RentSmart24 Reviews 1,309

263 euro for 2 mm scratch

Car broke down with a puncture, roadside assistance arrived 7 hours late, no replacement car provided, and then I was hit with an inflated invoice full of unfair charges. Customer service completely ignored my emails. One of the worst rental companies I’ve ever dealt with.

WARNING: Avoid These ScammersPlease block your credit card immediately after returning your rental car. Here's what happened to me:After returning the car, they refunded my full deposit. However, two weeks later, they charged me over 400 euros for alleged car damage. They attempted to steal even more money but were limited by my card's spending limit. When I requested evidence of the damage, they failed to provide any documentation.I am escalating this case to the appropriate regulatory bodies. They try to take advantage if you are from abroad. Disgusting.

I rented a car with RentSmart24 through Rentcars.com. At no point during the booking process was it mentioned that an International Driving Permit (IDP) would be required. I have always rented cars in Europe (Germany, Spain, Greece, Portugal, and even other regions of Italy) using only my Brazilian driver’s license, without any issues.

My flight arrived on September 2nd, 2025, at 11:00 PM, and my reservation was scheduled for 11:30 PM. When I got to the counter, the agent refused to give me the car, demanding the IDP, and offered no support or alternatives. I was simply left stranded, even though it was almost midnight and the airport was about to close.

I tried other rental companies at the airport, and all of them accepted my license — but unfortunately, no cars were available at that time. As a result, I was left without a car, without public transportation, without Uber, and with no assistance from RentSmart24. Luckily, two local women who barely spoke English managed to call a taxi for me. The taxi arrived around 2:00 AM, cost €42, and finally took me to the city center.

The next day, I easily rented a cheaper car downtown using only my Brazilian license — proving that RentSmart24’s requirement was unnecessary and unreasonable.

It was an extremely frustrating and stressful experience, especially after a long flight. The lack of transparency on the website and the complete lack of customer support from RentSmart24 left me stranded in a critical situation.

I do not recommend this rental company.

Got charged for existing damage. When I sent them photos that I took on the day of the pickup they did not respond. Do not recommend.

DO NOT RENT A CAR FROM THESE SHONKY OPERATORS.
CAR WAS DIRTY AND DAMAGED.
ALL DAMAGES WERE RECORDED YET THEY CHARGED US FOR THE DAMAGES THAT WERE ALREADY ON THE CAR.
JUST TOOK THE MONEY FROM OUR DEPOSIT. ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING.
SHORT OF GOING BACK, THERE IS VERY LITTLE YOU CAN DO.
STAY AWAY FROM THEM..
YOU PAY A LITTLE MORE FROM SIXT RENTALS AND OTHERS, YOU GET A CLEAN DECENT CAR, IN THE END IT COST THE SAME, YOU DONT GET RIPPED OFF.
I LEFT A GOOD REVIEW FOR THIS MOB UNTIL I GOT THE NOTICE THAT THEY STOLE OUR DEPOSIT.. AND BY THE WAY I FOUND OUT I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE, .IT MUST BE STANDARD BUSINESS. STAY AWAY FROM THEM.
I HAD TO GIVE A STAR BUT IT WOULD BE A MINUS 5..

I arrived on time with all documents and an Apple Pay credit card. The agent refused to release the car because I didn’t have a physical credit card in the main driver’s name. My only options were to walk away or pay a €270 “no credit card” fee at the counter. This requirement was not clearly highlighted during booking and felt like a gotcha. The policy is rigid, the service unhelpful, and the fee excessive for a simple payment method issue. I left paying more and wasting time. I will not use this company again and recommend travelers avoid them unless they carry a physical credit card.

DO NOT rent a car! Awful service bad employees took $100 for nothing and in the end they did not rent us a car! Becuase the worker have a lot of ego! Dont dont dont rent a car from “RENT SMART 24” remember this name when you see car rent 24 just run guys

Please ensure cars are properly checked in advance. The vehicle we rented ran out of AdBlue after our very first trip. We were forced to purchase a 10-liter can of AdBlue for €25, yet the employees refused to reimburse these unnecessary expenses. This is unacceptable, as AdBlue—just like motor oil—is essential for the car to function and should never be the customer’s responsibility. We are very disappointed with this experience and, as a result, will not be renting from Rentsmart24 again.

