After my vehicle was damaged by another driver I dropped it off at a local Lexus dealership for repairs. The body shop set me up in a rental vehicle from Enterprise. A few days later my vehicle was finished being repaired. I called Enterprise and advised them that my vehicle was finished and I wanted to drop off the rented truck. The kid behind the counter told me to drop off the truck at the dealership and pick up my vehicle. He said that everything would be taken care of on his end and the additional charges would be added to my credit card he had on file. Thinking that this was usual business practice and good customer service I did what he told me to do. I dropped off the truck at the dealership and before handing over the keys I checked the truck for any new damage. There was none so I gave the keys to the porter and picked up my vehicle. This happened on a Friday at 6:00 P.M. Just before the Enterprise office closed for the weekend.
The following Monday I received a phone call from Enterprise. The employee told me that everything was complete and advised me that the additional charges would be showing up on my credit card. The following Wednesday I received a letter in the mail from a loss control person telling me that damage had been reported on the truck when it was picked up on Monday. The truck sat on the dealership parking lot over the weekend and was either damaged at the dealership or by an Enterprise person returning the truck to the office where it was rented. Either way, I am being held responsible for the damage. The fine print buried on the back of the pink sheet that the renter signs states that the renter is responsible for the vehicle until it is returned back to the place where it was rented. Regardless who is driving the vehicle you are responsible for the vehicle until it is returned back to the office and checked in by an Enterprise employee. Even if an Enterprise employee damages the vehicle while returning the vehicle YOU are responsible.
I disputed the claim that I damaged the vehicle but Enterprise filed a liability claim with my insurance carrier. I also disputed that claim and told them that when I returned the vehicle I checked for damage and there was none. I am going to be charged for a liability claim against my insurance record and will probably end up paying higher premiums in the future.
Read the fine print before you take responsibility for a vehicle from Enterprise. You will be held responsible for damages to the vehicle whether you caused the damages or another person did until the vehicle you rented is returned back to the officer where it was originally rented, regardless who drove the vehicle.
My advise... Don't rent a vehicle from Enterprise and look for another company that has better customer service and damage claims responsibility.
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