Car rental complaint to a European Consumer Centre (ECC)
Updated
General information, not legal advice. The outcome depends on the facts of your case.
Every EU country, plus Norway and Iceland, has a European Consumer Centre (ECC). Together they form ECC-Net. They help for free when you have a problem with a business in another of these countries. Car rental is one of the problems they see most, and damage charges are a big part of it.
Who can use it
- You live in an EU country, Norway or Iceland.
- The rental company is in another of these countries. In practice, the rental took place abroad.
- You contact the ECC in your own country, in your own language.
UK residents are no longer part of ECC-Net. For them, the routes are ECRCS for rentals abroad with member brands, BVRLA for UK rentals, and the card issuer.
How big the problem is
ECC-Net counted 5,305 car rental cases up to the end of November 2024, up from 2,545 in 2021. More than one in five cases in 2023 were about contested damage.
What the ECC does
- It checks your case and tells you your rights.
- It can contact the ECC in the rental company's country, which then contacts the company.
- It can point you to a dispute body in that country, if there is one.
The ECC cannot force the company to pay. It works by contacting the company and pressing the point. Many cases end with a refund or a reduced charge, but not all.
Before you go to the ECC
The ECC will expect you to have complained to the company yourself first. Have ready:
- your letter to the company and its answer;
- the rental agreement, the pick-up and return reports and the claim;
- your photos and videos;
- proof of payment.
ECC Netherlands and ECC Spain publish free template letters for disputing rental damage. See what your dispute letter needs.
ECC or ECRCS?
ECRCS only covers 12 brands booked direct, but its decision binds the company. The ECC covers any company, including brokers and local firms such as Goldcar or Centauro, but cannot bind anyone. If ECRCS is open to you, it is often the stronger route. If not, the ECC is the usual free step. Note that ECRCS refuses cases already raised with your bank, so decide the order before you call the bank.
In Finland
ECC Finland tells Finnish cardholders that the card issuer can be jointly liable for credit purchases under the Consumer Protection Act. Ask your bank about it, as well as about a card dispute.