Scores reflect the Overall AI Score for each category
Based on recent customer reviews, Hertz Rent a Car is defined almost entirely by one issue: money held and not returned. Customers consistently describe large security deposits, delayed or unexplained refunds, damage charges they dispute, and emails and calls that go unanswered. A small group of branch teams earn warm, named praise, but these experiences sit against a strong pattern of administrative and communication failure.
Top Strengths:
- •Staff Professionalism & Conduct: The clearest bright spots come from individuals. Damaris and Excellent in Centurion, Boipelo and Dora at Lanseria, branch manager Nkhumeleni Nematshema and claims contact Gertrude Nyovu are all named as genuinely invested, though conduct elsewhere is described as dismissive.
TrustIndex
2
NPS Score
-68
Recommended: Unlikely
Nov '25 - Oct '26
Frequently Asked Questions About Hertz Rent a Car
What do customers say about Hertz Rent a Car?
Based on recent customer reviews, Hertz Rent a Car is defined almost entirely by one issue: money held and not returned. Customers consistently describe large security deposits, delayed or unexplained refunds, damage charges they dispute, and emails and calls that go unanswered. A small group of branch teams earn warm, named praise, but these experiences sit against a strong pattern of administrative and communication failure.
What is Hertz Rent a Car's biggest strength?
Hertz Rent a Car's biggest strength, according to Hellopeter's AI analysis, is Staff Professionalism & Conduct. The clearest bright spots come from individuals. Damaris and Excellent in Centurion, Boipelo and Dora at Lanseria, branch manager Nkhumeleni Nematshema and claims contact Gertrude Nyovu are all named as genuinely invested, though conduct elsewhere is described as dismissive.
What are the most common complaints about Hertz Rent a Car?
The most common complaint about Hertz Rent a Car, based on Hellopeter's AI analysis of recent customer reviews, is Sales & Purchase Experience. A recurring theme is undisclosed conditions at the counter. Large deposits and credit score checks are sprung on prepaid customers, confirmed bookings vanish a day before collection, and waiver and kilometre charges appear outside the quoted agreement.
Is Hertz Rent a Car trustworthy?
Hertz Rent a Car has a TrustIndex of 2 out of 10 on Hellopeter, based on 93 reviews in the last 12 months. Hellopeter has tracked Hertz Rent a Car across 992 total reviews. How is the TrustIndex calculated? →
Recent reviews (93)
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Share Your Experience1 reviews | Active since Jul 2012
Terrible Service Hertz South Africa
Terrible services from Hertz South Africa, it was a huge difficulty making a booking and its now been over 2 weeks that I returned the vehicle and my deposit hasnt been refunded. It is impossible to get anyone to answer the lines to take my query so that it can be resolved. This is also the 2nd time that I have to constanly follow up ...
1 reviews | Active since Jul 2012
Terrible Service Hertz South Africa
Terrible services from Hertz South Africa, it was a huge difficulty making a booking and its now been over 2 weeks that I returned the vehicle and my deposit hasnt been refunded. It is impossible to get anyone to answer the lines to take my query so that it can be resolved. This is also the 2nd time that I have to constanly follow up ...
1 reviews | Active since Mar 2012
Huge inconvenience from Hertz
I wanted to hire a car from them ,then they deducted R3960.00 from my account but when I went to collect a vehicle ,they said my credit status does not allow me . Here I am ,thinking I am renting a car ,not buying it ,but told that my credit score is low . 3 days have passed and I can't even go to another place to hire for enough days ,because now they are keeping my money for me , I am soo fed up witb this place . I hired so many vehicles from Thrifty ,before their merger, now they coming with these tricks . Can they pay my money back now it's been soo long now ,that's too much .
1 reviews | Active since Mar 2012
Huge inconvenience from Hertz
I wanted to hire a car from them ,then they deducted R3960.00 from my account but when I went to collect a vehicle ,they said my credit status does not allow me . Here I am ,thinking I am renting a car ,not buying it ,but told that my credit score is low . 3 days have passed and I can't even go to another place to hire for enough days ,because now they are keeping my money for me , I am soo fed up witb this place . I hired so many vehicles from Thrifty ,before their merger, now they coming with these tricks . Can they pay my money back now it's been soo long now ,that's too much .
1 reviews | Active since Jul 2019
Employees clueless about how to use new system
Hertz has a new system that no one in the branch knows how to use, and this causes massive delays. Picking up a car was a mission. Now I'm busy enquiring about my deposit and the branch employees still don't know how to get reliable information from the system, which means I'm left in the dark about my deposit. Try another car hire company. I hear Woodford is not too bad.
1 reviews | Active since Jul 2019
Employees clueless about how to use new system
Hertz has a new system that no one in the branch knows how to use, and this causes massive delays. Picking up a car was a mission. Now I'm busy enquiring about my deposit and the branch employees still don't know how to get reliable information from the system, which means I'm left in the dark about my deposit. Try another car hire company. I hear Woodford is not too bad.
1 reviews | Active since Aug 2020
Worst car hire experience
Worst experience ever with a rental car company. Car was delivered two hours late. We were told they messed up on their system, but were given no apology. Then, on date of vehicle pick up, they just never pitched. On escalation, they said they never received communication - we have the communication in writing via ***.
1 reviews | Active since Aug 2020
Worst car hire experience
Worst experience ever with a rental car company. Car was delivered two hours late. We were told they messed up on their system, but were given no apology. Then, on date of vehicle pick up, they just never pitched. On escalation, they said they never received communication - we have the communication in writing via ***.
