You don’t have to be an expert on photographic evidence to take snapshots of your rental car before you drive off the lot, but it helps.
Read more “When you’re traveling, a picture can be worth a thousand dollars”
Tag: DAMAGE
Broadsided by a rental car damage claim
There’s damage to the undercarriage of Jessyka Glatz’s rental car, at least according to Hertz. But is the car in the photo of the rental company sent her the same one she rented? Maybe not.
Read more “Broadsided by a rental car damage claim”
Is Enterprise trying to “scam” her for damage she didn’t do?
Cases like Amanda Chambers’ are never easy.
Read more “Is Enterprise trying to “scam” her for damage she didn’t do?”
Travelers feel the pressure to act now
No one seems to know how the TV in Room 1018 of the Wyndham Avenue Plaza Resort in New Orleans ended up with several long, deep scratches on the screen that made it unwatchable. And if they do, they’re not talking.
Read more “Travelers feel the pressure to act now”
Did Budget send me the wrong damage claim?
Question: I recently rented a car from Budget in Nashville and returned it to New Orleans. It was in perfect shape when I brought it back.
A few weeks ago, I received a damage claim from the company. They asked me to pay more than $3,000 for repairs.
I’m not responsible for the damage. How do I know? Well, I can tell you that I returned the rental undamaged. But there are two things about Budget’s claim that don’t make sense, either.
First, I returned the car at the Budget Rent-a-Car agency in New Orleans, specifically on Canal Street. Canal Street is in the middle of town, surrounded by buildings. But the landscape in the pictures on my damage claim is completely different. There are no buildings at all. They must have moved the car before taking pictures of it. Who’s to say it wasn’t damaged then?
Read more “Did Budget send me the wrong damage claim?”
Enterprise sent me a bill for “hidden” damage
Question: I’m fighting with Enterprise about a damage claim, and I need your help. I recently rented a Hyundai Sonata. Both a manager and I inspected it and we both thought it looked OK.
When I returned the car a few days later, we did the same thing, and the manager considered the car to be in good shape and he accepted it.
About four hours later I received a phone call from the manager, claiming that there was “hidden” damage — specifically, several scratches to the underside of the car.
A few days later, I was notified by mail that a damage claim against me had been filed. My credit card was billed for $186 for paint scratches on the rocker molding, and that costs totaling $106 for “administrative” fees, loss of use and diminishment of value were waived. Included in the claim were two rather poor black-and-white photocopies of the claimed damage.
Read more “Enterprise sent me a bill for “hidden” damage”
When renting a car, no good deed goes unpunished
Question: I tried to be a good citizen when I rented a car recently, but I guess it backfired. I have been a longtime gold customer with Hertz. On a recent trip to Hawaii, I rented a vehicle from Hertz. I had a little accident and had scratches on the rear. When I returned the car, the agent did not notice anything, but being a loyal customer, I volunteered information to the agent and filled out a claim form.
Four months later I got a letter from Hertz regarding damages, and paid those through the insurance coverage on my American Express card. But now I’ve received another letter from Hertz claims services, saying that I still owe $420 in damages.
American Express is willing to pay the amount and is requesting proof of payment to the body shop, but the claims person is not willing to provide it. I am at a loss here.
Read more “When renting a car, no good deed goes unpunished”
I didn’t scratch the floor on my vacation rental – why should I have to pay?
The circumstances of Saundra Lyon-Reiser’s recent home rental were less than ideal. She’d gathered her extended family in Aptos, Calif., to bury her mother and grieve their collective loss.
So when Lyon-Reiser was notified that her rental company would pocket her $500 security deposit for allegedly scratching a hardwood floor — damage she insists she did not do — it added insult to her injury.
Now, she wants me to help her get the deposit back, even though there are photos of the damage (above), which she says are inconclusive.
But before we get to the matter of the bill, let’s rewind to the start of the three-night rental. At first glance, Lyon-Reiser says the home looked “perfect” for her family.
Read more “I didn’t scratch the floor on my vacation rental – why should I have to pay?”
Is Advantage trying to scam me for damage to my rental car?
Rent a car, and the agents tell you “not to worry” about the little scratches and bumps on the high-mileage vehicle. But when you return it, they give it a careful once-over and pressure you to sign an incident report, acknowledging you’ll pay whatever repair bill they send you — usually something suspiciously close to your car insurance deductible.
Well, Chelsey Johnson thinks she’s a ding-and-dent victim. Let’s hand the mike over to her to hear her story.
A few months ago, Johnson rented a car from Advantage in Minneapolis.
Read more “Is Advantage trying to scam me for damage to my rental car?”