Dear all.

I have an issue with Avis, they have send me a damage report, that I have to pay 2.000USD, but i think they try to cheat..
Can someone advice what to do?

heres my story:

I have rent a car for 3 days (in a small city in Norway - but not important).
As out flight was at 7AM, we left the car at Avis outside parking place at 6AM. Noone was there, so we just the car there and left the key at the office.

After 8 days Ive received a letter from Avis, there was a damage on the car, they have deducted 2.000USD from my credit card. There was no information, what was damaged nothing.

I called Avis and they have sent me some pictures of the car - of the damage. The pictured showed the down front part of the car was broken. Very important : these picture were made at the car repair shop.

1:
If it was broken this way, we would notice it? I mean we were 3 noone notice any crash or wrong parking nothing. How could that happen?

2:
They sent me after 8 days a letter with no information about the damage? And after my calling they are sending me pictures, which were made at the car repair shop? Is that a legal proof, it was my mistake?

I mean it could have happen after we have left the car, its an open outside parking place - no restriction.


Actually i have a private car rent insurance, which covers this damages. The thing is, I have to provide the exact place and date the damage happened. I mean we didn't notice anything.
I sent all documents to my insurance and provided them all information about our case. Even the fact, Ive sent 2 email to Avis claiming I am not accepting this damage report. But haven't got any reply by them within 2 weeks.


Can anyone give me advice what to do now?
I am awaiting for my insurance, how they will handle it..

Thanks to all.
M

You should've taken pictures of the car when you dropped it off in their lot. Better yet, you should have made a video.

The fact that you have your own car insurance to cover for this is great. As for the exact date/time, go by what Avis has written down in their report.

I am sorry for your loss brother, thats horrible

A video? whow.. never thought about it.

But i mean than you have to make a video everytime you have a car, even from the below? Thats ridiculous..

I wrote the insurace, that i dont know the date and place it happen as we didnt notice any crash of the car.
I mean i dont wanna lie to the insurace.
And there is no information in the damager report by Avis - not even what damage there is. Thats the strange thing.

So Avis can just tell there was f.e. a missing door and we have to pay it? For real?

Just for clarification, did you leave the keys with an actual person at the office or did you just drop them in an overnight box? If you dropped them in an overnight box, then technically you were held responsible for the car until it was checked back in upon opening of the office. It is possible someone damaged the vehicle between the time you left it and the office checked it back in.

Just tell your insurance all the facts that you know. Tell them you didn't notice any damage. Suggest to them that they do due diligence to assure the rental company isn't trying to defraud them.

They have lawyers who deal with scams every day. Thank goodness you had insurance.

Good luck!

If you left the car in a publicly-accessible place and somebody else damaged it between the time you left it and the time it was found, of course you are responsible for the damage.

Now that you have reported the incident to your insurance comapny, let them handle it.

Hey folks.. thanks a lot.

Yes ive put the keys into the keybox..
I didnt know that i am responsible until someone checks it..

But anyway they sent me pictures, that were made in the car shop. Thats the strange thing.. My opinion, it should have been done at that day and at the parking place, where i left the car.

Anyway i sent all information to the insurace.. So hope all will be ok.

Thanks again folks!
Michael

Of course you are. Its still your rental until its checked in. What if you dropped the keys into the key box and then went and smashed all the windows. The key box isnt some magic responsibility/liability release station.


This is 100% normal.

AVIS sends the car for repair and has their repair shop document the damages.

One thing I've started doing with Avis...and actually all car rental places...is video recording the car. I walk around the car with my smartphone and zero in on existing damage when I pick it up and do the same when I return. This has saved my a$$ more than once!!

At this point, I second the opinion of just letting your insurance handle it.