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When Natasha Bird rents a car from Thrifty, she notes damage to the front bumper. So why is she getting a bill for $2,212 for the same damage?

Q I rented a car from Thrifty in Anchorage and noted damage on the front bumper when I took the car. Months later, Thrifty is holding me responsible for the damage I didn’t cause.

My paperwork provides clear evidence, but Thrifty’s third-party claims company, PurCo, won’t listen. It claims that Thrifty lost the paperwork proving I didn’t cause the damage. The paperwork clearly states that the damage occurred when I checked the car out. PurCo wants me to pay $2,212. Can you help me? — Natasha Bird, Beaverton, Ore.

A: Thrifty shouldn’t have charged you a dime, not just because you had already noted the damage. I’ll get to the other reason in a minute.

This is another instance of a company blaming its customers for something that wasn’t their fault. When renting a car, it is essential to carefully document any pre-existing damage to avoid being held responsible for it later.

It sounds like you did everything by the book. You paid for Thrifty’s damage waiver. And you noted the damage on the paperwork when you checked out the car. However, Thrifty’s third-party claims company, PurCo, claims that Thrifty lost the paperwork. How convenient.

Could you have done anything differently? Yes. If you ever get another damaged car, politely ask for another one. I’ve seen too many cases where an employee assures a customer that “it’s fine” only to receive a bill for repairs later.

You could have also taken “before” and “after” pictures. I didn’t see any as part of your claim, and I think they might have helped establish that the damage was there before you rented the car.

Why wasn’t PurCo listening to you? Your bill included a $400 “administrative fee,” which PurCo charges to handle a claim. I wasn’t there when your case came in, but if I had to guess, I’d say PurCo didn’t want to lose the business.

But your case was a slam dunk. Not only did you have written proof of the pre-existing damage, but you also had a second defence. Your rental dates didn’t align with the dates on the claim.

You could have tried to resolve this by contacting Thrifty’s customer service executives. I list their names and contact information on my consumer advocacy website, Elliott.org. I also have the names and numbers of the executives at the claims company, Purco Fleet Services.

I contacted Thrifty on your behalf. A representative reviewed your file and agreed you should not have been charged for the damage. The representative contacted PurCo and requested that it close your claim.