Page 2 | Help: Who can help me? I'm a foreigner and I don't know the laws in Britain.

eeoo · 2025-11-09T01:04:47+00:00

I rented a car from Sixt UK via Booking.com on 29 October 2025 at Victoria Station. The vehicle had a strong burning smell and unusually high fuel consumption shortly after pickup. I contacted Sixt several times but received no timely assistance, losing three full days of my trip. When I later went to the Battersea branch (as arranged by Sixt), staff spoke in a rude and dismissive tone, which made me feel racially discriminated against as a Chinese customer. Sixt denied any issue, claiming it was “a new car smell,” and refused replacement or compensation. All this is like a scam. I booked an Audi, but when I arrived at the store, I was told that it was only Volvo or I had to pay more to change cars. I checked Google's comments, and most of them accused this store of being a shameless liar. How can I defend my rights?I think maybe I don't buy insurance at the store, so give me a broken car on purpose?

PencilsInSpace · 09/11/2025 09:49

eeoo · 09/11/2025 02:38

Thank you, I have contacted, but unfortunately there is no reply.

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Try their consumer helpline on Monday (during the day!), it's generally much less busy than their main phone line and has specialist advisers for consumer issues:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/if-you-need-more-help-about-a-consumer-issue/

RedTagAlan · 09/11/2025 10:27

prh47bridge · 09/11/2025 09:17

This is a civil matter, not a criminal one.

As with other car renters, you book a type of car, not a specific make and model. The words "or similar" appear after every car model on their website. You won't get anywhere with a claim based on them giving you a Volvo when you wanted an Audi.

You have a claim if the car they gave you was faulty. However, your problem will be proving it was faulty. If you take them to court, you will say there was a burning smell and fuel consumption was high. They will say it just smelt like a new car and any issue with fuel consumption was down to your driving style (or possibly that your expectation of the fuel consumption of this car was unrealistic - the manufacturer claims 36.2mpg for this particular model but real life testing suggests you may only get 31mpg). You don't have to prove it was faulty beyond reasonable doubt but, unless you got some independent evidence that the car was faulty, it will be your word against theirs. In that situation, I'm afraid it is likely you would lose.

I checked Google's comments, and most of them accused this store of being a shameless liar

No they do not. There are some negative comments along these lines (as is the case with most car hire companies), but most of the reviews give them four or five stars. Making claims that are easy to check and demonstrably false will not help your case.

I said pretty much the same above, but I did have a look at the Sixt website out of interest, and this bit from your post stands out to me. Quote " You don't have to prove it was faulty beyond reasonable doubt but, unless you got some independent evidence that the car was faulty, it will be your word against theirs. In that situation, I'm afraid it is likely you would lose."

The Sixt website is clear that if there are issues, you return the car to them, and not any garage.

So if someone did take their rental to be indy checked, it would invalidate the rental agreement ?

I also looked up some reviews, I agree with you re reviews, but one thing for sure, it is a high trust business. Most people stressing the importance of the walkaround and visual inspection before accepting the car.

I must admit, I have maybe been lucky, because I am a hand waver at the inspection bit. " Yup, that's fine, where do I sign ?". And I have never been hit for claimed damage.

AlohaRose · 09/11/2025 10:41

Are you a visitor to this country or are you planning on staying here long-term? I’m not sure about all this talk of going to citizens advice, seeing a solicitor, taking them to court etc is relevant if you are only here for a couple of weeks?

kiwiane · 09/11/2025 11:29

Their terms and conditions would most likely allow the company to give you an alternative car of the same class. You can complain and ask for a refund but I doubt you’ll get one; just mark it up to experience and leave an honest review.
No crime has been committed and I wouldn’t expect the UK Citizens Advice Bureau made up of volunteers to help a wealthy traveller to the country. Maybe your travel insurance covers you for any damages - you’d need receipts.
Don’t allow an annoying situation to ruin your trip, life’s too short to litigate every issue.

youegg · 09/11/2025 11:42

@eeoo it is not clear what your loss was or how you lost three days of a trip. Please explain more clearly.

