A rather ********** experience with Nigel Ruiters, sales person for Avis.

Avis reference number: ***

I have just received the Worst service from Avis in Stellenbosch Cape Town. Long story short, my car went for repairs and my insurance organized a courtesy car with Avis for me.

The board at the back of the car, by the boot, is slightly bent. I had no idea it was slightly bent for that's how I received it when I took the car. What I did was unhook the board so that I could fit my childrens surf boards in the back. I literally unhooked it, placed it vertically and then put the surfboards next to it. I made sure that board was in a safe condition. But now, I have to replace it for "I bent it". I dealt with a sales person Nigel Ruiters, who was rude and accusing from his first point of communication with me. He sent me pictures via WhatsApp and when I rep**** to his messages he went further to tell me that the phone is his personal belonging and I'm replying on his private property. WHAT THE HELL? I didn't say he must send me pictures using WhatsApp, he did that on his own accord. I then requested him to send me the pictures via email for I didn't ask him to send me pictures via WhatsApp to begin with.

Of which he did. The second thing is there was a little sand on the car. It was really minute, but you can see that the car did go to the beach. Extremely small. He goes on to tell me that the car is filthy and needs to go for valley cleaning.

Like, WHAT? You've got to be kidding me. That amount of sand is so small and I have used Avis cars before and returned them in worse conditions, but there's never been a need for a valley cleaning to be charged on me for that. For even though it was dirty, it was still o.k. it wasn't filthy or anything like that.

There is one small yogurt stain on the passenger side of the car, and for that I can take responsibility for but it's also really small and can easily be removed with a bit of water. Absolutely nothing fancy.

I've been in communication with this guy for some time and I can see that he has absolutely no intention of getting to the bottom of this. He wants me to pay for the valley, as well as the board which I find ridiculous especially if the board was in that condition to begin with. Someone didn't do proper checks when the car was returned from whoever had rented it out first, and now, I'm being accused of bending the board. I've asked for pictures before it was given to me so as to see that the board was always like that.

I have requested Berthar Marupula, Nigels supervisor to intervene for I can see that Nigel has no intention of getting to the bottom of this. I'm not sure if he is incentivized to make customers pay or what. Someone didn't do what they were supposed to do and missed the bent board, this is also so minute one wouldn't even think to worry about it. That's why I didn't even mind when I took the vehicle.

I'm still waiting for his or her response but so far, the experience has been nothing short of **********.

Point Number TWO I took the car on the 15th of November.

My policy allows me to have the rental for a month. The damage on the vehicle was rather small so the initial rental period was two weeks. I got a notification from Avis informing me that my initial rental period was about to end and to contact my insurance if I need an extension.

I sent my insurance an email thereafter, informing them of the message and what needed to be done. I then spoke with two different gentlemen from Avis, who called me about the vehicle's initial rental period having expired and I informed both of them that I had informed my insurance as Avis's message had advised.

That's two different people. Come the end of my tenure with the rental and I inform them to come to the panel beaters to fetch the vehicle, I'm informed that my vehicle is overdue and that I need to drop it at Stellenbosch myself, they don't send out drivers to fetch overdue vehicles.

Does Avis not make notes on a person's account as to the progress? I ended up having to send a screenshot of my email to the insurance and informing them to clear things off with them for I had done my bit to ensure everything is in order. This is point number one that got me frustrated.