A few dollars more for a scratch
Question: I recently rented a car from Dollar Rent A Car in Oakland, Calif. Before I left the rental lot, I walked around the vehicle and filled out a form acknowledging the car was undamaged. I inspected the car after I returned it, with the same results.
About a month later, I got a notice from the Dollar claims department saying there was a huge scratch on the back bumper of my rental. They enclosed a picture. It is not something that I, or the person checking in the car, would have missed when walking around the vehicle.
Now Dollar wants a total of $730 from me — $630 for damages, plus a $100 “administrative fee.â€
But I don’t think I did it. If I had, I would have filled out an accident report and had my credit card company coverage pay for it. I called the claims agent, and he has admitted that the damage could have happened in the Dollar parking lot after I left the car.
Dollar is sending me letters threatening litigation over nonpayment, which seems a little heavy-handed. If they can convince me that the scratch was there when I returned the car, I will gladly take responsibility, but I just can’t believe I missed seeing it.
– Jenna Munson, La Jolla, Calif.
Answer: So two people — you and a Dollar representative — walked around the car and didn’t see this scratch when you returned it. And now Dollar wants to charge you $730 for something that wasn’t there?
I’ve spoken with attorneys who represent car rental customers in damage disputes. They tell me that they have successfully argued that once a car is returned, and you have a signed receipt from the rental agency, the company can’t ask you for more money. So already, Dollar’s claim against you is probably not the strongest.
Unfortunately, this kind of thing happens too often. Car rental agencies are increasingly looking at their claims departments as a source of revenue, and they are aggressively pursuing not only legitimate claims, but also the most questionable cases.
There are a few ways to make sure you don’t get stuck with a bill for damage that you aren’t responsible for.
First of all, make sure you have a signed receipt from the agent who receives the car. Second, consider taking a picture of the car from all angles before and after you rent. (With today’s digital cameras, this is pretty easy and doesn’t take up valuable film.) Pay close attention to the bumpers and windshields, since they are the big trouble spots for damage.
If your rental company presents you with an extra bill, you can send this documentation back to the company as proof of your innocence. Also, be sure to ask for repair records, any photographic evidence that the rental agency has and double-check that the license plate from your rental matches the car in question.
I asked Dollar to take another look at your case. It did, and found that your file didn’t contain an important piece of evidence: your signed check-in slip from the rental agent.
Dollar apologized for the inconvenience and dropped its claim against you.