Enterprise Rental Cars Wrongly Accused of Car Damage Hickory North Carolina

Our car was hit by someone and was in the shop for repairs.  Our insurance provides a rental under these circumstances.  My wife had to pick up the car as I was out of town.  She dropped our car off at the shop and an Enterprise agent picked her up to take to the rental office.  A car was not ready so they said they would clean it up.  The agent did the walkaround and my wife noted damage she saw.  The agent said either those are non-issues or, for greater items, said he would note it on the auto's record. 

The car had a bad smoke smell, but otherwise served us well.

When our car was finished, we picked up our vehicle then went to return to the rental car.  It was obvious right off upon entering the office that the place was not organized nor focused on customers.  I stood there a good couple of minutes while five employees talked amongst themselves, punched on computers, and generally ignored my presence.  Finally, someone asked if I had been helped.  

I told the agent I only needed to return the car.  He pulled up my wife's info on the computer and said he would be back after checking the car.  He returns and asks me to come with him.  We go out and he points out scratches that have been touched up on the driver side front fender.  I told him that must have been there before we got the car because we did not do it.  He said that the notes in their system did not indicate any scratches like that.  I told him that I don't know what the issue was with the notes, but we did not damage the car.

We go back inside and the agent gets the manager engaged.  The manager proceeds to tell me that the damage had to be caused by us as he was the one that checked the car in last and we are the only ones that have rented it since.  I told him that I was calling my wife to get her story regarding what happened when she picked the car up.  She said that the agent rushed through the check-out and either noted they were aware of damage on the car already, said he would note anything new, or dismissed the damage as too small to worry about.  I relayed this info to the manager who said that my wife probably had done it and didn't want to tell me.  I told him she doesn't do that type of thing.  

He said he was going to check on a couple of things.  It ends up that he texted the agent that rented the car to my wife.  The agent tells him, "I don't remember" in regards to the pre-existing damage.  

He then goes to his office and returns to tell me that he reviewed the video of the walkaround my wife did with the agent and they never stopped at the damage.  I asked him, "so you are assuming that means it wasn't noted".  He said, 'yeah".  He then went on again that my wife must have damaged it and touched it up with fingernail polish.  The paint that was on there was an exact match to the original.  I don't believe it was fingernail polish.  

I felt in a toally helpless position.  It was our word against his and he had the upper hand with the ownership of the car.  I asked what was my options as I didn't agree to the accusation of the damage.  He said they would file a claim either way against my insurance.  He proceeded to fill out the claim and printed the report.  He put in a sentence that the customer agreed to the damage and accepts responsibiity.  I told him that I did not agree with that statement.  I told him that I had not agreed to the damage and wanted that noted.  He refused to do that and said I could take it up with the recovery department.   He charged me my insurance deductible and sent me on my way.

I'm a very patient person and will take responsibility for what I've done.  However, it really frustrates me when someone else takes advantage of their authority or leverage.  This feels like a total scam that ultimately costs me.  

While I was there, the customer beside me was getting the same treatment; however, he had documented in photos the damage at the time of the rental.  They were trying to challenge him, but he was well equipped with the pictures.  That's the lesson I've learned.  I will document every inch of that car, video it, and have them note and confirm every scratch and blemish.