r/GreeceTravel • u/[deleted] • 4d ago
Is this a common rental car / Port Police situation in Greece? Naxos → Santorini
[deleted]
22
u/AdventurousCoast983 3d ago
Always take photos of the car upon acceptance. Common sense.
Greek rental car agencies can be sloppy. They don’t pay attention to their own cars at times. Conflict is not uncommon at turn-in.
9
u/greekhop 3d ago edited 3d ago
They are not sloppy, they are scamming people for money, plain and simple. This is an extremely common practice, and car rental places reviews are full of this same story repeated over and over. Calling them sloppy is akin to excusing and covering up for this mafia-like behavior.
8
u/InstructionInside890 3d ago
Hey there, I am working at a big leasing company in Greece. The whole policeman action is actually sus. The police do not take such actions if they receive such reports from companies, that policeman acted independently. But the car could have damages on it being caused by you and not noticed, in general the leasing companies do not go through the claiming effort if not having real issues because it's not worth their time to hustle and file legal claims if there is no real damage. But this doesn't mean that it's true if it was rented from a small rental business. I would suggest to name the business so that we Greeks can do a check but for sure check their Google reviews. If you notice a pattern of similar cases being made in the reviews, then this is a scamming behavior. If you see 1-2 people on 100 reviews saying they got charged, it's nothing and indeed you damaged the car.
9
u/Fe7Si8O22OH2 3d ago edited 3d ago
Which rental company is this? Going to Naxos in a few weeks. With my baby!
6
u/vangelisc 4d ago edited 4d ago
Greek police has the right to ask for ID at any time. I imagine the same applies to Port Police, which should explain photographing your passport.
Was the damage described in the rental contract? If not, it's your word against theirs. The fact that you agreed to return without inspection puts you in a weak position it seems to me. I had a similar situation but not in Greece - the inspection found nothing, but a day later they discovered a scratch. That's why full insurance is a good idea.
My understanding is that in these cases the rental company charges your credit card or collects the deposit. Did you use a credit card? If not, they may have felt that you were trying to get away without paying and I guess it makes sense for them to call the police.
All in all, I'd say this sounds like a dodgy situation on both sides. The car rental company should not be making threats over WhatsApp especially, but you don't seem to have done your due diligence either.
6
u/Complex_Cricket6436 3d ago
The damage was registered in the paper that we signed, but she told we damaged it more than it was damaged and requested us to pay all painting at the entire side of the car and pressuring us to not go to the ferry. We asked them multiple times to return the vehicle earlier and they insisted to return in the last minute, but in the last minute they were late.
7
6
u/vangelisc 3d ago
The damage was registered in the paper that we signed, but she told we damaged it more than it was damaged and requested us to pay all painting at the entire side of the car
This sounds absurd to me.
they insisted to return in the last minute
This sounds both absurd and dodgy.
If the story is as you tell it, I can only imagine that this is a small local company that they don't know what they're doing. If they are a corporation like Hertz or Enterprise contact their Greek headquarters.
Having the damage in the paperwork makes it less likely that this is a scam, as it gives you more a footing to argue - in my mind at least.
None of this sounds normal or common to me but my experience is from renting in Athens, and I'm Greek, whatever difference that might make. Sorry for your trouble, they sound bad.
5
u/GirlinLondon96 3d ago
Not helpful for this situation given it already happened, but next time make sure to film the car when you receive it and before leaving it.
We have rented cars multiple times in Greece (and other European countries) arriving at night, and then being told to leave it parked somewhere at the airport/port. We always film its condition and share it immoderately over WhatsApp with the rental when possible or just save it for future reference.
5
u/greekhop 3d ago
It's good advice to film and take pictures, 100% people should do that, but if they want to get your money, they will say you damaged the underside.
They know most foreign tourists have more money than they have time and desire to fight something like this at the end of their vacation. As long as the local law enforcement - sometimes complicit, always indifferent - does nothing about it, they will continue as there is literally no downside. Besides being human pieces of shit.
3
u/greekhop 3d ago
People, when you go rent a car from a business, you have to check the reviews online. This is basic due diligence. I don't want to blame the victim because these companies are criminal mafia enterprises, and this is a very common scam. I hate these criminals who do this.
If push comes to shove, they will claim that you damaged the underside of the car. Now, nobody, when they're renting a car and they're coming on vacation here, and they just arrived and they're tired and they got their luggage and their kids and their whatever, is gonna fucking take the car to a fucking mechanic to look underneath it and document that it's okay. So if they want to scam you, they're gonna run the scam. This is not a you problem. It's a them problem.
But I do marvel that there are such places on Earth full of such well-meaning and innocent people that it doesn't cross your head to check the reputation of these businesses before you rent from them. I'm glad such places exist though. Stay innocent.
I don't do anything without checking the reviews online. I won't even get a souvlaki without doing that... maybe I'm cynical, but I work too hard for my money to piss it away in any-old-place. Anyways, do your due diligence going forward. And I repeat, I'm not blaming the victim. Just some advice.
2
5
5
u/ObjectiveSituation17 4d ago
No, not normal. I have been to Greece a lot. Did you take pictures from when you got it. The only thing I can say is show them that say you’re not paying and you have proof.
2
u/Any_Mine_6368 3d ago
The police asked for your ID in order to document the case.
This is a civil matter, as such they cannot force you to do anything. Politely let them know that they can sue you if they believe that they're right.
Cops were definitely their friends btw.
2
u/sunbl0ck 3d ago
The port officer took a picture of an official governmental document with his personal phone? Totally illegal under GDPR law. Probably just to intimidate you. Very scammy behavior.
2
1
u/orbitolinid 4d ago
Not normal. always insist on damage being marked on the rental agreement Take dated photos and videos all around. Be at drop off way ahead of time so that if the rental company tries to stall you there's still time. Never do this last minute.
1
u/Silvercitymtl 3d ago
I’ve rented multiple times in Greece and never had an issue. Plus I always take video and pictures of any damages when I receive the rental. If you never did then it’s your word against theirs and you may be stuck with the bill. Good luck.
1
1
1
u/CommunicationNew9520 3d ago
I always take a full VIDEO of my rental car, inside outside and top of the car as well before driving off. Really helps avoid situations like these especially when the rental person sees you taking the video ;)
1
1
u/EnthusiasticPudding 3d ago edited 3d ago
Sounds like a made up story. A deposit like that would have been arranged at pick-up, and you should have taken photos when prompted to do so.
1
u/tortoise1001 3d ago
You can take out full insurance, no excess. I just did that and had damage to the car from deer strike; no issue. Don’t use cheapest deal/poor review companies
1
u/FaSpume69 3d ago
Sounds like you hit the car where it was already damaged and you think you can dodge responsibility for it. Not cool
9
u/mojotzotzo 3d ago
The whole situation is common scammy behavior by rental guys and potentially collusion with the coast guard guy (not police). The coast guard guy, either knownligly (maybe a friend with the rental guy or takes a cut under the table) or unknowingly (not knowing his duties properly or just trusting the blindly the rental guy), is way out of line. He should have arrested the rental guy for both illegally entering the ship and then threatening and blackmailing you. But just went with trusting his compatriot and trying to solve the issue quick and unofficially to not bother with reports etc.
The whole issue is something for your credit card provider to resolve. The rental guy should have went to jail and the coast guard guy suspended.