&%$#% car hire companies...

[Yellow Meanie]

Has anyone had any experience getting money back from car hire companies?

Early January approx $1400 was withdrawn from my credit card account by this company.
As I have been away, I didn't realise until recently.



This is part of an email I sent just over a week ago with my query:

Hello,
        My name is **** ****, I hired a **** **** from the **** **** office over the Christmas period.

I have hired from (*****) (another city) a few times before, also from (*****) (yet another city). Each time I hired from these offices, a staff member would go over the vehicle and fill in the damage report paperwork. Then after returning the vehicle, a staff member would, once again, go over the vehicle with me present, and fill out the paperwork. This I thought was standard practice.
 
When I hired the car from (my local city), no such check was completed before I drove away. The paperwork had already been done. The office was very busy that day, maybe the staff were trying to save some time.
I had the vehicle for about two weeks then returned it to the same office. I parked it in the driveway, near the side entrance to the office. After I handed over the keys, I waited around for someone to do the post-hire inspection. I was told "that was it". I thought it odd to not do an inspection, or thought that maybe someone had done it as soon as I arrived.
 
A couple of hours later, at home, I received a phone call, advising me that "some damage was found".
 
When I arrived back at the office, the car had been moved from where I parked it.  I was shown a small scratch on the front spoiler.
 
It was alleged by your office that I caused the damage to the vehicle. I filled out some paperwork stating I did not cause any damage.
I was told "the full amount of the excess would be taken out of my credit card account, but that I would get most of that back, because it is only a small scratch".
 
I have been charged for an excessive amount.
 
I have spoken to the office, and been told I have been charged for "miscellaneous charges".
How can the bill not be itemised? This does not seem at all ethical - possibly not even legal.
 
Can you tell me exactly what I have been charged for?


Regards,

**** ****



One week after sending this email, I had not received a reply. So I copied and pasted the contents into the companies "customer feedback form" on their website.

It seems my message was sent to New Zealand, then NSW, before going to Hobart, all in one day.
Miraculously, things started happening once another office became aware of the matter. 
Yesterday, I finally received a reply.




Thank you for your enquiry, I am sorry for the delay in getting back to you as I have been on leave.

From my understanding when a vehicle is put out on rent, the rental staff ask you to sign a quality control document then they ask you to go and have a look at the vehicle, if there is anything that is damage to the vehicle that is not on the quality control document to come back before you leave the premises.

When you came back to inspect the damage the reason that it was in a different spot is because it had to be cleaned, all vehicles are subject to a final inspection that will be carried out when the vehicle is detailed.

The reason that your excess has not been reduced is because we are waiting for the vehicle to be quoted. It is due back on the  18th February 2010, I have sent an email to the location where the vehicle is being returned and requested that a quote be done.

I have emailed the photos to the bodyworks to see if they could do a quote based on the photos, I will let you know the outcome.

 

Last night I received a quote for $330. They said they should be able to reduce my excess to the cost of the damages only.
 
I still maintain that I did not cause the damage.
As I did sign the initial damage report I think they have me "by the balls" 

Should I just accept that I have to pay the $330 and forget about it?
Or can I push them further?
 

[Mr.S2R]

sounds like ur getting scammed a bit there - the rental company I deal with through work is fairly rigorous on their checks both pre and post rental.  Mind you work did have to pay for a "scratch" I put on their car once.....

I would be questioning their procedure and if it is a failure there i.e. just because the business was too busy to go through post inspection check not your fault.  My argument is that if you signed a document saying vehicle returned in same state as in pre rental check, then how do they verify that it wasn't?  How do you know the rental person didnt scratch it whilst moving it? Anything in the fine print about this?

[ozducati]

I have been slugged by Europcar for scrapes found UNDERNEATH the front and rear bumpers of an Audi i rented in Tassie last year.. i argued with them for months and never won .. how do you spot that sort of damage before you take the car? they say it was found by their "professional" car detailers.. the same "professional" car detailers stole my wifes phone from a car we rented in Melbourne (Europcar again), and she had realised she left it in the car about 20 mins after we dropped it at the airport, they denied it was ever in the car.. almost called her a liar.... she filed a police report, and nearly 12 months later they police called her to say they charged one of the "professional" detailers with theft (a  lot of other stuff was found).. she still never got the phone back....

[Yellow Meanie]

Rental agreement states:

RETURN OF VEHICLE
6.1 You must return the Vehicle to *****:
(b) in the same condition as it was at the commencement of the Rental Period, fair wear and tear excepted.


Who decides what is "fair wear and tear"? If you ask me, a small scratch on the front spoiler (lowest part of the front bumper) is "fair wear and tear"


Now I just need to find something regarding company policy of pre/post hire inspections.

[loony888]

when push comes to shove you will probably find you're going to get bullied by their solicitors. if you signed for the car and drove off then you're responsible for the condition they accept it back in. if you don't get them to check it when you leave you only have your word that you didn't do it, same with not getting it checked when you return it. you may be right, the detailer may have scratched it, after you left, or it was scratched before you got it, but your signature on the paperwork means you accept their policies and conditions of the rental agreement. I'm not loaded and $330 is a chunk of change, but in your position i would reluctantly pay the $330, learn from the experience and move on.
How many times a day do you think they hear "i didn't do that!" your complaints and protests will fall on deaf ears, and refusal to concede will result in the costs escalating due to them "referring your dispute to their legal dept", then it will get expensive.
yes, car rental companies suck, but you're the one responsible for making sure you sign the paperwork only after you have both inspected the vehicle.
sorry to be a pessimist but i've been there and trust me, it's much more difficult to argue with the pricks in italian!

paul.

[CairnsDuc]

Meanie, I know your pain, but thankfully I argued my way out of it.

I now insist I do the inspection with them when I pick up the car, A lot of rental companies here in Cairns give
you the old line of "Nah, She'll be right mate" I insist on pickup and drop off inspections, everytime! and now I take
a Digital Camera and take my own photo's, I take about 20 to 30 photo's of Cars and trucks I have rented, inside,
outside from every angle, under car (front and rear) under the bonnet, it might take me about 10mins of dicking
around to do it (not to mention the funny looks from the Hire company Staff) but they know they will have a fight
on there hands if they try anything on, And some of the rental car companies here in Cairns are the worst you
will ever find! (1 or 2 have been featured on A Current Affair and Today Tonight)

With the under the Bumper damage mentioned by QzDucati, that's what one local company tried to ping me on
Luckily it was never written on the original inspection sheet, so I argued my way out of that little repair.
That's when the Camera started going with me. Bastards.

[Yellow Meanie]

I think I'll just have to bend over and take it 

That money would have been much better spent on a Power Commander...
Now I'll have to drink non-premium beer for a couple of weeks while I re-coup the costs 


I'll know better for next time...

[lowraW]

I got hit in New Zealand and copped $2400 for being hit by another vehicle. Since I had the details i was in the clear but the money was still taken from my account until the insurance companies worked things out. This took three months before I got it back. (after several emails and phone calls)

Travel insurance is meant to cover hire car insurance and if you have taken this out you can claim the money back off them.

If you dropped the car back without an inspection such as a quick return box you could claim the damage concerned was done after the return ie someone hit in the carpark.