At return
Returning with or without staff, out of hours or through a key box: how to record the car's condition.
Film one slow lap around the car in its return spot, then photograph each side, the corners, the wheels, the windscreen, the roof if you can, the interior and the dashboard with fuel and mileage. Keep the original files with date, time and location. These photos are your best answer to a claim that arrives weeks later.
Many rental companies charge an extra full day for a late return, even if you are only an hour late. Some allow a short grace period, often 30 minutes to an hour, but only if the terms say so. If you return after closing time, you may stay responsible for the car until the office opens again, so check the terms, warn the company early and document the return.
Return the car during opening hours and ask a staff member to inspect it with you. Make sure the return form records the condition, ideally 'no new damage', and that both of you sign it. Take your own photos and video anyway, and ask for the deposit to be released once no damage is found.
Under a full-to-full policy you only pay for fuel if the tank was not full at return. If you are charged anyway, compare the charge with your fuel receipt, a photo of the gauge and the fuel level on the return form. Object in writing with that evidence and ask the company to show how it measured the missing fuel and which price it used.
When you drop the keys in a box, the car is usually inspected later without you. If a damage claim follows, you can ask the company to show that the damage happened during your rental and not after you left. Your own dated photos and video at the drop-off spot are your best evidence.
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