Hertz Reviews 

Here is list of what went wrong:
Had a booking for a Car pickup at terminal 3 in FRA but Car was located at terminal 1.
Was unable to reach any customer support on the phone under the number provided as part of the booking although I tried multiple times on multiple days.
Was charged with an additional fee less than a week after the car was returned without any explanation.
When I asked for an explanation incorrect and incomplete information was provided via email after a long wait. For example a traffic infringement notice was provided from a different car with a different driver. I was not even in the country at that time.
When I further inquired eventually the correct information was provided but that was 6 weeks after the actual debit was made from my account.
That is not good enough.
I cannot recommend this company!

I rented through Thrifty, which is operated by Hertz in Germany, and disputed a €102 fuel charge. I refilled the tank at an Esso station near the airport the morning I returned the car, and sent Hertz my bank statement showing the purchase. Hertz took three weeks to reply, then simply asserted that the car was returned empty. I asked three times for the actual check-in record: the fuel reading, the time it was taken, and any photo. None was provided.

The return was unattended on staff instructions, so any reading was taken without me there to see it. A company that bills customers for fuel after unwitnessed returns should at least be able to show its evidence. Dispute ongoing.

4 minutes ago
New
I absolutely do not recommend them!! They charged me for a scratch that was already on the car. They are demanding 1400€ for this. Just imagine how much the car costs in Germany!! There were other minor defects on the car and they handed it over to me like that but they want 400€ for loss of use because of a scratch that I did not cause I returned the car with a full tank and they shamelessly want 80€ for that too there is no invoice! in total they unfairly charged me about 1900€. They respond to objections within 14 days. Thank God I took a video. Absolutely do not trust these thieves!! The worst car rental company! A disgrace to Germany!

I booked a Hertz rental through Expedia and was charged $50 to cancel. Unlike the other rental options I was comparing, the free cancellation period ended 24 hours after booking—not 24 hours before pickup.

The page said a cancellation fee “may apply” afterward, without stating the amount beside that warning.

Hertz’s subsequent explanation switched between time since booking and time before pickup, leaving me to untangle how the rules fit together.

Clear wording would be easy: “Free cancellation only during the first 24 hours after reserving. Cancellation fees apply afterward—even if pickup is months away.”

Instead, a crucial restriction was presented in wording I found confusing and misleading.

Hertz got my $50—but lost my trust and any future business.

Customers deserve clear warnings, not expensive surprises.

Unfair charges and hidden pre-existing damages at Hertz Augsburg!
Review:
I am extremely disappointed with my recent rental experience (Contract Ref: 29/2903531). I returned the car at Augsburg Downtown, and Hertz hit me with an outrageous and completely inflated charge of €743.67 for "preliminary damage" to the wheels plus a €68 admin fee, totaling over €811 for scratches!
First of all, they charged me for TWO wheels. I only had one minor contact with a curb on one wheel. The second scratch was absolutely pre-existing. I picked up the car at Munich Airport after a long and exhausting flight with my young daughter and pets. In that stressful situation, it was physically impossible to inspect every single inch of the rims. Hertz is clearly taking advantage of families traveling under stressful conditions to charge them for old, pre-existing damages.
Secondly, the charge of €743.67 for wheel scratches on a standard Opel Astra is a complete overcharge. Looking at the "Vorläufige Abrechnung", Hertz didn't even include German VAT (MwSt) on this damage amount, proving it’s just an arbitrary, fixed internal penalty fee rather than the actual cost of a repair.
I demand that the Station Manager contacts me immediately to review this case. I will not accept being scammed for pre-existing defects and inflated internal matrix fees without a real, itemized invoice from an official repair shop. Avoid Hertz Augsburg and Munich Airport if you don't want to be unfairly charged upon return!

