Be super careful with this branch (Enterprise Rent-A-Car)

Member Name: Happyjaw

Product:	Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Date:	10/08/08 (41 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Car hirer

Disadvantages: Potentially unlawful behaviour

Enterprise, Sheffield
A car hire company which should suit any needs.
I once rented a car to travel to Kent and back over a long weekend. It was the first time I had rented a car and I was a little nervous about caring for it. My own, rather smaller car was around 7 years old and I felt comfortable, the brand new Vauxhall Vectra has around 12 miles on the clock when I picked it up and of course it was immaculate.
We checked over the car for any scratches in order that they not be attributed to my lack of care and off I drove.
3 days later I brought it back, we checked over the car, they signed it off as being in the condition in which I had collected it and returned my deposit, all well and good.
Except an hour later they suddenly rang to claim thee was a nail in the rather expensive Firestone tyre and they had deducted the cost of the tyre and fitting back off my card. This was just shy of £100.
They also insisted that they only used one garage and that the tyre had to be Firestone, which just happens to be one of the expensive branded tyres. The price of the tyre was at the normal public rate, which strikes me as suspicious, a company which incurs huge motor maintenance bills would surely set up a deal with a local garage or stockist to lower costs.
The fitting rate was reasonable but again at normal public rates.
I was furious!
I argued that the car had been accepted as being back with them and signed to that effect and they had no right taking money back off my plastic after the event, surely that's what the signature was all about - that it had been certified.
The arguments progressed throughout my working day and once I got home from work I really put my mind to it, I strongly felt that as a female driver they had decided to take advantage, either to replace a tyre on another car, or one of their own or something else hokey. Something made me feel uncomfortable. All the staff I spoke to were male and all seemed to reinforce one another, again leading me to the 'innocent female' situation and how they might have been trying it on.
I also pointed out that the nail in the tyre may well have occurred on their property and since they didn't lift the entire car to check the part of the tyre in contact with the tarmac, there was no way to say they had checked the entire car when lending it to me, perhaps the tyre had contained a nail all along.
This was disputed but of course, when I asked for evidence they were unable to provide it.
I was spitting feathers for almost 24 hours in dealing with them and over that time their resistance decreased until finally they gave in and repaid the £100 back onto my card.
I made it graphically clear that I would be watching my account and if any money was deducted again I would contact the office of fair trading and the police.

I would suggest if anyone encounters any such situations with this company, male or female, do contest it. Turn up unannounced and demand to see the damage. Find costs of the replacement if it is your fault and don't allow them to decide who or where it will go at your expense.
And don't trust them with your plastic, make your deposit in cash or cheque form.

Summary: Not worth the risk