# How do I dispute a Budget damage claim?

https://rentalproof.eu/companies/budget (en). Sascha Heyer, founder of RentalProof. Last checked: 2026-09-14. Terms read: 14 September 2026.

> Budget terms for Spain, Portugal, Greece, Croatia and the UK set fixed damage fees, excess caps and return rules. Check your Budget claim against them.

## Short answer

Budget's terms let it charge damage to your card, but each country fixes its own fees and caps: £66 in the UK, €90 in Portugal, €50 in Spain and Croatia, €30 plus VAT in Greece. In the UK and Croatia an out-of-hours return keeps you responsible until inspection. Check the claim against those clauses before paying.

## Before the due date

1. Dispute both liability and amount in writing before the deadline in the claim letter, to the customer service address in your country's Budget terms (for Spain atencion.alcliente@budget.es), without paying or admitting fault.
2. Ask Budget in writing for the pickup and return condition reports, the original photos with metadata, the repair invoice, any appraisal, and the car's movement log after your return.
3. Check each fee against Budget's own country figure, £66.00 in the UK, €90.00 in Portugal, €50.00 in Spain and Croatia, €30 plus VAT in Greece, and dispute any fee above it.

## How Budget handles damage found after return

Budget's terms let it charge damage found at or after return to you, usually through the card you rented with. The Budget Spain terms describe the check directly: "Cuando el cliente devuelve el vehículo, debe ser nuevamente revisado y comparados los daños con la lista de salida del vehículo" (when the customer returns the car, it must be checked again and the damage compared with the departure list), and damage on the return list that was not on the departure list is charged to the customer ([Budget Spain](https://www.budget.es/country-terms-condition)). In Portugal the charge goes to the card: "Se a Budget constatar danos, ser-lhe-á debitado no seu cartão o valor devido" (if Budget finds damage, the amount due is debited to your card) ([Budget Portugal](https://www.budgetinternational.com/budgetonline/terms.nsf/TermsByCountryAndLngCategories/PT-PT-Common?OpenDocument=&INTERNATIONAL=Y&CTR=PT)).

In the UK and Croatia, returning the car without staff present keeps the risk with you for longer. The UK terms say that after an agreed out-of-hours return, the renter's liability for damage extends "to the earlier of midday of the first working day following the requested collection time or the time of re-inspection by a member of staff" ([Budget UK](https://avisassets.abgemea.com/dam/budget-uk/content/pdf/budget-uk-rental-agreement-terms-conditions.pdf)). In Croatia, a rental ends only when the company acknowledges receipt and the Vehicle Return Agreement has been signed ([Budget Croatia](https://docs.abgcarrental.com/rental/Budget/EN/en?rentalCountry=HR)).

Budget and Avis often share the company behind the terms: Budget Spain is a business line of AVIS ALQUILE UN COCHE, S.A., and both the Budget Portugal and the [Avis Portugal](https://www.touristikpartner.avis.de/avisonline/terms.nsf/TermsByCountryAndLngCategories/PT-PT-Common?OpenDocument=&INTERNATIONAL=Y&CTR=PT) conditions name Sovial as the rental company. RentalProof is independent and not affiliated with Budget, Avis or Avis Budget Group.

## What Budget's terms say, country by country

**Spain.** With the collision damage waiver you are only liable for a non-waivable amount "según se muestra en el cuadro correspondiente" (as shown in the relevant table). Without it you pay the repair costs plus related costs such as towing, standstill and lost profit, up to the car's market value. Budget adds a €50.00 charge including VAT per accident or theft. Damage or accidents must be reported to the insurance department in Madrid within 14 days, and the general booking conditions are governed by Spanish law. Legal background: [Spain guide](https://rentalproof.eu/damage-claims/spain).

**Portugal.** You pay "a menos que consiga provar que o dano não resultou de culpa ou negligência sua" (unless you can prove the damage was not due to your fault or negligence). Without a waiver that is the lower of replacement or estimated repair cost, plus Budget's loss of use, plus an administrative supplement. With a waiver you pay the lower of two amounts: the repair or replacement cost plus a €90.00 claims handling supplement, or your excess. The waiver does not reduce the amount if the car was driven without due care and attention. Legal background: [Portugal guide](https://rentalproof.eu/damage-claims/portugal).

**Greece.** The Budget Greece document caps the renter's share with the waiver by car group, from €700 (groups A, B, N) to €1,800 (groups L, P), "towards the repair costs, storage charges and loss of use, regardless of whether the renter is at fault or not". Without a waiver the renter is liable for the car's full market value. A non-refundable €30 administration fee plus VAT applies to an accident "irrespectively of renter’s liability", and the renter has to complete and sign the Avis Accident Report before the rental ends ([Budget Greece](https://docs.abgcarrental.com/rental/Budget/EN/en?rentalCountry=GR)). Legal background: [Greece guide](https://rentalproof.eu/damage-claims/greece).

**Croatia.** Budget is run here by the licensee Rental Viribus d.o.o. The terms tell you to "check the vehicle thoroughly before you drive away" and to ask for any unrecorded damage to be added to the condition report. You must notify the company within 48 hours of an accident or damage event. The excess does not apply to deliberate acts or gross negligence. The damage processing fee is €50.00, and the governing law is that of the country where you picked up the car. Legal background: [Croatia guide](https://rentalproof.eu/damage-claims/croatia).