1 reviews | Active since May 2013
Hertz / Firefly lie about damage to the car
Never use Hertz / Firelfy. I rented a car from them at OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, for less than a day. I DID NOT DAMAGE THE CAR! The person at the counter was reading existing damage from the screen. The next day, less than 24 hours later, the person receiving the car pointed out damage. I told him that it was existing damage and it was noted on the form. He said all was in order. They deducted TEN TIMES the agreed amount from my account and I have had no help from them. Terrible service! Also, the EXACT same thing is happening to the lady who happened to sit next to me on my flight. Looks like a **** going on??
1 reviews | Active since May 2013
Hertz / Firefly lie about damage to the car
Never use Hertz / Firelfy. I rented a car from them at OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, for less than a day. I DID NOT DAMAGE THE CAR! The person at the counter was reading existing damage from the screen. The next day, less than 24 hours later, the person receiving the car pointed out damage. I told him that it was existing damage and it was noted on the form. He said all was in order. They deducted TEN TIMES the agreed amount from my account and I have had no help from them. Terrible service! Also, the EXACT same thing is happening to the lady who happened to sit next to me on my flight. Looks like a **** going on??
1 reviews | Active since Oct 2012
Absolutely non existent customer service
My brother rented a vehicle through hertz cape town. An exorbitant deposit of R25500 was taken. It has now been over 2 weeks and I am still waiting for my refund. I have been trying to get hold of someone at Hertz for 3 days with zero success......surely we can expect better from an international renntal company with multiple years of experience
1 reviews | Active since Oct 2012
Absolutely non existent customer service
My brother rented a vehicle through hertz cape town. An exorbitant deposit of R25500 was taken. It has now been over 2 weeks and I am still waiting for my refund. I have been trying to get hold of someone at Hertz for 3 days with zero success......surely we can expect better from an international renntal company with multiple years of experience
1 reviews | Active since Aug 2024
Misleading and terrible over-all experience! Nightmare
It started bad as after check-in on 24 September at 18:00 I asked if someone will check the vehicle to mark for any marks/damages and I was given the information the attendent is already left and there are no one to check the vehicle - ***. The Vito Mercedes mini-bus was old, it rattled and was full of dents! It looked bad. I paid for 3 days to receive the unlimited mileage as I drove tourist around and paid a lot. The second day I finished earlier and I decided to hand in the vehicle earlier as it was not needed to drive the next day (3rd day). And knowing that Grj Airport closes around 13:00 on Saturday's because of no afternoon flights I thought I do myself and Hertz a favor to return the vehicle earlier. With a SHOCK I see this morning Hertz charged me for a '2-day' rental and now my mileage changed to only 400km instead of ULIMITED??. This is very misleading and I have never heard of this term & condition with Hertz, neither any other rental company..... Now Hertz charged me over R2000 for "extra km over 400km" as the rental changed from 3 to 2 days! What stupid policy does this???? I am totally shocked how evil and misleading a rental company can be to a loyal customer that have been using Hertz for years without any issues..... I called the call centre this morning to ask about the money that was deducted from my deposit and I asked to speak to the manager. The manager could not talk and the agent promised me that the Manager will call me back without any response. I even emailed the Agent to ask if she can forward my email to the manager without any response. I am so disappointed in Hertz! Not only dit I receive a rattled Vito with over 43 000 km with dents that it looks like it was driven in a war zone, HERTZ misleaded me in believing that as I paid for 3 days JUST TO GET UNLIMITED MILEAGE, Hertz will now charge me much more than agreed on as I now only received 400km as I returned the Vito earlier out of good will.......... Sneaky, misleading and no more business EVER for me with HERTZ. Disgusted and really dissapointed! HERTZ give a **** about its customers!!!!!! I CAN CLAIM THIS WITH MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE! Shame on you HERTZ! Renhard van Dyk
1 reviews | Active since Aug 2024
Misleading and terrible over-all experience! Nightmare
It started bad as after check-in on 24 September at 18:00 I asked if someone will check the vehicle to mark for any marks/damages and I was given the information the attendent is already left and there are no one to check the vehicle - ***. The Vito Mercedes mini-bus was old, it rattled and was full of dents! It looked bad. I paid for 3 days to receive the unlimited mileage as I drove tourist around and paid a lot. The second day I finished earlier and I decided to hand in the vehicle earlier as it was not needed to drive the next day (3rd day). And knowing that Grj Airport closes around 13:00 on Saturday's because of no afternoon flights I thought I do myself and Hertz a favor to return the vehicle earlier. With a SHOCK I see this morning Hertz charged me for a '2-day' rental and now my mileage changed to only 400km instead of ULIMITED??. This is very misleading and I have never heard of this term & condition with Hertz, neither any other rental company..... Now Hertz charged me over R2000 for "extra km over 400km" as the rental changed from 3 to 2 days! What stupid policy does this???? I am totally shocked how evil and misleading a rental company can be to a loyal customer that have been using Hertz for years without any issues..... I called the call centre this morning to ask about the money that was deducted from my deposit and I asked to speak to the manager. The manager could not talk and the agent promised me that the Manager will call me back without any response. I even emailed the Agent to ask if she can forward my email to the manager without any response. I am so disappointed in Hertz! Not only dit I receive a rattled Vito with over 43 000 km with dents that it looks like it was driven in a war zone, HERTZ misleaded me in believing that as I paid for 3 days JUST TO GET UNLIMITED MILEAGE, Hertz will now charge me much more than agreed on as I now only received 400km as I returned the Vito earlier out of good will.......... Sneaky, misleading and no more business EVER for me with HERTZ. Disgusted and really dissapointed! HERTZ give a **** about its customers!!!!!! I CAN CLAIM THIS WITH MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE! Shame on you HERTZ! Renhard van Dyk