Why is RVshare holding Aaron Olbrich’s $1,500 deposit after he returns his rental van? And can he ever get his money back?

Q: I rented a Mercedes van for two weeks through RVshare, a rental company. It rained on the way home, and water leaked through the air-conditioner vent.

After I returned the van, RVshare charged me by keeping my $1,500 deposit.

Here are a few facts about our rental. First, when it rained, the air-conditioner vent would leak. The owner of the van lied and said I left the vent open. I have a video, but because they don’t have a before-and-after video, they are denying my deposit.

Another fact: The van’s owner put it back into service right away. So where’s the damage?

I had to shorten my trip by a day because of the leaky van.

And get this: I had insurance! We paid $1,372 for a policy.

I want to receive my $1,500 deposit back. I did not cause any damage and returned the van in excellent condition. They said as much when we returned it. I believe the owner did not maintain the van, which led to the damage. Can you help? — Aaron Olbrich, Morgan Hill, Calif.

A: RVshare shouldn’t make you pay for someone else’s damage. But whose responsibility was this leak?

First, we should probably back up and talk about RVshare. Think Airbnb for recreational vehicles. The rental process works similarly, except that some of its policies more closely resemble those of a car rental company.

According to RVshare’s terms of service, acts of God, such as rain, hail and wind, are the renter’s responsibility. At the same time, there’s an implied warranty that the RV you rent is roadworthy and that the roof won’t leak.

I’ve examined the videos you took of the Mercedes van, and to me, it appears there was a leak in the roof. And you couldn’t have taken a “before” video because it wasn’t raining. However, while you rented the van, it did rain, exposing the problem and faulty maintenance.

I can’t verify if the owner returned the van to service, but if that is true, that’s a big red flag. It means the next renter might also have to pay for damages that they didn’t cause. (In the car rental industry, this is called the ding-and-dent scam.)

I think you might have resolved this issue by sending a brief, polite appeal to one of the RVshare executives listed on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. This appeared to be a borderline case that merited a second look.

I recommend reviewing the terms of your rental carefully before driving away in a car, van, or recreational vehicle. If you are concerned, you can always purchase insurance that will cover you in the event of an accident or damage caused by inclement weather.

I checked with RVshare about your case. A representative stated that you indeed had insurance, but you chose the basic insurance policy, which offers liability coverage, windshield damage coverage, and campsite liability coverage. You also put down a required $1,500 security deposit.

RVshare states that you had the option to add a $79 Security Deposit waiver, but declined. I think you were probably feeling a little fatigued at that point, which is entirely understandable. If you had chosen the waiver, you would have avoided the $1,500 fee, according to RVshare.

“The owner reported that the damages amounted to $2,972 and withheld the security deposit,” a representative said.

RVshare states that it has been working with you throughout the dispute process. It states that it spoke with your wife and, “due to the unforeseen weather event and the fact that it is unclear if the owner provided the proper maintenance post-trip, we are refunding the security deposit in good faith,” a representative told me.

If there’s a takeaway from this case, it’s that you need to choose your insurance coverage carefully — especially when renting a specialty vehicle like an RV. But there’s also a lesson learned for RVshare. Perhaps it offers too many insurance options, which can confuse its customers. Why not just include insurance in all rentals, which would eliminate future cases like yours?

By Christopher Elliott

BIO:

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organisation that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at [email protected] or get help by contacting him on his site.

© 2025 Christopher Elliott.

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