Atrocious. Avoid at all cost.
They charged me an extortionate amount for a hairline scratch that was probably there before. In fact, the man went directly to that scratch (which was very difficult to see) and I bet he knew exactly where it was, and previous customers have been charged for the same "damage".
That cost me 173 Euros!

Olbia renting - the worst renting experience we had. Car was not aligned with renting, was no clean and with issues of oil and maintenance (lights open).
We arrived the renting close to midnight with childrens. When we asked for the possibility of a new car, 1 of the 2 guys with beard not identified started yelling in front of the childrens and other customers saying that is customer fault to rent via discovercars in a threating way. After the second guy also never identified (indian appearance)at midnight gave the possibility to cancel the contract and leave walking at this ours with bag and childrens with no other solution ( i recall close to midnight), knowing that customer would not find other solution at this time.
This 2 employees gave a Unbeliavable negative experience of the RentSmart24 and should be fired by the company because what happened should be completely unacceptable.
In addition even with completo car insurance it was needed to leave 100€ of caution, that in the end was adjusted to 110€ (33€ of fuel that was not at 100% and 78€ they create some difference invented of a difference of price paid to discovercars).
RentSmart 24 should use it as an alert to correct immediately and avoid that it happen again with other customers. Unfortunately due to this experience Will never rent again with this company.

We often rent a car when we travel abroad and have never had any issues with a rental company. However this was the first time we experienced bullying behaviour and what felt like a way to make easy cash.
The booking process was easy and the shuttle service was fine. We arrived late at night and were given a sheet with identified damage to the car to check. The car was parked outside the main building with the passenger side to the wall. It was very dark and we pulled the car from the wall and tried to identify the damage the car already from the list. It was difficult to see and no one from the company came with us to point out the damage. I took a quick video and a few photos . The car was clean inside and drove well. We drove 1 hour to and from the airport and one trip out at Lake Garda. Most of the time it was parked safely in the carpark in a large space . When we returned the car we were sent to the counter to complete paperwork. Suddenly the staff demanded us to go back to the car and were very aggressive saying we had scratched the car near the sill and on the back door which we never even opened once on our trip. We hadn’t knocked the car and could not explain how the scratches had happened and we feel they were pre-existing when we picked up the car in the dark. The staff insisted otherwise and charged us a large repair fee from our credit card deposit without any breakdown of costs. When we tried to take a photo of the damage they had removed the car.

We felt like they targeted and charged us extra by fabricating the scratches. We had not taken out their insurance as we had taken one out before we arrived and they were aggressively telling us to claim off our broker then! The whole process came across as a way to make money with the staff being forceful and aggressive and intimidating.
We were in shock and felt bullied into signing the paperwork. I felt so upset and deflated when we left there and it was an awful experience to encounter at the end of a lovely holiday . We have never experienced this happening with any other rental company we have ever used.

So beware if you are renting from them and take detailed photos and videos of every part of the vehicle before you take the car and when you return it.

I strongly recommend not to use them for your car hire!!

Empty office when arrived to returned and there was an extremely rude advisor when returning the car who got angry at us for putting the car in the wrong place, and for putting key in box, even though there were no instructions. He refused to provide name. He was working at Rome Fumicino airport on Saturday 23rd August 2025 at 12:20 pm.

He was aggressive and shouted at us unreasonably while we were very happy to do whatever we needed to do.

I rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience was so frustrating and unacceptable that I feel compelled to warn others.

First of all, finding the pickup point for the rental car was a nightmare. There is no shuttle service from the airport to the rental office, which is over 30 minutes away on foot. Walking that distance with backpacks, hand luggage, and a 26kg suitcase under the Sicilian sun was exhausting and completely unreasonable for a car rental company.