**United Kingdom.** At pickup, "Budget will identify and agree any existing damage with Renter on the Rental Vehicle Condition Report." On demand, the renter pays the full cost of repair or replacement "(even if it is not Renter’s fault) plus a damage processing fee of £66.00 (incl. VAT)". With Budget's risk protection you may not have to pay the whole cost, but you still pay the excess shown on the agreement. Budget may add loss of income at the contracted rate, never for more than 30 days, and a charge for diminution in resale value. The agreement is governed by the laws of England. Legal background: [United Kingdom guide](https://rentalproof.eu/damage-claims/united-kingdom).

## Where Budget damage claims are often weak

- **The custody gap.** The UK and Croatian terms both admit a period after return in which no staff member has inspected the car. Check whether the claim shows when the re-inspection happened, and whether the damage could have occurred after you left.
- **Photos without metadata.** Check whether the photos carry the original date, time and location and can be matched to your pickup condition report or departure list.
- **An estimate instead of an invoice.** Portugal's no-waiver charge is based on "custo de reparação estimado" (estimated repair cost). Check whether a real repair invoice exists and whether the cheaper of repair or replacement was used.
- **Fees above their own price list.** Compare each fee to the country figure: £66.00 UK, €90.00 Portugal, €50.00 Spain and Croatia, €30 plus VAT Greece. The Croatian fee clause also lets the renter show that no loss occurred or that it is "significantly lower than the processing fee".
- **Their own terms against them.** In Spain, only damage on the return list that is missing from the departure list is charged. Check whether both lists exist and actually differ.

The method helps when you did not cause the damage. If you did, the amount can still be checked: repair invoice against estimate, the fees, VAT and loss of use.

## How to respond to a Budget damage claim

1. **Do not pay and do not admit anything** while you check the claim.
2. **Dispute it in writing** to the address in your country's terms, for example atencion.alcliente@budget.es (Spain), apoio.cliente@budget.com.pt (Portugal) or customer-service@budget.hr (Croatia).
3. **Request the evidence** a solid claim would have: the pickup and return condition reports, the original photos with metadata, the repair invoice, any appraisal, and the movement log after your return.
4. **Check the card debit** against the fee, excess and loss of use limits above.
5. **Keep to the deadlines** that bind you, such as 14 days in Spain and 48 hours in Croatia for reporting an accident.

## What to do next

Collect the claim, your rental agreement and your own photos in one place. If Avis was the brand on your contract, see the [Avis page](https://rentalproof.eu/companies/avis). To see how strong your Budget claim is before you answer, run the [free Claim Check](https://app.rentalproof.eu/claim/new): it gives you a weakness report, the next three steps and a deadline check. All Budget documents on file are listed in the [rental terms lookup](https://rentalproof.eu/tools/rental-terms).

## Questions

### Can Budget charge my card for damage after I returned the car?

Yes, the terms provide for it. The Budget Portugal conditions say that if Budget finds damage, the amount due is debited to your card, and in Greece and Croatia an amount is pre-authorised on your card. You can still contest the charge in writing and ask for the evidence behind it.

### What is Budget's damage processing fee?

It varies by country. The Budget UK terms name £66.00 including VAT, Budget Portugal €90.00, Budget Spain €50.00 including VAT per accident or theft, Budget Croatia €50.00, and Budget Greece €30 excluding VAT for an accident or traffic fine. Check that the fee on your claim matches your country.

### If I return a Budget car out of hours, am I liable for damage found later?

Under the Budget UK terms you stay liable until midday on the first working day after the return or until staff re-inspect the car, whichever is earlier. The Budget Croatia terms say an out-of-hours drop-off or leaving before inspection is at your own risk. Ask exactly when the car was inspected and what was recorded.

### How much is the Budget excess in Greece?

The Budget Greece document lists a maximum of €700 for car groups A, B and N, rising to €1,800 for groups L and P. That amount covers repair costs, storage charges and loss of use, regardless of fault. Without any damage waiver the renter is liable up to the full market value of the car.

### Does Budget charge loss of use in the UK?

Yes. The Budget UK terms allow a loss of income charge at the contracted rate while the car is being repaired, and say Budget will never charge more than 30 days. They also allow a charge for any diminution in resale value caused by damage during the rental.

### Are Budget and Avis the same company?

In several countries, yes. Budget Spain's terms describe Budget as a business line of AVIS ALQUILE UN COCHE, S.A., and the Budget Portugal and Avis Portugal terms both name Sovial as the rental company. In Croatia Budget is run by a licensee, Rental Viribus d.o.o., so always check the company on your contract.

## Sources

- Budget Spain, Condiciones Generales (budget.es): https://www.budget.es/country-terms-condition
- Budget Portugal, country conditions (Avis Budget Group terms database): https://www.budgetinternational.com/budgetonline/terms.nsf/TermsByCountryAndLngCategories/PT-PT-Common?OpenDocument=&INTERNATIONAL=Y&CTR=PT
- Budget Greece, Protection Packages and Services 2026: https://docs.abgcarrental.com/rental/Budget/EN/en?rentalCountry=GR
- Budget Croatia, rental agreement terms (Rental Viribus d.o.o.): https://docs.abgcarrental.com/rental/Budget/EN/en?rentalCountry=HR
- Budget UK, Rental Agreement Terms and Conditions (PDF, October 2015): https://avisassets.abgemea.com/dam/budget-uk/content/pdf/budget-uk-rental-agreement-terms-conditions.pdf
- Avis Portugal, country conditions (Avis Budget Group terms database): https://www.touristikpartner.avis.de/avisonline/terms.nsf/TermsByCountryAndLngCategories/PT-PT-Common?OpenDocument=&INTERNATIONAL=Y&CTR=PT

One honest limit: this only helps when the damage was not caused during your rental. If it was, the amount can still be checked. General information, not legal advice. RentalProof is not a law firm and is not affiliated with any rental company. Every statute and case on this page links to the source it was checked against.