRCS is funded by the car hire companies and is set up to avoid legal bills. So instead of taking it to court you go to the ECRCS who then find against you. If it was a UK company I would send them a letter before action detailing what I wanted and threatening to take them to court. I wouldn't actually risk a court claim though. You would probably have to threaten taking them to a German court which most English people would probably not follow through with. I think the ECRCS is free so you have nothing to lose but you probably won't win. I think you just have to see it as a lesson learned and buy excess insurance and see that as part of the cost of car hire.

ontheroad1970

And that was a party political broadcast by Fred "I give advice that I wouldn't ever back up with Action" 246.  

NottinghamKnight

The ignore function really is quite useful.