Warning: Woodford Car Hire – Shocking Customer Service and Unverified Charges

Warning: Woodford Car Hire – Shocking Customer Service and Unverified Charges We rented a car from King Shaka International Airport (14–17 Dec 2025). On return, the car sustained hail dents during a storm, which we acknowledged. Woodford kept our R5000 deposit and charged an additional R9450 (total R14,450) without providing a proper repair invoice. All we received was a tax invoice listing “damages R12,500, handling fee R500, VAT R1,950” — no repair quotation, no repair invoice, no assessment report, and only one photo of the roof. These numbers are clearly rounded and arbitrary, likely representing their standard damage excess rather than actual repair costs. There was no paint or glass damage, only minor dents. Despite multiple calls and emails, the company refuses to provide supporting documentation, leaving us no way to verify the charges. We have now issued a final demand for proper repair documentation, and will escalate to the Consumer Goods & Services Ombud and dispute the R9450 charge with our credit card if they do not comply. This company takes your money, provides zero transparency, and has appalling customer service. Avoid at all costs.