Originally Posted by
IAHtraveler
My experience is only with Avis, but they share a lot of the same policies as they are under the same parent company:
I've complained a few times of the car smelling like smoke or gotten into the smoking debate with employees b/c of nasty cars. I've always been told that Avis only charges a renter if there is physical, visual evidence of smoking in the car upon return. So unless they find cigarette butts or ashes, they can't charge you. Seems absurd to me but that's what they claimed.
OP's account makes it pretty clear that the issue was smoke smell. OP doesn't specify whether the smoke was from cigarettes, cigars, or other herbal substances. Taking pictures of the interior and getting an employee to agree that the interior was acceptable doesn't really help on the issue. Hiring a cleaning company before returning a rental car, losing an appeal with the charge card company, and the failure of the OP to state the reason for the cleaning charge also indicates that smoke was the culprit. I would venture it is quite unusual to pay $90 for cleaning a rental car before returning it unless there was a substantial issue.