Once we finally reached the office, the check-in process was painfully slow. It took almost one full hour despite the fact that I had already completed an online pre-check-in. There was only one operator working, and while we waited, we were given a long explanation about all the different types of insurance. In the end, we were convinced to purchase the most expensive insurance package – we were reassured that, since we planned to drive long distances around Sicily, any mechanical issue would allow us to easily swap the car for another one. The final cost for a simple Fiat 500 XL was €900 – extremely expensive, but we accepted because we wanted peace of mind.

Unfortunately, the problems started immediately. The car was clean outside but absolutely filthy inside – sticky steering wheel and gear shift, crumbs everywhere, and seats covered in stains. I had to clean it myself before we could even start the trip.

Halfway from the office to our accommodation, the car developed a loud, high-pitched electrical noise coming from the rear wheels, similar to a constant whistling sound. It was extremely unpleasant both for the driver and for passengers. Since we had paid for the top insurance package, I immediately called the office to request a replacement car, explaining that we needed a reliable vehicle for our planned long drives.

The operator asked me two basic questions: “Does the car accelerate?” and “Does the car brake?” I said yes, but also mentioned that the car seemed to have reduced power. Despite this, he replied:

> “Then everything is fine. Even if you wanted to change the car, we have no cars available for replacement. Call us in the future.”

No clear instructions were given about when to call back or how to proceed. This is absolutely unacceptable customer service – I paid €900, and yet I was left with a noisy, unreliable, and dirty car, with no assistance and no solutions offered.

Things got even worse during the trip. The car struggled massively on hills, making it nearly impossible to drive on the roads around Mount Etna. Towards the end of the vacation, the AdBlue tank ran out completely. I had to buy a refill myself, keep the receipt, and return it with the car – only to be told that because the fiscal receipt didn’t explicitly state “AdBlue” (even though the purchase was clear), they “might not” refund me.

Finally, the fact that the car ran out of AdBlue, combined with the mechanical issues, clearly shows that the vehicles are not maintained at all. This is absolutely unacceptable for a company charging premium prices.

In summary:

No shuttle service and pickup point impossible to find

30+ minutes walking from the airport with heavy luggage

1-hour check-in despite online pre-check-in

Upsold to the most expensive insurance with false promises

Car delivered dirty and poorly maintained

Mechanical issues immediately after pickup

Refusal to replace the car despite insurance coverage

Poor customer service and no clear communication

AdBlue refill paid out-of-pocket with uncertain refund

After paying almost €900, I expected a clean, safe, and reliable vehicle, plus professional assistance in case of problems. Instead, I got the opposite on every level.

I strongly recommend avoiding this company.

I travel frequently—usually 3 to 4 times a year—and I always rent a car during my trips. I’ve never had any issues with other rental companies, but this was the first time I’ve encountered what felt like an outright scam.

Everything seemed fine at first: the booking process was easy, and the car looked okay. But when I returned it, things took a turn. The staff immediately pointed out a small, barely visible bump and claimed it was “new damage.” It was clearly pre-existing, but they insisted otherwise and charged me an outrageous repair fee.

It honestly felt like they were looking for any excuse to charge extra. The whole process came across as rehearsed—as if they’ve done this many times before. I even had photos showing the damage was already there before I drove off, but they completely dismissed them.

This has never happened with any other rental company I’ve used over the years. It’s incredibly disappointing and frustrating. I can only describe the experience as predatory.

If you still decide to rent from them, make sure you take detailed photos and videos of every inch of the vehicle before and after. Even better—go with a more reputable company that doesn’t treat honest customers like walking dollar signs.

I won’t be using them again, and I strongly recommend others avoid them too.

RENTSMART24, totaly rubbish. Avoid at all costs. They will make money out of you mafia way. So better be safe that sorry. Rotten company from top to toe inside out. Money generating revenue on the back of customers

A terrible rental company.

Advertised as terminal pick up but is actually a shuttle bus outside the airport. Customer service on pick up was helpful and nice, however on return the service was awful.

