Renting a car on holiday abroad can be a practical solution for exploring places off the beaten track. However, it still happens that when consumers return home, the car rental company does not refund their alleged deposits or deducts money from their credti card for alleged damage to the car body. Practical examples show that preparedness and diligence when picking up and returning the vehicle can play a key role.After

returning from a holiday in Italy, a Czech consumer received a message that a damage had been found after the car was returned, which had not been recorded at the time of handover. In response, the consumer provided five high-resolution photographs taken on the day of pick-up directly at the car rental car park, including metadata documenting the exact time and place.

These were the same scratches that had been attributed to him. He also argued that the burden of proof lay with the rental company, which failed to meet it. At the time of returning the car, the Czech consumer also received a confirmation that the amount to be paid was zero. However, the amount of more than CZK 10,000 was blocked from his credit card.

Given that the car rental company did not respond to his objections at all and sent an invoice for the amount in question, he is currently resolving the matter with his bank and may use the services of the European Consumer Centre.

Another case concerned a consumer who booked a vehicle through an online broker.

At the airport, she expected a standard handover with a deposit of EUR 1,100 blocked in case of any problems, as announced in advance. However, without any explanation, the car rental company employee presented her with a contract for additional services amounting to EUR 294, which the consumer paid at the counter under time pressure. After she realised that she had been misled and had paid for a different service rather than a deposit, she was presented with a different contract for a different vehicle with an additional payment of EUR 891, on the understanding that both amounts would be refunded when she returns the car. This did not happen. Only EUR 267 was refunded, without any explanation. The rental company did not respond to repeated requests or referred to alleged ‘extra services’ which were not specified. Thanks to the intervention of the partner centre in Spain, the amount was finally recognised as unjustified and fully reimbursed. Therefore, the recommendation is: when picking up and returning the vehicle, be sure to photograph it from all sides, including details, the interior, and the fuel or battery levels. Keep the photos with metadata (time, place).

• Before signing or paying for anything, if you do not understand the terms and conditions, ask what exactly you pay for.
• Choose established rental companies and avoid pressure.Save your contacts and make copies of documents, including vehicle pick-up and drop-off reports.
• Think twice. Hurry slowly, as it is said in Czechia.

Have a car rental company employee accompany you to check the condition of the car and don’t just hand over the keys in the office and tell you to pick up the car in the car park. Even under time pressure, you should stop for a minute and think about whether what they are asking you to pay has been agreed upon.

This text was published in the consumer magazine dTest 07/2025.