Help! My rental car is covered with dings

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By Christopher Elliott

Why is Stacey Sproul’s rental car covered with dings? And why is she now being charged for the damage? This sounds like a job for the Travel Troubleshooter.

Question

I rented a vehicle from Dollar Rent A Car in Oakland recently. After waiting 45 minutes in a very long line that was only being serviced by one employee, I finally stepped up to the counter to initiate and complete my transaction for my vehicle.

I declined the loss damage waiver because I had insurance coverage through my car insurance and credit card. I haven’t had an accident in a very long time, nor have I ever had rental car damage issues.

When I got to the vehicle, it was dark in the parking lot. The body looked fine in the very dim light. I was never asked to inspect the vehicle, and no one ever gave me a ‘car’ outline to indicate body issues with the vehicle.

I was shocked when I walked out of my sister’s home the next morning. The vehicle I rented was a mess of dings and dents. I contemplated calling Dollar and letting them know, but I felt as if they were going to pin me for the damage and wondered if it wasn’t better to just assume they knew the car was in rough shape and would accept it back the same way I had received it. So I did nothing.

Dollar: “Pay $412 — now!”

I received a call from Dollar’s claims center a few months after my rental, demanding I pay about $412 for the repair. I explained that I rented the vehicle at night and didn’t see any damage, and the next morning I had a panic attack when I realized the vehicle was a total mess of dings, dents and damage.

They company ordered me to pay or it would send my bill to collections. The person on the phone cited a portion of the contract that stated that I was responsible for all damage, even if we couldn’t determine the reason for the damage or the timeframe in which it occurred.

I strongly suspect that, if I did pay, they would do this again to someone else. The car I rented was a mess of slight damage. The pre-existing damage to the vehicle, coupled with not hitting anything while driving, coupled with the nighttime rental, leaves me feeling as if I am not responsible. Do I have any recourse? — Stacey Sproul, Greenville, N.C.

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Answer

Yes — and no.

Dollar’s contract with you is unambiguous. You’re responsible for any damage discovered after you return the car even if you’re not responsible, and even if the damage existed before your rental.

Everyone messed up on this one. Let’s start with you. I’m sure you already know this, but always, always take pictures of your car before and after your rental. Also, never accept a car with any kind of damage, even little dings and dents. If you do, then make sure you document everything with a pre-rental inspection and all the accompanying paperwork. Specifically, you’ll fill out a diagram of your car where you mark the damage. Make sure an employee, preferably a manager, signs the form. (Related: My father died — please refund my rental car.)

Most importantly, you should call the rental company immediately if you see damage to one of its vehicles. The sooner, the better. Returning a car and hoping for the best is really not fair to the company or to the next renter, who might get stuck with a damage claim.

What Dollar should have done

Dollar shouldn’t have had a car with damage on the lot. It should have provided a well-lighted space where it allowed renters to walk around the car and inspect for previous damage. It also took its time with your damage claim, waiting almost three months to contact you. Finally, the amount of the damage claim, $412, was close to the standard $500 deductible on an insurance policy, which made me suspicious.

In a case like this, it’s hard to know what really happened. The best you can do is appeal this to someone higher up at the company and hope for the best. I list the names, numbers and email addresses of Dollar’s customer service managers on my website).

I contacted Dollar on your behalf. It reviewed your case and agreed to drop its claim.

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Christopher Elliott

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can't. He's the author of numerous books on consumer advocacy and writes three nationally syndicated columns. He also publishes the Elliott Report, a news site for consumers, and Elliott Confidential, a critically acclaimed newsletter about customer service. If you have a consumer problem you can't solve, contact him directly through his advocacy website. You can also follow him on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or sign up for his daily newsletter. He is based in Rio de Janeiro.

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