Staff Negligence Should be Client's Liability

I rented a vehicle at Avis Mafikeng for the weekend. I picked it up on Saturday morning and returned it this (Monday) morning.

On pick up we did the check with the Service Consultant and on drop-off we did the same checks with the same Service Consultant. He was happy and referred to me as a great driver after doing the same checks with me as on pickup.

Some time later, the same afternoon, I received a call that the vehicle was damaged by hail over the weekend. I went back to the branch to get clarification on the matter because if the vehicle was damaged by hail under my care I would have been the first person to pick that up.

On arrival I said to him, "Before we proceed, I have two questions for you. First questions, are you sure that this vehicle was not like this when I pick it up on Saturday?" His response was yes, 100%. My last question, "Are you sure that I know if this car was not in this condition on pickup?" His response was, "What kind of question is this? Please do not trick me." I said to him, the reason I am asking this question is because we did not check the top of the vehicle on pickup and on drop-off, otherwise we would have seen the difference. His response was, "there is no way I could have missed it. It is my fault that I did not check the vehicle but you have to pay for it."

Why must a client be liable for staff negligence and incompetence?

Now, this is what ****ed me off. The guy admits that he did not check the top of the vehicle on drop-off and that I have to take liability for his negligence. I said to him that the reason he did not see what I did not see, is because we both did not check the top of the vehicle on pickup and drop-off, we did the same checks and that is why I took the vehicle as all in order on pickup and for the same reason he received the vehicle and congratulated me as a great driver on drop-off.

When I reminded him that we both did not check the top of the vehicle and for that reason I will not take liability, he threatened me by saying that whether I take liability or not Avis will charge me for the damage. When I said that I will fight, his response was that I will never win that case.

Now here I am worried that this company is going to take my holding fee for their staff negligence. I am being punished for their untrained staff.

Is this fair? I am writing this to share my experience with Avis which started great