Damage unfairly claimed

Hired a vehicle on 7 Dec 2018, checked vehicle and signed documents. Vehicle never checked on inside. Dropped it off at Durban Airport on 13 Dec. Never checked vehicle on inside. Received a call to say that the driver vicer has been cracked. We never even used the vicer and would not have noticed what the condition was. Now they want me to pay. There was no check done with myself present to proof that the damage is due to my negligence. How do you trust a company like this. Have booked a vehicle for March again which I will cancel and will never use them again.