WebMink
Simon Phipps's personal commentary

"Incidential Charges"

A warning to anyone thinking of hiring a car from Hertz in the UK - it's not like the USA! This is actually nothing new, but I have finally tired of it and thought I should warn my friends. It's not just that you get less car for your money - that's true throughout europe. It's that Hertz UK will try to gouge you for large extra sums of money and you need to defend yourself. If you decide to rent a car from Hertz in the UK, make sure you add 20 minutes to the collection time and 30 minutes to the drop-off time (OK, make that a round hour) to allow for time while first you and then Hertz check for damage, and engage in what may seem like paranoid behaviour to ensure you have an audit trail.

This year I have received bills from Hertz multiple times for damage they claimed I had inflicted on their vehicles while I have used them for a few hours to drive between home and Heathrow. For the record, I have never actually inflicted any damage or suffered as much as a stone chip (yes, Hertz UK try to charge you for stone chips and similar - wear and tear is not included in the price). One bill was £250 for a new bumper (fender) for minor damage I had pointed out to the Heathrow staff but hadn't been recorded on their copy of the documentation so was charged at the Southampton end. Another was £75 to replace a windshield with a bubble in it that was completely undetectable when the thing was wet (which it was on collection) and was only visible if carefully pointed out from the outside.

So why the time? Well, you need to thoroughly (and I mean thoroughly) check the car for the slightest sign of a scratch, dent or scuff and then get the reluctant Hertz staff to add it to the 'damage control' sheet. And then if they claim you've caused damage on delivery, you'll need at least 30 minutes to be humiliated by the desk staff, longer if you want to contest it in any way. And even then there's no promise you'll not receive a bill in the mail. So far I have successfully defended myself against all of the bills, but I know every time I rent from them it's a lottery.

Proving you are right is tough. Hertz claim you should spot everything on pick-up, and will use their original copy of the damage sheet as proof of what you accepted. So ensure the damage you add to your copy of the control sheet is both initialed by their staff and recorded on their copy of the sheet. At Heathrow they may take the "customer copy" so insist on a photocopy at the other end. Be prepared. It's not paranoia - they are out to get you.

posted at 11:28 AM (UK) | |