Hire car companies charge for fictitious damages

[tuapekastar]

From The Age:

Hire car companies charge for fictitious damage: consumers

Interesting how Europcar is mentioned multiple times, especially after the mentions it has had here on AFF. Just reinforces my decision not to consider them.

 

[scheps]

Not surprised, and its even worse in Europe e.g. Germany. I got charged 700 euros for scraping the bottom of the front bumper i.e. you could not see it unless you put your head under the car. And I was 100% sure I did not do that, if it existed. I had the car for about 6 hours. And of course could not contest nor obtain evidence of repair.

240k is peanuts really, insufficient deterrent.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

OT, but I had a car this week which I checked before leaving the rental park and didn't see any damage. Next day, I noticed a dent. I dropped it back today, so I'll see if I get taken for it. I don't think I did it (the dent was from someone closing the rear hatch and pushing on the metal which popped inward) and the reality is it may have been pre-existing which I failed to spot, I may have done it (but I don't think so) or the hotel valet may have done it. I'll see what Europcar do and let you know. FTR, I use Europcar a lot and I've never had any issues with damage (or more correctly, lack thereof). Currently they are my preferred company because they've been doing me some good deals and I usually get a reasonable upgrade (which is often not the case with Avis or Hertz).

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I'm not attempting to defend unsavory practices by hire car mobs, but that article linked to above states Victorian Consumer Affairs have had 667 complaints in the last 5 years. That's 133 per year. How many hire car mobs operate in Vic? I'm guessing that amounts to no more than about 2 or 3 complaints per year per hire car company. Interesting to see the news about Europcar being taken to court about their "unfair" T&Cs including minimum excesses regardless of amount of damage and excess charged regardless of fault. That will be a major benefit if those clauses are found to be illegal and scrapped and it's not just Eurocar that include those conditions. It's also interesting to see mention of "Unauthorised" credit card swipes. That was debated just recently in the IHG forum so if it's decided they do not have the right to just deduct funds without agreement of the account holder based on an overriding contractual clause, that will have far reaching effects beyond just rental car mobs!

FTR, I've received my Europcar invoice and loyalty credits and there was no mention of the small dent that I noticed, so it is a two way street it appears. I just hope the next renter doesn't get slogged for it. I also wonder if I'm treated a bit better due to my rental status and history. I've had about 40 rental days in the last 2 months and thousands of rental days over the last ten years. My rental car accident record consists entirely of hitting a roo with considerable vehicle damage in 1985 and that's it.

 

[ashleyn]

I'm not attempting to defend unsavory practices by hire car mobs, but that article linked to above states Victorian Consumer Affairs have had 667 complaints in the last 5 years. That's 133 per year. How many hire car mobs operate in Vic? I'm guessing that amounts to no more than about 2 or 3 complaints per year per hire car company. Interesting to see the news about Europcar being taken to court about their "unfair" T&Cs including minimum excesses regardless of amount of damage and excess charged regardless of fault. That will be a major benefit if those clauses are found to be illegal and scrapped and it's not just Eurocar that include those conditions. It's also interesting to see mention of "Unauthorised" credit card swipes. That was debated just recently in the IHG forum so if it's decided they do not have the right to just deduct funds without agreement of the account holder based on an overriding contractual clause, that will have far reaching effects beyond just rental car mobs!

FTR, I've received my Europcar invoice and loyalty credits and there was no mention of the small dent that I noticed, so it is a two way street it appears. I just hope the next renter doesn't get slogged for it. I also wonder if I'm treated a bit better due to my rental status and history. I've had about 40 rental days in the last 2 months and thousands of rental days over the last ten years. My rental car accident record consists entirely of hitting a roo with considerable vehicle damage in 1985 and that's it.

I hope it wasn't a Red Roo.