Dear Lucy
I hired a car at Cork Airport from Hertz over the internet in April. The car was hired for a week from 29th May till the 5th June and i did not take out any collision waiver. I had a flight on Saturday at 8.20pm and i returned the car to the car park for Hertz at about 6.30ish. I went to the Hertz desk and i told the person at the desk i was returning the car and he told me to pop the keys in the letter box at the desk. I thought nothing of it and went and got my flight. The car was NOT damaged in any way, shape or other.
This was on Saturday 5th June. Today i receive a letter from Hertz Damage/Claims Department. It provides a Vehicle damage report and it was created on the 15th June. The company is charging me:
€38 for the loss of the vehicle for 1 day in order to transport the vehicle to a repair location.
€115 to transport the vehicle to Hertz Head Office (for a supposed scratch on the bonnet)
€14.23 corrosion Protection Materials
€456.50 Body Labour
a total amount of €786.96!!!

The incident report form description states: CAR RETURN OUT OF HOURS TO THE AIRPORT OFFICE
The sketch of the Mark Damage X is a straight line on the right hand side of the bonnet however the digital pictures they have sent with the letter to me has:
A close up of a jagged 'v' shaped mark that has no sense of scale to it!
There is a photocopy of my receipt with Hertz and my signature and the print of my credit card
There is a close-up picture of the registration plate of the car which is the same as the one on the receipt
There is a close up of a polished bonnet of a renault car but once again you cannot see the registration number
At no point is the scratch of the car shown on the car with the number plate in evidence!
I returned the car at the right time in the right place on the 5th June 2010 however the Hertz Incident Report Form is dated 11th June 2010 but there is no date, time, location on the incident report form and no signature of renter .They have also written NONE where question 8 LIABILITY Do you consider yourself to blame? (?) was the answer a question mark in brackets?
Can you let me know what are my rights because i am certain that i have done nothing wrong and i am being defrauded in some way. There is no signature on the letter from Hertz except an electronic Hertz signature. There is no reference number except for the same details of the
Rental Record No: 802621024
Hertz vehicle: 08D 15857
Damage report: WEX62
There is no date of incident on the incident report form and nothing written on the location spot. Too many pieces missing of this flimsy piece of a copy of a Incident Report Form. The damage stated underneath is BONNET - no mention of scratch etc.
What can i do?