Avis Southern Africa Reviews 147

After renting from Avis for over 30 years, I am now done with this unethical company. I rented a car in Cape Town and the Lady who served me looked like she has had ZERO customer facing training. A miserable and surly attitude as well. Seriously Avis...
I had to pay a R3000.00 deposit which she said would be paid back in 7 - 10 days MAX.
What a liar - it is now 16 days and zip.
I mailed the CEO and not a response at all. Mailed customer service (or lack thereof) and their response is Contact your Bank - not our problem...
Well they say the fish rots from the head first.
I also rented a car in JHB on 5-7 October and no problem getting the deposit back.
Final comment - Avis doesn't care - Go somewhere else.

I paid online for car rental and they took from the card again at arrival. Stay away they are stealing money

We had arranged a rental car via Trailfinders for our trip along the garden route. The staff were very friendly in the office and asked if we wanted to pay for a full tank of petrol or return the car full. We opted to return the car with a full tank of petrol. As we were dropping off the car at Port Elizabeth they said we would need to pay the one way fee which we were away off but that would be debited from our credit card security deposit. Following the return of the car they said everything was fine and we thought nothing of it until we received an invoice for Avis SafeDrive, Extended Roadside Assistance and a Contract fee which were never asked if we required or given the choice as to whether we wanted it or not. I have since complained but as I signed the document they put in front of me that is my fault. I would never use Avis again they should be clear and upfront about any additional services especially when we didn’t do the original booking so had no idea as to the cost.

Unethical and near criminal. Made a finger fault to charge R95000 on our Business Account, if I had not stopped the card it would have gone through and heaven know how long to get it back, due to a "finger fault" Then they billed Fuel, despite the fact the car was filled at the airport (they reversed that) The consequence and cost of having the 3 cards cancelled & replaced due to their negligence and time to alter other beneficiaries as a result of having to cancel the cards, is seemingly not their problems and "they will not be held accountable for it"

I rented a compact car from OR TAMBO airport for 6 days, and they basically scared me into taking additional insurance to cover collision or highjacking, stolen car for a total cost of $404.53. Ridiculous and a total ripoff!

Une étoile car on ne peut pas mettre moins!

J'ai réservé et payé ma location par le biais d'un booker (bsp-auto). 2 mois après la restitution de mon véhicule je découvre avec stupeur qu'ils viennent de me prélever sur mon compte (via l'empreinte bancaire) un gros montant (presque 500€ pour une location de 360€). Aucune réponse auprès du service client, malgré plusieurs semaines d'attentes et plusieurs relances. Après avoir fait opposition auprès de ma banque, ils finissent par envoyer à ma banque une facture pour justifier le montant prélevé. Ma banque ne peut donc pas annuler le paiement. Je me retrouve donc obligé de payer. Je récupère la soit disant facture via ma banque. Ils me facturent la location comme si je ne l'avais pas déjà payé, à part mon nom et prénom, tout est faux sur cette facture, numéro de réservation sortie de nulle part, ect...Il s'agit tout simplement d'un faux.
Vous êtes étranger donc aucun moyen de vous retourner contre la société, ils en profitent. Après lecture des avis sur Google, et Trustpilot, je me rends compte qu'il s'agit de quelque chose de fait régulièrement. Ils volent leurs clients étranger. Incroyable....mais malheureusement vrai!

One star because you can't give zero. Avis is sending me invoices for a rental that has already been fully paid. The also cheated with the mileage and charged me 400 extra km, which I was stupid enough to accept. But after I fully paid the rental, they sent me more invoices and are now threatening me with debt collectors and blacklisting me.
They are utterly and completely useless croocks.

Only leaving 1 star because you can’t give zero stars! Avis discriminates against foreign drivers licences!!! And refused to rent me a car because I have a Namibian drivers license! If you are a foreigner DO NOT use Avis!!!! Literally any other agency is better!

