Panek Car Hire

I rented a car for two days without any additional insurance options. When picking it up, I thoroughly inspected the car with the company's representative and also checked it myself again. We marked visible scratches and dents (they were minimal – the car was in very good condition). I didn’t cause any damage, I didn’t scratch anything.

I returned the car to the parking lot near Arkadia (Warsaw) and dropped the keys in the drop box. Two days later, I received an invoice for 6,000 PLN for damages, which I only discovered a few days later. When I called the hotline, I was informed that it was for damage, and I was emailed a report and a photo.

The photo shows a scratch of about 4 cm on the plastic fender or inner bumper (the picture is taken in a way that makes it difficult to determine). I sent an email requesting access to the photos taken by their representative at the time of pick-up. I’m waiting for a response…

From the comments, it seems this is a planned practice by the company, and my case is just one of many. The press (Gazeta Wyborcza Stołeczna) and UOKiK (Office of Competition and Consumer Protection) have also taken an interest in this issue. I also know that there is a WhatsApp group called “Panek Class Action Lawsuit.”

Please contact me if you are in the same situation – let’s join forces and put an end to this!

Panek used to be great, but this summer they threatened to leave me (a lone woman) with a small child with no car, after failing to tell me they did not have the car I booked - I was picking up other children and needed boot space. No one answered their emergency breakdown line, they finally gave me another car and then would not provide documentation to my insurer for a claim. There customer service is now awful - NEVER USE THIS COMPANY.

The worst company ever please avoid it…

The worst company ever please avoid it with all possibilities.

They have very cheap prices where most people fall for it, but you will end up with they taking €1600 deposit and don’t provide any emails or confirmations. Get a car with a lot of damage and not good condition. I left the car in the same condition and they taking €1600 for something i did not do it.

You will end up with claiming Your money back if you’re lucky.

AVOID!!

RIGA AIRPORT PANEC are sham artists.

avoid if you can

Terrible experience, staff not helpful at all, trying to take money as much they can. Get it smaller car than we ordered, to travel to Lithuania they changed us 200 euro for crossing border only. Another thing first time heard that visa credit card has to be valid for 15 months, otherwise you have to buy theirs insurance witch cost fortune. Terrible experience

It is true that you need to stay away from this company. They will try to trick you, but not to provide the service. I have experience of them twice and both times I was very disappointed. First time when picking up a car, they asked for international Driving Permit though they were not required based on that country legislation. Panek asked to prepare €300 and in that case no IDP would have been required. Of course I refuse to pay and checked with other rental companies where was able to rent a car for €120. As I have not received the service, I was able to dispute the charge with my card provider.

The second time, when renting a car was exactly the same scenario. Panek also asked for documents including IDP. This time I did had IDP though again it was not required in the country I was renting. The Company also tried to sell their own insurance policy indicating that my annual international insurance policy is not valid and I would have to pay a lot of money in case of the accident or damage. As a matter of fact, I refused their insurance and sticker with my International Annual Rental Insurance Cover. At the time we dropped the car, the company didn’t find any scratches but insisted that the car was not washed. After showing the receipt from the washing company, they insisted that the car mats inside of a car were not was not cleaned. All mats have been cleaned in a car washing centre under the special machine. I questioned the person if they expect the people after washing the car to get inside it without shoes wearing only socks? Panek employee still insisted that we need to pay €60 straightaway alternatively they will add an additional €100 administrative fee. Of course I refuse to pay and said that if any charges will be made on my card, it will be disputed with a credit card provider. I stated that this is tricking customers in the middle of the day to which I received the most shocking respond “What do you expect? You rented the car so cheap, so we need somehow to make money?”.

From my experience this company does not have any intention to rent the car and provide a good customer service. The main goal is to dupe as many people as they can and do not to respond to any correspondence's. I would love local or European authorities look into this company and take their rental license away in all countries they are trading.

I flew to Slovakia last week on Tuesday night. I rent a car on 1 hour after midnight on Wednesday.

I returned rented car on Friday 2 pm and parked it a front of the office. There was nobody in the office, then I left the car keys in a box provided, exactly as I was told.

After two days I got a message through the What’s up app. All my deposit – 350.00 Euros has been taken, because the car had been damaged. The alleged damage according the photo was a little plastic cover sticking out.

They have sent me bunch of photos, which I really doubt coming from the car I had hired.

Avoid PANEK!!!!!!!!

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY - Panek do NOT have a counter at the airport like they claim. We had to call them when we arrived and had to wait for them to pick us up and take us to an office outside of the airport. The car was a different make and model to the one we booked (inferior) and was on Polish plates. The office they took us to was unfurnished, concrete floors etc, like an unfinished property, there was no electric, so we had to complete the paperwork by the light from a mobile phone, it was 9pm at night and pitch black. The member of staff tried to take a £750 damage deposit, when the paperwork clearly stated £500 and then we were taken to inspect the car in the dark, again by the light from a mobile phone, so no chance to see any pre-existing damage. We wanted to take the vehicle over the border into the Czech Republic for a couple of hours, but were told there would be a 100 euro charge. Despite assurances there would be someone at the office to drive us back to the airport when dropping off the vehicle, the office was closed and we had to walk from the office back to the airport, lucky for it it wasnt raining. When we returned home we noticed that Panek had charged 500 euro to our card. We tried to contact them for 7 days by email and SMS and it was only when we threatened to go to the Police did they reply and say the car had been returned damaged and sent us pictures of a very small scratch on the front lower bumper (which we hadnt done). This is clearly a sham and a way of extracting money from people once they have returned to their own country. AVOID THIS COMPANY AT ALL COSTS !!!

They have charged my credit card 1400 euros 17 days after I delivered the car without even one scratch and with no explanation. I called them but they wouldn’t provide me with any details. They asked me to send an email to them and I have sent 2 until today but no answer.

AVOID RENTING FROM THEM

We received a letter a night before we needed to pick our car from panek rentals, that they don’t have a car for us. We booked a car a month ago and have received a confirmation letter also we put our deposit in. WORST SERVICE

Using bank details to take money of bank account without any explanation.

Dont answer emails can't explain anything when calling them. Have to involve Police.