Gabrielle King writes

I recently used Europcar to hire a car from the Swiss side of Geneva Airport. When we returned the car there was a scratch on the rear passenger door. Because the scratch wasn’t shown on the vehicle condition report we were liable for the cost of repairing it. I accepted this. I hadn’t taken out any insurance to cover the damage excess, which was CHF3,750 (£3,000).

A few weeks later I received an invoice for CHF1,740 (£1,400). The paperwork appeared to say I was being charged for scratches on two doors. When I queried this with Europcar I was told it was “one and the same damage to both side doors”. The accompanying photograph circles a long scuff that looks more like dirt...