Do not rent at Avis. I picked up a car in Port Elizabeth where we filled in a form. The form mentioned windscreen damage, which was fine. Whilst handing in the car at Cape Town Airport, they mentioned the windscreen damage and made me sign a form, which would do nothing if the damage was already there.

When I got home I got an invoice stating a charge for the administration costs of the windscreen damage, which I did not cause. Emailing Avis did not help as I got the same response three times, saying the charges were fair.

Do not rent at Avis in South Africa. Very dissatisfying experience.

I rented a car from Avis OR Tambo (6–7 August 2025, reg ZA KKY921EC).
• At collection, I noted visible scratches/dings which Avis staff failed to record properly.
• At return (14:40, 7 Aug), two Avis staff inspected and cleared the car as fine.
• Hours later, Avis phoned claiming new “damage” and later deducted money from my deposit without proof or consent.
• The photos they sent me are timestamped 17:30 – over 2 hours after I returned the car, proving the alleged damage was recorded only later, out of my presence.
• Their rental agreement already lists numerous pre-existing scratches/damages, showing poor inspection standards.

When challenged, Avis shifted their story from “damage found at the first check” to “photo delays of 24 hours are normal.” This is contradictory and dishonest.

I have demanded a refund and escalated this to the Motor Industry Ombudsman (MIOSA) and Consumer Goods Ombud (CGSO).

⚠️ Be warned: Avis may deduct from your deposit without valid proof, long after you’ve returned the car. Their process is flawed, their evidence weak, and their customer care dismissive.

I strongly advise consumers to consider other rental companies who respect fairness and transparency.

I recently rented a vehicle from Avis Nelspruit, and the experience was deeply disappointing. The car they handed over had just been returned by another customer — it was not properly washed, the fuel tank was not full, and there was already damages underneath the bumper. Despite these obvious issues, Avis did not record them adequately at handover.

Now, they are charge me for damage that was clearly there before I took the vehicle. This feels like a calculated tactic to push repair costs onto customers, maximising their profits at the expense of unsuspecting renters. In my view, this is unethical, dishonest, and exploitative behaviour.

Customers should not have to pay for damage they did not cause, and rental companies have a duty to conduct proper inspections and hand over clean, road-ready vehicles with full fuel tanks. Avis failed on every count.

If you value fair treatment, transparency, and peace of mind, I strongly recommend considering alternative rental providers who respect their customers and operate with integrity

A well-deserved 5 star. I gave avis 2 stars previously and asked about my deposit. They checked with me and my bank. I also confirmed that it was held and released when I returned the car. I am a happy customer
There were no hiccups at all.

I rented a vehicle from Avis. On collection of the vehicle I informed and pointed out to the rental agent all the damages of the vehicles as well as the crack on the windscreen. The agent informed me that there is nothing to worry about and all the damages are part of the usual wear and tear of the vehicle.

A week later after returning the vehicle, I got a message informing me of the crack on the windscreen as well as the amount payable for the replacement of the windscreen. This came really to my surprise as the damages were already on vehicle when I collected the vehicle and was further pointed out to the rental agent.

It's been a frustrating 3 months of up and down emails and calls to Avis explaining to them regarding the damages which were already on the vehicle. Most of my emails received no replies and my calls also go unanswered numerous times. This is really frustrating and is tantamount to fraud from Avis trying to get money out of customers.

In my humble opinion, the rental agency was closing at 15h00 and I arrived to collect the vehicle at 14h55, so the agent was in a real hurry to handover the vehicle to me so that he could knock off from work and head home and hence handed off the vehicle without the due diligence been conducted. Also on returning the vehicle, the gentleman receiving the vehicle also mentioned that everything is all well and good and that I may leave for home, only to find out a few days later regarding the charges for the cracked windscreen. I obviously have been not been refunded my security deposit as well.

