Problems with your rental car
Problem med hyrbilen - Engelska
Many of the complaints concerning rental cars involve consumers receiving payment demands afterwards or that the car hire company wants consumers to pay compensation for damages to the car.
Translated page: This text has been translated from Swedish. The text and appearance of the page may look different from the original page.
Damage to the car when it is returned
If the car has damage when you return it, you may be obliged to pay for the costs. In Sweden, an excess reduction is usually included, which is a protection that reduces the amount you have to pay if you damage the car.
When can the car hire company demand money from you?
The car hire company may not demand compensation from you if you can show that were were careful with the car. This was established in a judgment by the Patent and Market Court of Appeal in 2019. The judgment means that the car hire company may not use a contractual term that unilaterally places the liability with you as the person hiring the car if it is damaged or stolen. For example, if you can show that the damage was due to an accident or vandalism, you can accordingly avoid liability.
What counts as “normal wear and tear”?
A common conflict that can arise between you and the car hire operator concerns what counts as normal wear and tear and what damage you can be held accountable for. Occasional stone chips on the body, small paint scrapes or polishable scratches are examples of what is usually counted as normal wear and tear.
You do not recognise the damage the car hire company describes
The car hire company has a responsibility to inspect the car when it is returned and you can ask for a receipt that the condition is the same as when you collected it. Problems most often arise when you have returned the care outside the car hire company’s opening hours and cannot prove when the damages arose.
Demand that the car hire company prove that you caused the damage
Demand evidence that the damage did not arise after the return, such as photographs and records, and any receipts for their cost to repair the damage. If you do not agree with the payment demand, you can dispute it (protest against it).
If the company sends you reminder fees and collection demands, you would need to pay them if you were to lose a potential examination in court.
If the car hire company charges money to your card
A car hire company does not have the right to charge money to your card or deduct from a possible deposit for alleged damage without you being given the opportunity to dispute the claims. If this happens anyway, you can file complaint with the car hire company and demand to see evidence of the alleged damage.
Your bank can in some cases be of assistance with card complaints. This is a way for you to get money back. Contact your bank to ask if it is possible to file a card complaint.
The car hire company demands more money afterwards
The car hire company may be entitled to demand extra money from you afterwards for fuel and unpaid fines, for example. If the rental car is not returned fully refuelled, even though this is in the rental terms, the car hire company can charge you for a full tank afterwards. The same thing applies to different kinds of fines and for damage that arose during the rental period, where you as the person hiring the car are considered responsible for the damages.
If you broke the speed limit driving the car, the fine is first sent to the car hire company, which in turn sends it to you. The principle is the same for road charges, parking fees and toll charges.
The content is presented in collaboration with ECC Sweden, which is part of the ECC network and the Swedish Consumer Agency's information service. ECC Sweden is part-financed by the European Union.
The content of this website represents the views of the author only and it is his/her sole responsibility; it cannot be considered to reflect the views of the European Commission and/or the European Innovation Council and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Executive Agency (EISMEA) or any other body of the European Union. The European Commission and the Agency do not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains.
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