I was hit with a huge $1k bill for damage to my rental car after dropping it off – despite evidence it wasn’t my fault
A DRIVER noticed a dent in their rental car when they were handed the keys - then they got a $1,089 bill.
The renter used the power of social media to get the company's attention.
An X user (@StripMallGuy) posted to his profile with over 230,000 followers about a frustrating issue he had with a rental car company, Axis.
"I rented a car a couple of months back, and noticed a huge dent," he wrote.
"I took a photo of it, pointed it out to the guy who handed me the keys, and he noted it."
In any normal situation, he assumed that would be the end of it, as both he and the rental car employee noticed the dent was there before he'd stepped into the vehicle.
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Unfortunately, that was not the case.
"A couple of weeks later I got an email from the rental company," the user continued.
"It says I damaged the car, with a photo attached - of the same dent! Nobody to email or call, so I head back to the place that rented me the car."
The photos he brought to the manager of the rental branch were the same as he posted on X - the driver's side quarter panel of a black Jeep Cherokee SUV was dented.
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He noted further into the comments that the photo was time-stamped to show the dent was there before he'd turned it in.
"I explain the situation to the manager, show him the photo and email, and he quickly apologizes," he said.
"He tells me he'll take of it."
He walked away from the branch feeling better, thinking the hard photo evidence would be enough to absolve him of the responsibility.
Again, he assumed incorrectly.
"End of story? No," he wrote.
"Today I get a letter in the mail stating the investigation has been concluded, and that I'm at fault - along with a bill. Great."
The bill in question was for $1,089 to repair the dent in the quarter panel.
Several commenters suggested he speak to a lawyer, especially after showing a dated and timed photo proving his innocence, but he was cautious.
He said legal fees would cost more than the bill itself.
How to fight a wrongful rental car charge
View from the Wing, an esteemed travel outlet, has a few suggestions on how to fight a wrongful charge from a rental car company:
- Challenge the charge. If it was an honest mistake, a detailed email or a polite phone call could clear things up.
- Dispute the charge with your credit card company. If you paid with a credit card, it's much easier to dispute the charge and have it resolved with the associated bank.
- If you paid for the rental car insurance, file a claim.
- If you notice dents or scratches before you drive away, take photos.
- Send a complaint to the local consumer protection agency if all else fails.
Source: View from the Wing
Instead, he feverishly posted and tagged Avis to call attention to the matter.
As of March 11, he indicated Avis responded to his post.
"Trent, we appreciate you contacting us regarding the damage charge recently billed for the rental you had with us," the company's response on X read.
"We'd be happy to look into this for you. Please DM us your reservation/RA#, first, and last name, and email address, so we can better assist."
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StripMallGuy quoted the post, saying: "THEY MAE IT RIGHT! All taken care of."
"Chalking this up to an honest mistake, and will be renting from Avis again."