Rental car missing seat at pickup

Xavier rented a car from Europcar at Charleroi airport on July 28 and noticed a missing rear seat. He informed an employee, who told him to send photos by email within two hours. Xavier assumed this was enough and did not follow up.

Bill for missing seat and other charges

Three days after returning the car on August 31, Xavier received a bill for 1,884 euros. This included about 1,200 euros for deductible fees related to the missing seat and additional charges for exceeding mileage limits. Xavier disputes the 1,400 euros linked to the seat, claiming it was already missing when he picked up the car.

Condition report discrepancies

At the time of pickup, the departure condition report only noted two scratches but did not mention the missing rear seat. When Xavier returned the car, the employee noted the missing seat in the new condition report. Xavier pointed out the seat was already missing at pickup, but the report did not reflect this. He signed the report, effectively accepting the written condition.

Efforts to dispute the bill

Xavier tried to contact a manager to challenge the bill but was redirected to the call center, which he found hard to reach. He has received two payment reminders and is worried about potential additional fees. The main issue lies in the departure condition report, which did not document the missing seat.

Consumer guidelines and dispute steps

According to guidelines from the French DGCCRF and consumer guides, any defect or missing accessory not noted on the departure condition report is considered to have appeared during the rental. To avoid such issues, consumers are advised to read contracts carefully, especially clauses on insurance deductibles, deposits, and fees for missing equipment.

Resolving rental disputes

If a dispute arises, such as billing for missing equipment that the customer believes was already missing at pickup, a dispute is still possible. The Conso.gouv sheets recommend making a written complaint to the lessor's customer service, requesting details of the bill, possible photos, repair or replacement quotes, and copies of the signed condition reports. If the issue remains unresolved, the consumer can send a registered letter or formal notice and contact the lessor's consumer mediator.

Resources for consumer support

Tools like SignalConso in France or the SPF Economy services in Belgium allow reporting potentially problematic practices. For rentals in another European Union country, the European Consumer Centre can guide the steps needed to resolve the issue.