Also you hire a vehicle ‘type’ not an actual make and model. So it will say eg ‘Audi A3 or similar’ and you might get a Volvo the same size/engine etc so that won’t be something worth bothering with.

Ohmygodthepain · 09/11/2025 11:45

In the UK you can only claim for monetary loss (iirc) so at most you would get back the cost of your hire plus any other car hire costs. The cost to put in a claim is likely to exceed your financial loss, even if you didn't engage legal support.

There was no criminal crime committed. They may have breached their t&C's - what exactly WAS wrong with the car that prevented you from driving it?

Again, exceptionally rarely will hirers promise an exact model - only once have I hired a specific (luxury) model and there was a HUGE premium for this (in the USA).

Car hire is a minefield wherever you are in the world.

The devil really is in the detail - you have to prove they intentionally hired you a dangerous car and did nothing to remedy it, by fixing it offering a replacement. You will not be able to claim for hurt feelings or inconvenience. Your post earlier in the week had similar responses, asking again won't change the answer.

FlexiSadie · 09/11/2025 11:47

How many threads do you have about this??

HundredMilesAnHour · 09/11/2025 12:19

youegg · 09/11/2025 11:42

@eeoo it is not clear what your loss was or how you lost three days of a trip. Please explain more clearly.

Also you hire a vehicle ‘type’ not an actual make and model. So it will say eg ‘Audi A3 or similar’ and you might get a Volvo the same size/engine etc so that won’t be something worth bothering with.

The Sixt Victoria website doesn’t even offer ‘Audi or similar’. There’s no mention of Audi at all.

Original poster

eeoo · 09/11/2025 14:41

CypressGrove · 09/11/2025 02:54

There isn't a crime here though? What was actually wrong with the car - a smell? What evidence do you have if the car being faulty? The different car makes is standard at car hire- you generally book within a price range.

Unfortunately, "smell" can't prove it, only the video stopped in the middle of the road.

OP posts:

Original poster

eeoo · 09/11/2025 14:43

RedTagAlan · 09/11/2025 03:18

What caused the loss of three days ?

Waiting for a replacement, or was the smell being and fuel being investigated?

A complaint about fuel consumption is going to be difficult to take forward, because it does come down to driving style. And from a mechanical fault point of view, I don't see what would cause that. Unless you are connecting that to the burning smell.

In that case, you could argue the car was not safe to be driven. So did the agent test drive/ check the car to confirm if safe to drive, in their opinion of course. If the car was not safe, and they insisted it was, there is certainly a case for complaint. But the onus would likely be on you to show it was unsafe.

Also, if they offered you an alternative car, but you refused it because of make or model, while in the same price range, then I think that would come down to the small print in the rental agreement.

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Because the other party provided a faulty car, all my travel plans behind me were ruined.

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Original poster

eeoo · 09/11/2025 14:46

Kimura · 09/11/2025 03:18

You may have a claim for a full/partial refund if the car was undrivable and the company was unreachable/incorrectly refused a replacement or otherwise breached their contract. You may also be able to claim for reasonable losses you suffered as a direct result of their breach. Eg, you missed a hotel reservation and had to book alternative accommodation, the cost of a replacement hire car.

You would need to speak to a UK solicitor, who will be able to advise on your legal position.

Alternatively, if you paid by credit card, you may be able to contact your card issuer to perform a chargeback on the rental fee. They will likely request proof that you have tried to resolve this with the company. They would not be able to recover additional expenses.

I'm not clear on why you waited three days to return the car though, and this could be an issue. If it was drivable (which I assume it was as you did eventually return it), you should have returned it straight away regardless of the company's response if you thought it wasn't fit to drive. Your rental agreement would have contained a roadside assistance number for breakdowns as well, did you call that?

