Hertz Car Rental Review

Overall Rating

Refunded alleged damage charges after complaining loudly to Chief Executive's Office.

Condition of car
Airport return kiosk unmanned on return
Lax pre-rental checks (missed major scratches which luckily I found)
Over zealous post-rental checks (allegedly found damaged tyres)
No way of contacting branch post-rental
Slow damage adminstrative procedures (10 days minimum)
Unhelpful call centre staff

I recently hired a car from Hertz Edinburgh Airport in June 2009 On returning the vehicle at 7.15am the Hertz kiosk was open but unmanned so I had no option but to leave the keys in the key drop. As far as I was concerned no damage had occurred to the car.

£107 was then charged to my credit card for ' damage '. A cryptic invoice followed but did not explain what the damage was for. A call to the call centre was also fruitless, as the call agent did not know what the damage was beyond ' a sliced tyre '. I asked her exactly what a ' sliced tyre ' meant or how it would occur. She did not know and told me it would take 10 days to find out. She asked if I had an accident. I most certainly did not - I only drove 50 milles up the motorway and back over the entire rental There was no way of me contacting Edinburgh Airport rental office either to clarify (unlike some other car rental agents which provide direct lines to the branch.

I could not accept waiting 2 weeks to hear why they charged me, so contacted the Chief Executive's office. To their credit, I got a resolution within 5 days though they did state that a) the renter should wait for Hertz personnel to go through post-rental checks. I would love to have done this, if someone had been available. When I picked up the car, I was explicitly told if the kiosk was unmanned to leave they keys in the key drop. They also said their claims procedures take up to 10 working days and they are powerless to go faster. Too slow for me, sorry, so won't use Hertz again.

Members' Comments onstejay's Review

• Stephanie Constantinou on 26th Jul 2009

  I have also just had the most appalling experience of Hertz at Edinburgh airport. On learning that my flight was delayed by several hours, I was assured I could still collect the car at 2.30am only to be phoned and told very rudely at midnight that I had to get a taxi and that my flight had been cancelled (this was not true). As I objected I was told reluctantly that I could still pick up. When I arrived at the desk the representative began to abuse me verbally about keeping her waiting and making her miss her bus home, when I became upset at her attitude she threatened to withhold the car and asked me if I preferred to walk! She checked no papers and literally threw the keys at me without showing me the car. I have never been treated in such a way and have tried to call both the Edinburgh office and the Central Customer Relations line to no avail to complain. I will however be putting something in writing. I will never book with Hertz again and working in the trave business, I will never recommend them.