******ION FROM AVIS

My Insurer arranged for a rental for me from Avis, after someone bump into the back of my vehicle and it had to go in for repairs. I went to Avis Montana on Thursday, 5 October 2023 to collect the rental and pay a R2000 deposit. When the vehicle was handed over I was not happy as the vehicle was in a bad state and full of scratches and marks. After complaining about the state of the vehicle I was told, "Sorry madam, this is the vehicle that was assigned to you'. I was so upset that I decided that there is no way that I will use this vehicle unless it is an extreme emergency. I came home and parked the vehicle. On the 12th of October I was informed that I could go and pick up my vehicle from the Panel Beaters. Went there, with the rental, and my vehicle was not repaired to my satisfaction and came home. On the 20th of October I was informed again that my vehicle was ready for collection and I arranged with Avis to pick up the rental from the Panel Beater. Please note that I stay nearly 25km from the Panel Beater and 15km from Avis, so on the milage used, they can see that the vehicle was only used from them home, to the Panel Beater and back, and again to the Panel Beater. Bear in mind that I stopped at Kolonnade on my way to the Panel Beater (which is directly off Zambezi) to collect my medication, and parked in a parking far from the Centre with no vehicles close by. When Avis went to collect the vehicle they phoned me to say that there is a dent on the rear right back door just below the handle a bit to the right. How is that possible, unless the dent was already there together with all the scratches and marks?? I told them I would come to look at the dent the next day, 13th October 2023. It was a small dent with no damage to the paint. I tried to tell them that the dent was not my fault and should have been there when I collected the vehicle but they were persistent that I caused the damage. I then told them that they should not try and take advantage of me, as I know what it cost to get a small dent like that to be pulled out (I am in the industry). On Thursday, 26th October 2023 I received a message from Avis stating that the 'so called damages' is R1 634.78 excl VAT and if I have any queries I could e-mail them on ***. I emailed them and asked for the quotation from their supplier to be forwarded to me. No response! I followed up again and guess what, still no response. Then on the 31st of October an amount of R2 086.03 was deducted from my account without them responding on my email???? How can such a small dent cost R2 086.03 if the bumper of my Toyota Prado, which was cracked and need to be repaired and sprayed, costed R6 000??? This is completely unacceptable as, first of all, the vehicle was parked and the dent was, as with all the other scratches and marks, NOT MY DOING and secondly, charging me this EXORBITANT amount for a small dent!!! I am almost certain that I am paying for some of the other marks and damages on the rental! I therefor insist for my money (R2 086.03) to be paid back IMMEDIATELY, as I see this as ******ion and have taken a huge amount of money without consulting with me as per my request.