Nothing. I booked the car on 1 oct in Lisbon airport to be picked up. I paid for it. I arrived at 23 00 with kid and my card didn’t work because of the technical issue at the bank. I showed it and also that I have sufficient amount for insurance deposit but the stuff at Hertz was not unwilling/unable to understand the situation and look for other solutions. I asked for another payment option but they didn’t have any. They just closed the counter and left! Me leaving with kid to decide what to do middle of the nite.I came back next day to pick up the car as I managed it to connect the card with wallet, took a taxi from Peniche just to find out that the booking was cancelled with the reason stated “customer didn’t show up”. This is not true! I did show up. I received no cancelation notice and nobody told me at Hertz it will be canceled. So never again will book the car with them and will post this review online for others.

My experience with Hertz at Frankfurt Airport Terminal 1 has been extremely disappointing. I am disputing a damage charge that I believe has not been adequately substantiated, and I am deeply dissatisfied with the way this matter was handled.

I took video footage of the vehicle both before collecting it and after returning it. These recordings provide a valuable record of the vehicle's condition at both stages of the rental. Yet the damage documentation provided by Hertz before the rental contained blurry photographs that were inadequate for confidently assessing the vehicle's condition. The alleged damage was so minor that it was not discernible in my video footage and was barely visible to the naked eye.

This raises a serious question: **on what reliable evidence is Hertz basing its decision to charge me for this damage?** A customer should not be expected to accept financial liability for alleged damage without clear documentation and a credible explanation of how it has been attributed to their rental period.

The experience was made worse by the disrespectful manner in which the employee treated me when I returned the vehicle. Regardless of the circumstances, customers deserve professional, courteous treatment and a fair, transparent inspection process.

What concerns me most is the apparent lack of reliable documentation supporting the claim. I have retained my before-and-after video recordings and expect Hertz to assess this evidence properly rather than simply relying on its own inspection report.

I am seeking a full refund of the disputed damage charge unless Hertz can provide convincing evidence that the damage occurred during my rental. I also expect a meaningful response addressing the shortcomings in the inspection documentation and the conduct of the staff involved.

Hertz is an internationally recognised rental company, and I expect its standards of vehicle inspection, accountability, and customer service to reflect that reputation. My experience at Frankfurt Airport Terminal 1 has fallen well short of those expectations.

**My recommendation to other customers:** Document the vehicle thoroughly before and after your rental, including clear video footage, and retain all inspection reports. Do not assume that the rental company's own documentation will necessarily provide an adequate record of the vehicle's condition.

I hope Hertz takes this complaint seriously and resolves the matter fairly. I will update this review if the company provides a satisfactory resolution and refunds the disputed amount.

5 minutes late, charged me a whole day extra with insurance charges on top. Basically doubled my rental bill
I picked up the car at Munich airport and returned it at Berlin airport.
Two tires were severely underinflated at 1.5bar and I had to drive with it through the entire country. I guess one's now required to bring a mobile air pump at each rental pickup...

Charged €1,708 despite a 6-hour gap after returning the vehicle

Very disappointing experience with Hertz.

We returned our rental van to Hertz's appointed return company in Munich with both rear windows completely intact. Hertz later claimed both windows were smashed and charged us €1,708.

I have provided evidence showing there was almost a 6-hour gap between the vehicle being handed back and the photos of the broken windows being taken.

The only evidence Hertz appears to be relying on is those later photos — taken by the same company that had possession of the vehicle during those six hours.

Despite providing the timeline and multiple witness statements confirming the windows were intact at handover, Hertz has not explained what happened to the vehicle during that period.

Extremely disappointing handling of a serious damage claim.

Rented for the first time at Hertz in Munich Airport. 5 days. Business meeting. No spills. No smoking. Only some breadcrbumbs on the floor.

Hertz decided to charge my credit card for an additional €125 for "special cleaning" after I already left the country. This is after they charged alraedy upfront €125 for "special cleaning". How can this be legal?

