Renter No Longer Responsibile for Rental Car - When ??

[Gold60]

You have hired a rental car. You return the car, and am certain you have not damaged the car in any way whatsoever.

You hand over the keys to the rental car representative.

At what point then, do you cease to become liable for the condition of the car, especially if the rep won't/can't do a detailed inspection of the car. Is handing the keys over; briefing the rep on the car; signing the car in back into the company, and the rep signs to say they accept the car in its present condition and you have not damaged the car - is this enough, are you free of any responsibility ?

Can the company come back at you later on for money for repairs that have "just been discovered "?

 

[BAM1748]

Avis has tried to come back with me a few times, sometimes without notification you just see another charge on you cc. Another time after I dropped the keys in the box set up.

Both times I argued my case advising I had a witness and they dropped it straight away.

Once you have parked it and handed over the keys, how can you be responsible for it......especially if the rep signed off.

What company is it?

 

[Hvr]

Not sure but it certainly confirms that my policy of walking around the car taking a video of it once I've parked it ready to hand back the keys is correct.

Forgetting to turn off the camera as you hand back the keys ensures that there is continuity of the timeline.

 

[Gold60]

no company in particular, BAM. I just saw an article on this sort of thing in today's paper, and it got me thinking.

Avis has tried to come back with me a few times, sometimes without notification you just see another charge on you cc. Another time after I dropped the keys in the box set up.

Both times I argued my case advising I had a witness and they dropped it straight away.

Once you have parked it and handed over the keys, how can you be responsible for it......especially if the rep signed off.

What company is it?

 

[Gold60]

good idea, I'll keep this in mind when i next hire.

Not sure but it certainly confirms that my policy of walking around the car taking a video of it once I've parked it ready to hand back the keys is correct.

Forgetting to turn off the camera as you hand back the keys ensures that there is continuity of the timeline.

 

[Pushka]

We had a Sunshine Coast cheapie rental agency just charge an amount to our credit card. We contacted them and said we’d damaged the undercarriage. Then I reminded her that her son had driven us from the airport with four passengers and luggage and he had hit the speed bumps going too fast. She retracted it immediately

We always take photos but that wouldn’t have helped.

 

[JohnK]

I would have thought the moment you drive into the car park and get out of the car.

Handing keys over should not be relevant as some remote counters are not staffed. Or the walk from the car park to the counter is a long way away.

 

[Eh520]

It's very arguable at what point in time you are liable for any damages and at what point in time you're free from any responsibility. Every company is different. The best thing we can do to protect ourselves is to take a video at the start of the car rental of the odometer, interior and exterior in detail (~5 mins is enough) and do the same at return as well! And I often like to continue the video from the walk between the returned rental car and the drop off counter whether that's staffed or not. This way, that's a solid evidence of the condition of the car at return AND at time of key drop off. Better be safe with these companies that tries to rip you off!

 

[Gold60]

This is an answer I got from Driveaways, as an example :-

Once the car has been returned and the Rental Agreement has been signed off by the Representative at the counter, you should not be liable for any damages as the rental agreement will be closed off and the vehicle will be inspected.

We also recommend our client to always take pictures of the vehicle when they collect in case there has been previous damages.

In regards to an out of hours drop off, you will park the vehicle in the correct bay and put the key into a key box provided. Please note you will be responsible for the vehicle until the Representative comes into the office and signs off this contract. In this case if there was damages to the vehicle, the supplier will then deduct this amount from the main drivers credit card.​