We always rent at a large office - either the airport or a major downtown office. And if you are insistent enough (yes, you may have to be obnoxious, I have no problem with that) they will inspect the car.

Hint: it helps to be a gold club (or whatever their program is) member. We always make reservations that way and show the card when renting.

Anyone out there can help? I just returned from a vacation in switzerland, unaware of the issues Hertz creates. I asked for a compact car, was given a sedan car at zurich airport. The car was almost new, ~12 km or something when they gave me. I checked the car body and found no damages. However when I returned the car, the agent (who was very rude) as mentioned in this forum walked around the car for 5-10 min and finally claimed to find a damage. This was supposedly a small speck on the right tyre rim. I declined to sign the damage report that the agent made and said I will not pay a penny as this damage did not come out of my drive. He in turn questioned me saying that I should have taken a look at every corner of the car when it is handed over.
I have paid the rentalfee, but 2 days later I get an email claiming 900 CHF for the so called damage. I have no intentions to pay here as I am clearly not responsible here.

I have already written complaints to [email protected], but there is hardly any response from their side. I have also blocked my credit card for the time being.

Any other suggestions which can help me from others who have succeded with Hertz by not paying the money? There clearly seems to be a scam that one learns ony after the experience!!
Do let me know. your suggestions will be helpful.

I ran a team who rented cars all over the world. The techniques are

Take a digital camera, photograph the whole damn thing plus speedo and fuel tank (with engine running) and tyres when you pick it up. Make sure the staff watch you do this.


Never except an upgrade. Never take a car with that speckled metal finish as it is designed to hide scratches.

When you come back take the photos again, making sure they watch what you do. Then, stay with them as they check the car after you.

Was the Hertz dealer a Hertz company or a franchise?

what bilbo said is what the sensible renter does.

We did none of it when we rented in Sicily in September [though we did check it carefully when we picked it up and pointed out an extra dent which was duly marked on the paperwork] and though I think we added at last once, if not twice to the existing scratches, though the agent who inspected it when we got back didn't spot anything. 9 months later, we have heard nothing from the car hire co, so i reckon we're safe.

As for what you can do now, dispute the charge with your credit card company. Tell them that you refused to sign at the time because there were no marks when you returned it. The agent tried to say that there was a mark on the wheel hub but so far as you were concerned you could see nothing. Ask them what the damage is supposed to be that costs CH900 to repair as that's a lot of money for invisible damage.

In future, if when you return it, the agent says that there's a scratch or dent, get out your phone and take a picture of whatever s/he's pointing to and get the agent's name. I find that concentrates the mind considerably.

It's not always possible to refuse an upgrade and I don't see why anyone should. Since car groups booked are not guaranteed, if on the day the rental company does not have my car group, then they will normally provide an upgrade. Same with colour or finishes. You can't pick and choose which finish the car you are renting will have.

<<The car was almost new, ~12 km or something when they gave me.>> How likely is it that a car that new would already have had damage on the right tyre rim when it was rented out to kalamburvenkat? If you have insurance that covers tyres, why does it even matter?

Earlier this year 2018 I rented a hertz car at Truro uk. I did not inspect it as I had just had a long flight and train journey.
on returning it the assistant xlaimcl a minor scratches on the wheel we're my reaponsibilty. She could not provide any dated photos before I rented the car so I desputed it and refused to to sign. The charge was about 90 GBP. They are now trying to collect these frafraudul charges. Hertz are a criminal organization that should by investigated and shutdown. I will never use them again and will explain these fraudulent charges to all my friends and colleagues. If these were my damages provide dated photos.

Hertz have lost at least one giog customer!!!

I can only refer to bilbo's post. Renting a car without taking precautionary steps is just plain foolish. I have rented for hertz several times when traveling overseas. I am a Gold Card Member. I have never had a problem but then I read the rules, take pictures etc. Sorry but I have little sympathy for those who don't read the rules, don't do a proper inspection and casually assume everything will be okay because they say so. On our latest trip we retuned the car an hour or so after I had scheduled its return. The lady was going to charge us for a another day. A few comments and request to call the Hertz place where we had picked up the car and she easily agreed to not charge extra. Problem addressed and problem solved.

<<I did not inspect it as I had just had a long flight and train journey.>> Then you have no one else to blame but yourself.
Hertz gave you a copy of the damage report when you picked up the car which you didn’t look at or compare to what is actually on the car so when you returned it with new damage you were not in a position to dispute it.
IME rental companies rarely worry about minor scratches.

My BIL does the other thing, he pays the top insurance rate with the rental company that covers everything. Last year he took me to Sicily and on return the back wheel had a 6" nail sticking out of it (amazingly not punctured) and when the pickup agent pointed at it he said "I don't care, read the contract" and, of course, he was right.

Rental car insurance is a rip-off and I always take it because you can walk away and I have, more than once. Anybody who doesn't demand a signed receipt at turn in which certifies no damage was seen should do so. BUT i suspect there may be some disclaimer on those which say the agency can look more closely later.

]We got that from the guys in the garage also and our last gas stop didn't print out a receipt. They said ten euro then. My husband took the car back out and squeezed a euro of diesel in the car and when he returned they didn't want the receipt. They were making some side euros for sure. The gauge reads full and they want ten euro. I wasn't born yesterday. This was budget but they seem to be running these scams. Public Transportation is wonderful.
[/SPOILER]

I've done the same - after reading stories here on Fodors.

I rent almost weekly and have zero hassles because I'm renting via a corporate account and they know not to try anything. I rent directly from Hertz (or National) and am Gold/ Emerald. But I'm not going to deal with overseas problems when I'm back home. The extra insurance is "worth it" to me. Insurance against hassles.

We were in northern Italy and rented with Hertz at Rome airport. It was a yoga retreat and at least two of us used Hertz.
I'm the second person to get a letter from Hertz two months later with a charge for a traffic violation of 30 euros. The letter tells us the violation occurred in Pisa but doesn't say what it was for. What's more, there was no ticket on our car and we never parked in a spot with a meter. When we did park in lots that charged, you couldn't get out without paying. Has this happened to anyone else? BTW we've never heard of AutoEurpoe until reading this blog.

Which blog were you reading?

Debs means FODORS.

debs1: Welcome to Fodors.
>>Hertz.I'm the second person to get a letter from Hertz two months later with a charge for a traffic violation of 30 euros. The letter tells us the violation occurred in Pisa but doesn't say what it was for. What's more, there was no ticket on our car and we never parked in a spot with a meter. When we did park in lots that charged, you couldn't get out without paying. Has this happened to anyone else? BTW we've never heard of AutoEurpoe until reading this blog.<<

You will seldom get a ticket on the car. That is just the way things happen in a lot of Europe. Often the authorities just take photos and then contact the rental agency for your details. The €30 is just the fee Hertz is charging to provide that info to Pisa city. This is totally 100% legit. You will likely receive the actual ticket later. AutoEurope is a US-based rental broker that has a great reputation.