The woman at the desk didn't know we were returning a car and shuttle driver had to explain it to her. She then proceeded to check the car over, and when she couldn't find any damage to dispute she made a huge deal about some breadcrumbs on the seats. She obviously did not realise that we speak Italian because she remarked to her colleague that she was "going to charge these guys, big time" thinking that we did not understand.
When challenged on this and the attitude she took with us, she was incredibly rude to my partner and started shouting over her.
When we complained about her attitude, her response was to tell us to simply book a different rental service next time.
Ultimately, the mess in the car was minimal and would be fixed with a hoover in 5 minutes but she charged us a 36 euro cleaning fee. This implies that RentSmart24 do not clean their cars between rentals which is disgusting.
All in all, terrible service and I would avoid like the plague.

we hired a car with rentsmart24 via Stressfree car hire. we prepaid a month before. our flight was delayed and when we phoned rent smart on arrival we were told as we were an hour late they had cancelled our hire even though they had our flight number. we were then made to rehire at over double the price with no refund from Stressfree this appears to be a common occurrence a legal scam.

WARNING: Stay far away from Rentsmart24 Milan Airport. This company is a complete scam.

This was hands down the worst car rental experience of my life.

I booked a car for 7:00 AM, but their website clearly says they’re open 24/7. I arrived early at 5:00 AM, hoping to pick up the car a bit earlier (even willing to pay extra). But the office was completely closed. I had to wait outside for two hours.

At 7:00, a rude and clearly uninterested staff member finally showed up. I politely said I had been waiting since 5 AM — her response?
“You booked for 7. You should have come at 7.”
No apology. No explanation. Just attitude.

Then she tried to force me to pay €29 per day for their “full insurance”, even though I had already bought full coverage when I booked.
She said: “That’s broker insurance. If anything happens, we charge you anyway. Either pay again or sign the liability form.”
This is blackmail, plain and simple.

With my wife and child exhausted and waiting, I had no real choice but to agree.

The car they gave me had visible damage in 9 different spots, but again, we were forced to take it.

We hardly even used the car — it sat parked for 2 days in Venice and 3 more days in Lake Garda.

At return, they suddenly claimed a tiny scratch on the front bumper was new and asked:
“Do you have photos from before?”
I didn’t — and just like that, they “found” three more fake damages and demanded €850 from me.

They bullied us into signing paperwork, delayed us intentionally, and said smugly:
“Go get your money from your broker insurance.”

This is not just bad service — this is a calculated scam.
They take advantage of tourists, deny legitimate insurance, invent damages, and trap you with threats.

Avoid Rentsmart24 at all costs.
They’re dishonest, aggressive, and absolutely not to be trusted.
I travel and rent cars all over the world — never have I experienced anything this shady. They ruined part of our holiday and treated us with total disrespect.

SHAMEFUL COMPANY. NEVER AGAIN.

This was, without question, the worst car rental experience I’ve had in over two decades of renting abroad.

We arrived at Rome Ciampino Airport to collect a car we had booked for a short 3-day rental. At the RentSmart24 desk, we were told we could not take the vehicle unless we paid an additional €88 for excess insurance — something that was never stated as mandatory at the time of booking.

When we refused to pay this unexpected charge, the staff member simply refused to hand over the car. We were told to contact the booking agent (who has no phone number, only an email address), but no help was offered at the desk. The booking was effectively rendered unavailable — we weren’t allowed to take the car and, as a result, lost the money we had already paid.

With no support or flexibility from RentSmart24, we had to book a last-minute replacement vehicle with another company (Drivalia), who were excellent by comparison.

While we were there, another British family was also facing difficulties with their booking and were unable to collect their car. It seems this company is making it extremely difficult for customers to access vehicles at the low rates advertised, unless they agree to pay additional fees on the spot.

My advice: avoid RentSmart24. Spend a little more with a reputable provider and save yourself the stress and financial loss. I wish I had taken the other warnings on here seriously — please don’t make the same mistake.