I only mention this as unless you've left important details out (and assuming you're not a qualified mechanic), your only evidence of a fault is your claim of an unusual smell and fuel consumption, after which you kept the car for three days.

On the first day, I felt that the fuel consumption was abnormal and I smelled something but I didn't pay attention to it. On the second day, I noticed that it was still very strong, so I contacted the road rescue and official customer service. On the third day, I refused to change the car and claimed that there was no problem. A total of three days were wasted.

OP posts:

Original poster

eeoo · 09/11/2025 14:48

Kimura · 09/11/2025 03:34

Of course she can sue as a foreign national. Why wouldn't she be able to?

Also, you don't have to be the victim of a crime in order to sue someone. Breach of contract, financial loss, consumer issues, personal injury...these are civil matters where the desired outcome is a remedy, such as financial compensation.

OP's claim is that the rental company breached their contract by providing a faulty vehicle and refusing to replace it/compensate her. If that is indeed the case, she would be entitled to compensation.

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Thank you. How can I sue?

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Original poster

eeoo · 09/11/2025 14:51

TappyGilmore · 09/11/2025 03:40

You said you booked via booking.com. In that case the usual approach is to take any issues up with them, not the rental company themselves.

They claimed that there was no problem with booking.

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Original poster

eeoo · 09/11/2025 14:54

prh47bridge · 09/11/2025 09:17

This is a civil matter, not a criminal one.

As with other car renters, you book a type of car, not a specific make and model. The words "or similar" appear after every car model on their website. You won't get anywhere with a claim based on them giving you a Volvo when you wanted an Audi.

You have a claim if the car they gave you was faulty. However, your problem will be proving it was faulty. If you take them to court, you will say there was a burning smell and fuel consumption was high. They will say it just smelt like a new car and any issue with fuel consumption was down to your driving style (or possibly that your expectation of the fuel consumption of this car was unrealistic - the manufacturer claims 36.2mpg for this particular model but real life testing suggests you may only get 31mpg). You don't have to prove it was faulty beyond reasonable doubt but, unless you got some independent evidence that the car was faulty, it will be your word against theirs. In that situation, I'm afraid it is likely you would lose.

I checked Google's comments, and most of them accused this store of being a shameless liar

No they do not. There are some negative comments along these lines (as is the case with most car hire companies), but most of the reviews give them four or five stars. Making claims that are easy to check and demonstrably false will not help your case.

It's terrible. This is a shameless liar.

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BeardOToots · 09/11/2025 14:54

Bluebay · 09/11/2025 02:42

Would your country's embassyin London be able to offer advice?
Or maybe the Chinese information and advice centre in London? I think they offer services mainly to Chinese immigrants but perhaps they could help you too? https://ciac.co.uk/

Edited

Call the Chinese Embassy because their car had a funny smell?!

Original poster

eeoo · 09/11/2025 14:56

londongirl12 · 09/11/2025 09:19

for 3 days worth, it’s hardly worth the time or the money. Take it as a lesson learned and do your research on the company before you book.

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It's too bad for me. I'll sue them at all costs.

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Nearly50omg · 09/11/2025 14:58

Did you check that you hadn’t left the handbrake on for example which would
cause a smell and high fuel consumption - some cars have 2 handbrakes and I know of several people this has happened to and they thought the car was faulty

BeardOToots · 09/11/2025 15:01

eeoo · 09/11/2025 14:56

It's too bad for me. I'll sue them at all costs.

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At all costs???
Seems like a funny hill to die on. Perhaps you should try to move on.

Original poster

eeoo · 09/11/2025 15:02

AlohaRose · 09/11/2025 10:41

Are you a visitor to this country or are you planning on staying here long-term? I’m not sure about all this talk of going to citizens advice, seeing a solicitor, taking them to court etc is relevant if you are only here for a couple of weeks?

I will return to China in mid-January, so I don't know if I can sue him.

