Renting an RV is a great way to get out on the open road and experience all our amazing country has to offer. That said, renting an RV is also a huge responsibility, and most renters do a good job of treating it as such. Unfortunately, accidents can and do happen, and things will break sometimes. This leaves many renters wondering what to do when something goes wrong.
If you are currently in this situation (or just afraid you might find yourself there), this is the article for you. Here we will talk about exactly what your next steps should be if something does break on a rental RV while it is in your possession.
RV Items to Treat with Care to Avoid Damages
First, let’s talk a bit about preventative measures. You see, RVs really aren’t made for rough use. Many of the bits and pieces found in an RV simply aren’t as hearty as what you might find in a sticks-and-brick house. The result? Many items that are easily broken.
Obviously, the best thing to do about this is to be extra careful when using things in an RV. But which things do you really need to be careful with?
The items below are items that frequently break or get damaged in RVs:
- Glass stovetop covers
- Wallpaper and faux wood covering
- Plastic sinks (they melt easily)
- Faucets (plastic handles and/or faucets can break more easily than metal ones)
- RV refrigerators (cannot be operated safely when on an incline for extended periods)
- Bed frames (these are not made for jumping or rough housing on)
Taking care to be cautious when using these items might just save you the hassle that comes along with accidentally breaking something on a rental RV.
The owner of the RV you’re renting knows it best. If they let you know that any particular part is especially fragile, be sure to heed that warning in order to avoid damaging something.
What Can RVshare Roadside Assistance Help With?
Let’s say that, despite your best efforts, something does end up breaking on your trip. What do you do then? Well, it really depends on what it is that ends up breaking.
If the issue doesn’t really affect your trip, you can let the owner of the RV know, but will likely be able to carry on with your trip as usual. If the damage is a problem for you, you will need to find a way to get it fixed—or at least patch it up—until the end of your trip.
In some cases, you will be on your own. However, there are some instances when the owner might be able to help you out, and other situations where RVshare’s roadside assistance might be able to save the day.
Not sure what kind of broken items to expect roadside assistance to help with? Well, the service covers all of the following:
Towing, Extraction, and Winching
If the RV is badly damaged and requires extraction, winching, and/or towing, roadside assistance can help get the RV where it needs to be.
Tire Replacement
If it is a tire that becomes damaged during your trip, roadside assistance will come out and replace it for you.
Battery Jumping
Generally, you probably aren’t going to be dealing with the vehicle’s battery to damage it in the first place, but if it does die during your trip, roadside assistance can help with that.
Lockout and Mechanical Assistance
If you lock yourself out, or if the lock becomes damaged and you can’t get into the RV, roadside assistance will send a locksmith to get you back into the rig.
On top of that, RVshare’s roadside assistance offers a mobile mechanic service that involves sending a local tech or mechanic to make minor repairs. They also have a tele-tech service who can walk you through certain aspects of using the RV, and they might be able to help with very basic repairs as well.
In many cases, this service is going to be what saves your trip when damages are made.
Be Aware of Fees for Damages
It is important to note that you are responsible for any damages made during your RV rental period. If the damage is minor, the cost of repair will be taken out of your security deposit. If more extensive damage is made, your security deposit will likely go toward the insurance deductible.
In the unlikely event that more money is needed from you personally in order to fix damage you caused, you may be asked to approve a charge to your card.
Reporting Damage with the Return Form
When you return a rental RV, the owner must report any damage on a return form. Really, you should let the owner know of any damage as soon as it occurs. However, if you didn’t realize something was damaged or if certain damages were not communicated during the trip, drop-off is the time to make those broken parts and pieces known.
While it isn’t fun to tell somebody you caused damage to their property, RVshare owners understand that things do happen. They will be much less upset if you are honest and open about the problems than if they find them during their thorough inspection after you are gone, so it’s definitely best to let them know about any damages right away.
