That’s happened to me a few times. When you leave it at the airport for an early flight and there’s no one there. They can trace the car. I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Just give them a call and explain what happened.
Car rental never asks for rental agreement when they take the car back. However, they always SCAN the car and check the odometer. If the guy didn’t do any of that…
Avis pulled the same shit with a corporate rental of mine. Less than 24 hr rental and they lose it in the back lot for six weeks. Once I explained they magically found it…
They must have security cameras all over.
Call your insurance company. Have them sort it out w Avis.
Sky said:
Call your insurance company. Have them sort it out w Avis.
I don’t have insurance 
Sky said:
Call your insurance company. Have them sort it out w Avis.
I don’t have insurance
did you use a credit card? usually there is some form of insurance built in via your cc.
@EdwardGenesis
I used a credit card from my home country- I don’t think it has rental coverage.
AnnaTaylor said:
@EdwardGenesis
I used a credit card from my home country- I don’t think it has rental coverage.
Check.
Sky said:
Call your insurance company. Have them sort it out w Avis.
I don’t have insurance
Then I hope you bought it from Avis to cover you when you rented the car! If it’s stolen, this will come into play.
I sign up for texts with the rental car company. Not promotional texts, but they will text you that your car has been returned as soon as you drop off. I drop off the car, someone scans the barcode on the windshield and I immediately get a text that my car has been successfully returned. I’ve used it with budget, Avis and hertz.
you will be fine.
Sorry, but if you didn’t return it at an office or lock box, you are an idiot.
First of all, sorry you’re going through this. Did you rent with a credit card that has rental coverage? Worst case, if it was stolen, your car insurance and credit will take care of you. I’m sure this is all a misunderstanding though.
Not to pile onto all the feedback, but definitely take pictures (and a video) of the car when you rent it and when you drop it off. I’ve found these car rental companies are borderline shady and / or incompetent.
Get a lawyer because this is an ongoing issue with them and other rental companies. You might be entitled to damages through their negligence.
There will be cctv cameras showing you returned the car and if this guy was a car thief, they will have him on camera as well.
You went into a secure lot.
Or someone stole the car.
A few questions: Did the guy do things like check the mileage and gas, hand you a receipt, and ask you to make sure you had checked for your belongings, ask you if you filled the tank with gas? If not, probably car was stolen. (Avis rental car people have a portable printer and keypad in which they do things like enter your info and then print the receipt out. Random guys stealing your car probably don’t bother.)
You said you returned hours early. Was this before the normal operating hours for the lot? If yes, then there shouldn’t have been anyone there - car was stolen. If this was during normal hours and you returned to the correct place, then this was a simple mistake.
I’ve never had to hand someone the rental agreement when returning the car. This sounds like something a car thief who doesn’t know how rental car returns work would say.
Was this the kind of lot with the one way tire popper things, so that once you go in you can’t get out “Do not back up, severe tire damage”? Then the car wasn’t stolen. Was this just a regular parking lot that someone could drive the car out of? Then the risk is high.
If the car was stolen, are you liable? That’s an interesting question. Avis probably shouldn’t let random people stand in their lots taking car keys. But if the car was stolen, and you have insurance that covers car rentals, then your insurance might cover this. You’ll still be screwed however - you’ll owe the deductible and Avis and your insurance company probably won’t agree on how much the car was worth. If the car was stolen, you’ll have to do all the standard things - work with your insurance company, file a police report, etc.
@Blaine
don’t understand, normally I’d have to put my receipt with the gas level and stuff in a form, and then hand it to the staff at the desk or dropping the keys in a box. So I think asking for the receipt was normal (?)
He didn’t immediately start checking or anything, I handed him the keys and the paper and then left. I don’t know if he started checking afterwards.
I dropped it off on Santa Barbara Airport at around 1:30 PM- my actual drop-off time was on 7 PM. So not exactly very odd hours.
And the parking lot didn’t have spike strips or anything of that sort. But I was very close to the rental lot. The guy was in the counter, i asked him how I should return, and he asked me to hand the keys and he’ll do it.
Once I went to airport to drop off the car. Parked it and went inside to drop keys. No one showed up for 10 mins. Went out and saw a dude doing vehicles check. I said why is no one inside, I want to drop of keys. He said give me the key, I will take care of paperwork, there’s no one inside, it’s just me working. I said nope, you come inside, I will give it to you. Just wanted to make sure he was employee of rental.
He gave me attitude. I told you there was no one inside, you could have given me the key outside itself and saved yourself some time. I let him win the argument. No point in arguing with dumbasses. I would have been on the hook if it was some random I handed the keys to.