Charged £500 for two minor scuffs on a rental car in Mallorca. I’m sure the marks were always there, but there’s no evidence for it. What can we do? The HOLIDAY GURU answers

We have been visiting Mallorca for over 20 years and always rent a car, using different companies depending on what is available. However, last October we had a terrible experience.

We rented a car from OK Mobility at Palma de Mallorca airport. When we returned it, an employee went around with a flashlight looking for ‘damage’. She found two small scuff marks on a hubcap. She then asked if we had any photos of it from when we picked up the car.

We said no, which wasn’t surprising because we would have had to get down on our hands and knees with a flashlight to see what she had found.

She promptly said the points would be charged – and when we got home we got a notification saying it would cost £496. This seemed excessively high, so we requested the amount from OK Mobility. Their response was that we took the car without pointing out the damage, so it was on us.

We accept that this is the case to the letter of the law, but we doubt whether this ‘damage’ occurred at all during our rental period, although we realize there is nothing we can do to prove this. Surely such high costs are wrong? We have asked OK Mobility for their repair estimate matrix, which they sent to us, but we have no evidence that this repair work has been completed. We feel like we were charged way too much. Can you help?

Pat and Anthony Smyth, Baldock, Hertfordshire

The Mail’s holiday guru Mark Palmer responds. This sounds terrible – and it seems you are far from the only ones facing such accusations. Surveys of car rental customers routinely reveal dissatisfaction with “unreliable damage.” Which? Travel recently found that more than 40 percent of respondents said they had been charged for pre-existing scratches and dents.

Fortunately, after writing to us and after many months and emails, you have now received your money back. It took some time, but OK Mobility finally admitted that the damage to the hubcap was already present and that the accusation was ‘incorrect’.

In your case, the company eventually threw up its hands and admitted that its staff had somehow made a mistake and even apologized.

However, it is rare for car rental companies to pull out – and your case underlines the need to always take extra care when renting vehicles. According to the RAC, the key to avoiding ‘misunderstandings’ is to take plenty of time to thoroughly check the vehicle during collection.

This may seem annoying at the start of a holiday, but the RAC recommends taking photos all around, focusing on ‘wear and imperfections’. Pay close attention to the wheels/hubcaps: photos of all four are a good idea. Also take photos of any imperfections in the car.

All this must be done in the presence of a rental car employee, who must record any damage on a schedule sheet. When you’re done, take a photo of this sheet, or request a copy – and also take a photo of the car in its entirety, including the license plate and the number of the parking lot it is parked in. Both the license plate and the lot number in one shot is ideal. This entire process should take no more than ten to fifteen minutes.

If a problem arises upon your return, you will have everything you need. During the drop-off, Which? Travel advises you to have the vehicle inspected in your presence. Then take a photo of the signed damage report.

In the unlikely event that damages are subsequently charged, what? Travel recommends that you request proof of the damage and how the repair costs have been calculated. Of course, if you have photos showing that there is no damage, the car rental company has nothing to fall back on.

Finally, it is highly recommended to take out excess insurance when renting a car. This protects you from automatic excess liability, often up to around £2,500, whether or not you are responsible for the damage to the vehicle.

However, never do this at the car rental desk. It is estimated that insurance from a rental company will cost as much as £205 more per week than if you book independently before you leave. Which? Traveling suggests trying chewinginsurance.com, questor-verzekeringen.nl And rentalcover.com – which came out best in a price comparison. If you rent cars regularly, annual policies are available.

WE ARE HERE TO HELP

If you need advice, the Holiday Guru is ready to answer your questions. Email us at holidayplanner@dailymail.co.uk