Fabricated Damages

<p>I have been using BIDVest car rental for the past 4 years i never experienced such problems with the company until recently, On the 10/07/2017 I rented a vehicle with Sandton Gautrain Bidvest car rental (Kia Picanto) for one day to minimize the costs, I took the vehicle on standard waiver, However i accidentally scratched the car on the front lower bumper, which were minor scratches. With the trust that i have for the company I took the car back to the Sandton branch on the 11/07/2017 in the evening.</p> <p> </p> <p>The person who receives vehicles also checked the vehicle along with me and confirmed to me and my girlfriend that the vehicle only sustained minor scratches on the front bumper, we then proceeded upstairs to the Bidvest branch to explain to the desk consultant who was not interested on how big or small the damage on the vehicle was. He gave me papers to fill and took my driver’s license for copy. While making the copies he kept on saying "your Liability is R14500 since you took the vehicle on standard waiver"</p> <p> </p> <p>The next morning i notice on my bank account that the R3000 amount which was held for the rental was released. I was confused because I never phoned the Bidvest branch to call the bank to do so, as i usually do so after the rental amount has been deducted on my account. The following day on the 12 July 2017 i saw Bidvest takes again the R3000 amount out of my account leaving my Chaque account on the negative R600 as I already used some funds. I incurred bank charges for that of about R110 "for item paid no funds". On Monday 17 July 2017 i get an email from Norman who is a customer service representative at Bidvest Sandton detailing that I owe the Bidvest for the damages incurred about <br /> R12588.39 including the rental, they therefore subtracted the R3000 from the amount and mentioned that the OUTSTANDING BALANCE of (R)9588.39 is due by me. I was shocked and furious!</p> <p> </p> <p>I requested Norman to provide me with the invoice from the panel beaters to see what was the damage, he provided, the invoice mentioned that they had to change the whole bumper that’s why I have to pay this much. i was confused again, on how can they change the whole bumper while the damage was minor scratches on the lower bumper. I then requested photos taken by the panel beater before any repairs were done. On one of the photos that the panel beater claims the bumper was loose due to the scratches i notice a suspicious damage which could have caused that loosen space, which was never there when i returned the vehicle. ( i have pictures)</p> <p> </p> <p>I requested the branch manager Theo to come and view footage of the entrance when i returned the vehicle, Theo agreed to meet with me Monday 24 July 2017. I went to Bidvest Car rental Sandton office Only to find out Theo was not there, they said he went to the managers meeting. i was disappointed as i came all the way from Northern Cape where i work and only had Monday to see the footage, I spoke to Theo again via emails and he went to request the video clips which were saved as pictures, On those picture it is unclear due to light because it was at night.</p> <p> </p> <p>within the emails I did ask Theo to provide me with slips of the purchased parts, He did not, what Theo does is to put to me that I need to make payment arrangements with Bidvest car rentals or he will hand me over to the legal department. That to me sounds like he is rushing me to pay instead of asking questions.</p> <p> </p> <p>- The Sandton Bidvest Car rental pushes the blame to me only not their staff (for failure to notice the lose bumper space) if it was there?</p> <p>- Sandton Bidvest Car Rental did not take photos of the damages on my presence only photos taken by the panel beater people are deemed to be true without questioning.</p> <p>- Sandton Bidvest car rental does not want to avail information (checklist of the vehicle) written by (1) the person who checked the car upon arrival from the renter (2) the person who took the car to the panel beater.</p> <p>- Theo failed to request footage of the exit camera when the car was taken to the panel beater, since the entrance of the rental return is not clear due to light.</p> <p>I say the loosen bumper space was not there as three people did not see it prior the panel beater, thus I feel that the company want to see me pay for more while the damage was less.</p>