Just a bit of back ground:- June just past we had a storm in Sillans la Cascade, a tree fell on my hire Swiss hire car and I had to hire a new car in France in order to drive back to Zurich airport to fly back to Australia.Obviously I had to pay for the french hire car using my credit card and that was the end of that.
Now I have received a document from Hertz looks like an invoice (I could be wrong) I have no idea what it says or means - would some one be able to tell me what it is all about, as Google translate cant translate PDF - would much appreciate anyone’s help - Peter Huber
documents.20180907_00001.pdf (361.4 KB)
Have you already have dealings with the Insurance Company about the car that was damaged… as it would seem that Hertz are charging you a Fee of 350 euro + TVA 70 = 420 euro … for “abandoning” the car.
Does that make sense ? they list the hire charges for 3 weeks + 5 days and then credit that back… … so it just leaves the “abandoning” to pay (420 euro) … and I would reckon the Insurers will deal with that… unless this is an item that you are NOT covered for…
why not print out the pdf and make a few phone calls. 
Thanks for that Stella
I had to return the Hertz hire car at the Hertz rental station at Zurich airport, so I could not have abandoned the car.
My Travel insurance in Australia, already reimbursed me the total expenses incurred being 1462.94 for hiring this new car as it was an act of good, which did not allow me to get back to the airport to return to AU – nice clause in the travel insurance contract.
The total amount of the hire contract was made up of two invoices 1042.94 & 420 euros all of which was deducted from my credit card and paid to Hertz,
Whatever this document says it does not make sense “abandon” – may be they mean return ??
Yes I have sent the pdf to Hertz France but their English reply is terrible when it comes to business dealings.
I checked my Credit Card and no new charges have been deducted – for now
Thanks for your help anyway – cheers
Peter
Aha…perhaps the 420 euros on this Facture/Invoice has already been deducted from your Credit Card…
I’ve just Googled “frais d’abandon” for car hire… and it actually means that the car was left somewhere other than where it was originally intended to be left… (does this make sense… the first car could not be returned, of course, but what about the second car… ??)
The first car that I hired in Switzerland to drive down to France was the car that was damaged by a fallen tree. As it was no longer driveable I had to hire a car in France to drive back to Switzerland. The original hire car from Switzerland has already been sorted by their insurance company.
Because I no longer had a car to drive back to Switzerland, I had to hire a car in France and Hertz came to mind.
Because the car was hired in France and not returned in France but at the Zurich airport, then the French may call this abandoned, how dumb is that,
That is probably why I had two separate invoices – one for hiring the car 1042.94 and the second invoice of 420 euros for leaving it at the airport
That is now starting to make sense if one thinks like the French do.
Cheers
Again Stella – you are a legend as always
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Now then Peter… flattery will get you everywhere and nowhere… 
There will doubtless be a clause enabling Hertz to charge this sum… but I reckon it would be worth you “having a bit of a fight” with them… if you can… if not, pay up and walk away…
You need to check paperwork to see where each car was meant to be returned…
good luck
Only just noticed this - the “frais d’abandon” is, as Stella says the cost for hiring in one location and dropping off in another. This is, effectively, an invoice for that amount.
I don’t think that one should translate abandon(FR) as abandon(EN) here, though that is its usual meaning - I would just translate it as “frais d’abandon” = “one way hire charge”
and, of course, it all depends on what is agreed at time of hiring…
Hi Stella & Paul
I think Paul Nailed it thanks both
And I like the part about flattery – must remember that
Cheers & thanks again
Peter Huber
Thanks Paul
That makes sense, as that is exactly what occurred.
Keep well
Peter Huber
You had the first car that was damaged but that is irrelevant to the bill. The second car was hired in France and dropped of, not only at a different location, but in a different country. One way car hire is rare in Europe and where possible carries a hefty premium. The additional charge is simply that charge. It’s got nothing to do with the way that the French think, it’s to do with the details in the contract that you signed.
“Les frais d’abandon - pas ce que vous croyez…”
It’s not only us Brits who do not necessarily know what the phrase really means…(abandon = abandon ?? oui/non ) there is a French website dedicated to explaining in French (so presumably aimed at French) …just what this charge is and how to avoid paying it…
“Si vous laissez une voiture de location à un endroit différent de celui où vous l’avez obtenue, la société de location peut vous facturer des frais supplémentaires pour couvrir les frais de restitution dans l’agence d’origine. Découvrez comment fonctionnent les frais d’abandon (appelés aussi parfois “frais aller simple”) et comment vous pourriez les éviter.”
You might like to try https://translate.google.com/?tr=f&hl=en - though it needs a PDF with text so won’t work on a scanned document.
Also - I meant to point this out previously but it slipped by, you might want to be careful about the fact that your French address is visible in the PDF that you posted.
Very good point Paul… a piece of paper, blocking sensitive info at point of scanning… generally a sound:hugs: idea…
Mhh – should have thought of that earlier – never mind too late now
The place is full of security cameras anyway which I monitor here from AU – but thanks any way
Cheers
Guys & Gals
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Hi Paul
I always use Goggle translate, but it does not translate pdf document, that I am aware off – I have Adobe Acrobat XI Pro and can convert it into a word document, but then all the layouts are all over the place and the translation I found is not that accurate.
Cheers
Peter
Thanks Stella – very helpful indeed
Cheers
Peter
It might manage small ones - I tried with a test document only to be told it was too large.
I use Google Translate on my iPad and it has the ability to search for text on any photograph or screen shot.
It doesn’t do a brilliant job of Frais d’abandon but can be very useful at times.
Peter, that document is stating that 420€ will be charged directly on your Eurocard account. You have nothing to do on your own.
Check your Eurocard account