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Several members have accused Hertz at Sydney Airport of unfairly scamming extra charges out of customers. They claim that Hertz charged them for minor pre-existing, and even non-existent damage. According to one member, Hertz staff in Sydney have even been instructed to actively seek out damage, regardless of how minor, and to charge for it.
When returning their rental cars, numerous members claim that staff members became fixated on what they claimed to be damage to the car. In one case, the staff member tried to charge for pre-existing damage that the member had only noticed after leaving the airport. As the Hertz car park at Sydney’s international terminal is poorly lit, it was not possible to see the damage when picking up the car. In another case, the staff member invented a fault that did not exist. The employee insisted that our member had caused a small dent that was actually a part of the vehicle’s design.
To avoid any problems, our members recommend thoroughly inspecting all parts of the car before leaving the airport. If any damage is found in the initial inspection, insist on having this listed on the condition report. If the company then tries to charge for pre-existing damage upon returning the vehicle, one member suggests checking under the spare tyre as the “real” condition report is sometimes kept there.
This is not the only problem our members have experienced with car rental companies! After receiving a fine for driving in a bus lane, one member was charged a “processing fee” higher than the fine itself. Another member complains that they were not given the type of car paid for.
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