​I had an appalling experience with Hertz from start to finish.
​Vehicle & Service Issues:
​Zero Vehicle Induction: Handed keys with no walkaround or orientation.
​Overcharging at Counter: The total was higher than the online quote. The employee’s response was literally, "I don't know where these costs come from either."
​Faulty Equipment: The built-in navigation/GPS had no mobile data connection and did not work. The windshield wipers were worn out and in poor condition.
​Mechanical Failure: The driver’s seat adjustment function failed after two days.
​Useless Customer Support: When reported, Hertz offered a repair or vehicle exchange. The partner repair shop simply said they had no time, and the nearest exchange station was too far away to make sense, leaving us stuck with a defective car.
​Unfair Post-Rental Charges:
Upon return, we documented all these pre-existing technical failures with the staff member, who assured us everything was documented and fine. One hour later, I received an email claiming the car was returned damaged with a €300 repair demand—with complete silence regarding the technical faults we reported.
​Extremely disappointed by the lack of transparency, broken equipment, and sudden extra charges. Avoid this station.

Just try to get a bill without going completely nuts.
As a business client better stay away!

I would give zero stars if I could. On the hottest day of the year I had to pick up kitchens I hired a van from B&Q - app worked fine and got the kitchens loaded and delivered to the destination. When the van was parked the app crashed completely- I deleted it/ reloaded it/ cleared cookies/ loaded it up on someone else’s phone. Nothing. There’s no way to contact Hertz24 but within the app. So we were stranded with an immobilised vehicle. I called the AA number in the van and he eventually contacted the fleet manager who called us back after an hour ( this was in 36 degrees) . She mobilised the van and we got it back on time somehow. However Hertz24 have refused to compensate us for the two broken down hours or to be honest even apologised. I had hired someone to help me load and unload that day and I have lost time and money. Hertz24 customer service is the absolute worst

If you happen to be in Germany rent a car from hertz. They took money out of our account without contacting us or let us know why. We returned the car to Munich airport and were charged for being late, even though we returned the car just under a day before our contract ended. We were also charged for a scratch on the bonnet even though we took photos of it at pick up. $800 or so in all. No workers when we picked up. No one checked when we arrived. We did all the right things and took photos and videos, as advised by person at desk, but they still took money from our account and the issue affecting us for weeks later. I thought hertz was a respectable company but I won’t book from them again.

Friendly and easy pick-up at Hamburg airport. However, upon return, I was charged almost another £300 for a tiny scratch (2.5mm) on a hub cap...! Absolutely ridiculous and customer service blankly refuting complaint and referring to "damage". Shall not use them ever again.

This company is nothing but a scam .I am going to pursue this till the end .Ombudsman is my first port of call .Ive had to cancel my bank card today to stop them stealing anymore money .The fact that they don’t respond to negative reviews speaks for itself. No customer service at all

Overall: Poor customer service. Poor road assistance when car electronics broke down, and the car could not be driven. Poor, non existent, cooperation between Hertz Germany and Hertz Austria (breakdown of car close by Hertz Lienz office). Search for and take photos of scratches and damages on the car during pick-up: Several more scratches detected than marked in the rental agreement. Be prepared with photo documentation when returning the car, Hertz employees search closely for additional scratches/damages not marked in the rental agreement.

Stay away. Hertz charges an extra 500€ after rental without sending an invoice or any damage to the car. No invoice, no explanation, no way of contacting them. Apparently they routinely do this.

Picked up a pre paid car at Munich airport. Was told I had been allocated a station wagon ( had ordered a small car) even asked that it would not be too big would it? After rental get charged £50 for it. Hertz are claiming this was discussed and they gave me a good deal - pure lies and fraudulent practices by their desk clerk no doubt for some commission. Yet another customer they have lost forever

I reserved a car to pick up at Charles de Gaulle airport. After a 9 hour overnight flight from Seattle, i was told at the Hertz counter that I had rented a manual transmission vehicle, and did I prefer an automatic? No mention of any upcharge, and so I agreed and foolishly signed off. They charged me a 1000 Euro fee. Caveat Emptor!