Please help. Hire car with scratches hidden under wax, I think

the_pink_panther_2 · 6 December 2022 at 2:31PM

Am completely out of my depth. Someone crashed into my car so I was given a hire car as a replacement as mine is at the garage. The driver asked me to sign in two boxes which I did. I was under a lot of pressure so didn't think to check what I was signing. I realised just after she left and looked and one bit was me signing to agree that there was no damage to the car. I panicked as I hadn't checked but went out to look, I saw a small scuff mark on one side and a tiny scratch on the other, to me neither I considered damage so I forgot about it. A couple of days later, what had appeared as a small scratch, whether in a different light, different angle, or less wax on the car, the scratch looked bigger. I looked more carefully and could see that it was a really long scratch now I knew where to look. I check online and most of if I think was only shallow, but small portions had gone into the metal. I worried I could be held liable so went to the local body repair for their advice if I could get rid of it safely, the guy there got a cloth and some solution to check if he could rub any out but instead it just revealed more scratches. I didn't check carefully as I should have done when collecting the car initially when it was delivered to me, I should have but was under a lot of pressure as I'd just had a crash etc, but TBH when I did there was nothing which was visible which I considered damage, certainly some of these scratches were hidden under wax, or camouflaged/hidden somehow. I could try to do the same when returning the car so I don't get fined but worry that someone else will get fined and held responsible for this so I don't want to do this, I feel physically sick though as I think I know that I will be billed for it and I don't have the money and I didn't do it. I don't know what to do, is there some legal standpoint? I did sign that there was no damage but even when I looked just after the driver left there wasn't anything which was visible which constituted damage in my eyes, it's just that there was but seems to have been concealed, which seems unreasonable for a lay person to be able to see. I'm scared of touching this car in case there are more concealed issues I haven't found yet and don't know what to do. I'm on v low income and am completely out of my depth.