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Original poster

eeoo · 09/11/2025 15:04

FlexiSadie · 09/11/2025 11:47

How many threads do you have about this??

1

OP posts:

RedTagAlan · 09/11/2025 15:05

eeoo · 09/11/2025 14:43

Because the other party provided a faulty car, all my travel plans behind me were ruined.

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That does not really answer the question. Why 3 days ?

Because if you had to be somewhere, and the car was faulty, could you not have made alternate arrangements ? Get a train, a bus, or rented another car.

That would make this a different issue, claiming back the original rental fee.

As an example of potential holes in your story, how far did you drive from Victoria before you saw high fuel consumption ? It would have to be a fair distance, in the hundreds of miles perhaps, for you to spot the issue. That would put you in Cardiff for example, not Battersea.

And you drove the car with a burning smell, long enough to notice high fuel consumption.. For you to drive the car long enough to notice the fuel, does that not mean it ran ok with the smell ?

I have never had the misfortune to hire a faulty car, but if I had, my second statement on calling the helpline would be, " I need to be at X by Y pm. How to get there?

Why did you decide to sit in London for 3 days ? That's what I don't get.

Original poster

eeoo · 09/11/2025 15:06

Nearly50omg · 09/11/2025 14:58

Did you check that you hadn’t left the handbrake on for example which would
cause a smell and high fuel consumption - some cars have 2 handbrakes and I know of several people this has happened to and they thought the car was faulty

I have released the handbrake. I don't know the two handbrakes you mentioned.

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BeardOToots · 09/11/2025 15:08

RedTagAlan · 09/11/2025 15:05

That does not really answer the question. Why 3 days ?

Because if you had to be somewhere, and the car was faulty, could you not have made alternate arrangements ? Get a train, a bus, or rented another car.

That would make this a different issue, claiming back the original rental fee.

As an example of potential holes in your story, how far did you drive from Victoria before you saw high fuel consumption ? It would have to be a fair distance, in the hundreds of miles perhaps, for you to spot the issue. That would put you in Cardiff for example, not Battersea.

And you drove the car with a burning smell, long enough to notice high fuel consumption.. For you to drive the car long enough to notice the fuel, does that not mean it ran ok with the smell ?

I have never had the misfortune to hire a faulty car, but if I had, my second statement on calling the helpline would be, " I need to be at X by Y pm. How to get there?

Why did you decide to sit in London for 3 days ? That's what I don't get.

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All sounds like absolute nonsense to me.

Out of interest OP, how high are we talking for the fuel consumption?

Original poster

eeoo · 09/11/2025 15:08

RedTagAlan · 09/11/2025 15:05

That does not really answer the question. Why 3 days ?

Because if you had to be somewhere, and the car was faulty, could you not have made alternate arrangements ? Get a train, a bus, or rented another car.

That would make this a different issue, claiming back the original rental fee.

As an example of potential holes in your story, how far did you drive from Victoria before you saw high fuel consumption ? It would have to be a fair distance, in the hundreds of miles perhaps, for you to spot the issue. That would put you in Cardiff for example, not Battersea.

And you drove the car with a burning smell, long enough to notice high fuel consumption.. For you to drive the car long enough to notice the fuel, does that not mean it ran ok with the smell ?

I have never had the misfortune to hire a faulty car, but if I had, my second statement on calling the helpline would be, " I need to be at X by Y pm. How to get there?

Why did you decide to sit in London for 3 days ? That's what I don't get.

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I have said before how these three days were destroyed. On the second day, the road was rescued. On the third day, I went to the store and refused to admit the vehicle problem and refused to replace the vehicle.

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GetToHeaven · 09/11/2025 15:09

I think the costs of suing them would outweigh any compensation, but they are an awful company. They rented my parents a car with damage on it, which they took pics of before leaving the airport, then claimed they caused the damage despite the evidence. That was 2.5yrs ago and they’re still getting debt collection letters.