I rented a car from europcar heathrow office and returned it the next day in their Grimsby office as per contract. The office was closed ( despite the rental paper saying it would be open from 1 to 3 pm ). I rang customer services who advised to leave the car in the car park and throw the keys in a flap-mail box style box in the office wall. I dropped the car on Saturday, and it was not inspected until Tuesday morning. On Tuesday I was told the car had a damage in it and I was to be charged. They sent me T&C indicating that I am responsible for the car until it gets inspected by the europcar team.
How can this rule still apply when I left the car in their own car park and left the keys in their own office. and how could it still apply when it was not a few hours, but 2 days until it got inspected. and how could it still apply when I was promised the office will be open and it wasn't, and when I was advised by their own customer services representative to leave it there.