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Delayed Bill is a Pane
The Travel Troubleshooter · September 23, 2004

Q: I rented a minivan from Payless last January. I had declined all waivers of insurance they offered me because I knew my Visa covered the rental. When we dropped it off at the airport, an associate looked around the van and said we were good to go.

I received a letter from Payless in July saying that a claim for damage to the vehicle I rented from them was being submitted to their agent.

The next day I received a typed letter from Subrogation Management Team with an itemized invoice for $486.51. It included an estimate to fix a chipped windshield, a credit-card authorization form, a copy of my rental agreement and Passenger/Cargo Van Inspection form, which I never recall signing with a "chip windshield" on it.

On the side note of that form, they had written: "Research - 'No windshield damage two prior rental contracts - New on 0000491'."

I wrote back disputing the claim.

In August, I received a letter saying they "meticulously" investigated the circumstances and with careful consideration, Payless would continue to pursue the claim. Again, they attached a credit card authorization form with their letter.

Two weeks later, I received a final notice in red bold ink: "THIS IS YOUR FINAL NOTICE. THE AMOUNT YOU OWE FOR THIS LOSS IS $486.51. Do not take this final demand lightly as the action this office takes will be solely determined by your actions. Payment is due by 8/31/04 or your account will be immediately turned over to a NATIONAL COLLECTION AGENCY."

Payless hasn't billed my credit card for this, which is strange, because they have my number - and if they do, they know darn well I will dispute the charge.

I have no problem taking responsibility for paying for my mistakes or damages I incur, but this one smells awfully fishy. Have you ever heard of a car rental agency trying to collect for this sort of claim six months after the fact?

-- Mercedes Cadiz

A: No, I haven't. Normally, a vehicle is inspected immediately after its return. If there's any damage, you should hear from the car rental company within a month or less.

But half a year? That's way too long.

I have a theory about your windshield. Sometimes cracks like this start out small. A pebble might hit the glass and leave no noticeable mark. But the impact starts a chain reaction that slowly consumes the entire pane.

The windshield is easy to repair at first (it costs about $50). But if it isn't taken care of, the crack spreads too far and the entire window has to be replaced.

I know about cracks all too well, unfortunately. My father bought a used car recently with a sticker strategically placed over a tiny chip. By the time he discovered the damage, it was too late and he had to buy a new windshield.

Your car rental company probably theorized that you were the one who put the initial chip on the windshield.

Here's how you might have avoided a situation like this. If you have any doubts about the condition of the car when you return it, ask a manager to take a look at the vehicle. Get that person to sign off on the rental.

I've done this before when I had a question about a nick on the bumper of my rental. I asked if I'd be billed for it. I was told I wouldn't. I made sure that I had the name of the manager and then left for the airport.

And guess what? No bill.

I contacted Payless, and much to its credit it responded immediately. It took another look at your case and decided to drop its claim. A representative you spoke with explained that the franchise you had rented from was experiencing a lot of turnover in January, which led to erroneous claims like this being filed.

Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler. Do you have a trip that needs fixing? E-mail him or call him directly at (407) 699-9529. Your question may be published in a future story. The Travel Troubleshooter appears weekly on this site.

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