I Face a Hidden €200 Cleaning Fee from Enterprise Hamburg — No Disclosure at Return

On September 14, under the names A*** D***** and B**** D*****, we rented a Volkswagen Golf from Enterprise Hamburg Airport for one day, paying a total of approximately €450. We were told that €250 of this amount would be refunded as a security deposit after returning the vehicle.

We returned the car on September 15 at Hamburg Airport to a Turkish male employee wearing glasses. No inspection report was filled out at the time of return, and we were not informed of any extra charges. The staff member simply told us that the refund would be processed shortly.

However, after returning the car, the refund was repeatedly delayed, and after 10 days, we were informed that around €200 had been deducted as a “cleaning fee”, with the remaining amount not being refunded. This cleaning fee was never mentioned during booking or pickup. We signed a digital contract via tablet, but it contained no explanation or acknowledgment of such an additional charge.

I request that security camera footage be reviewed to confirm how the return was handled. When I contacted Enterprise branches in Turkey, I was told that their European system is separate and that they cannot assist with this matter.

This is the first time I’ve encountered such an issue, and I find this practice unfair and misleading. I demand the full refund of the withheld amount (€250) and a formal explanation for this unauthorized and undisclosed charge.