In conclusion I would highly recommend the public not to use Avis car rentals for any rental of vehicles and to rather hire a vehicle from another company who are much more honest, ethical and professional who actually offers a real service and not try to steal from customers.

It is with profound disappointment and unequivocal condemnation that I bring to light the appalling conduct and systemic failures at Avis Budget Rent a Car South Africa (“Avis”).

What should have been a routine administrative matter—an expired credit card—has instead exposed an organizational culture steeped in negligence, disrespect, and reckless disregard for customer rights.

Central to this debacle is the so-called “investigator,” Sheldon de Jager, whose conduct is not merely unprofessional but alarmingly barbaric. His behaviour—physically assaulting me and my partner, breaking my car key, and attempting an unlawful vehicle seizure—reflects a grotesque absence of both intellect and emotional intelligence. It is difficult to fathom how such an individual remains in a position of authority, possessing neither the cognitive capacity nor the basic human decency required to execute his duties.

Equally disturbing is the glaring incompetence of Avis’s senior management, epitomized by Masixole Vellem, the Cape Town General Manager. Mr. Vellem’s repeated failure to effectively intervene raises serious questions about how he even found himself in such a role. His inability—or unwillingness—to take responsibility, communicate transparently, or resolve this matter reflects a profound leadership deficit.

Despite multiple formal complaints directed to senior executives—including Ramasela Ganda, Tlhabi Ntlha, David Porteous, Ogothle Dolly Sathekge, Riaan Schoeman, and Rebone Motsatsi—Avis’s response has been a deafening silence, a dereliction of duty that compounds the initial harm with neglect.

This pattern of intimidation, harassment, and unmitigated disregard for due process is not only morally reprehensible but legally indefensible. It speaks to a corporate culture that prioritizes arrogance over accountability, and force over fairness.

To prospective clients, let this serve as an unvarnished warning: engaging with Avis South Africa risks exposure to incompetence masquerading as authority, and to a cavalier dismissal of your rights and dignity.

Avis’s current trajectory is unsustainable, and unless urgently rectified, will assuredly culminate in reputational ruin—rightly deserved and long overdue.

to all potential customers: STAY AWAY;
Did you know that Avis will laughingly charge your credit Card twice the amount they quote.Avis South Africa is known dor their scamming. Do not use!
Also; if you have been scammed by Avis please know that if you use Mastercard or any other official credit card, you can request a chargeback. You are protected when using your credit card.
Better option; DO NOT USE AVIS!!!

I had an issue with my billing by Avis wherein I was charged for excess on the damage to the vehicle. The staff from East London Airport, Simone and Sbu assisted me in my complaint from the beginning to the end. Their assistance and willingness to listen to my complaint made it easy for me.

The branch gave me a faulty car (Centurion).
I immediately tried to report it, NO ONE EVER ANSWERS A CALL, so I emailed.
No one called me back to replace the car.
I had the vehicle for 4 days - it is now 2 weeks later and I am still fighting for my refund!
AGAIN - NO ONE ANSWERS A CALL!
I HONESTLY RATE THIS SERVICE A ZERO!!!

I’ve been a loyal Avis and Budget customer for years, renting cars for months at a time when I visit home from abroad — always taking care of the vehicle and returning it without issues.

This time, I’ve been charged R1621.69 (excl. VAT) for a rim scratch that was already on the car when I picked it up — and no inspection was done at handover, as I was given the vehicle without an agent present (a process flaw on Avis’s part).

The repair was billed to a company Avis owns, with no competitive quotes or third-party verification. This is a clear conflict of interest — they’re profiting from both the claim and the repair.

Very disappointed.

Avoid this rental firm like the plague !!!! 31 days and still waiting for my deposit they nothing but thieves. They took my deposit and still not returned it. Will never ever use this company again.

Avis double debited my account without any authorisation and I got different answers from each of their customer care call centre agents. I have emailed their line as well to no avail. I am highly frustrated and would not recommend their services.