Abu Dhabi court dismisses car rental's Dh18,000 claim over unproven vehicle return date

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Commercial Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a car rental company seeking Dh18,650 from a former customer, ruling that the firm failed to prove when the vehicle had actually been returned.

The dispute centred on a claim by the rental company that the customer, identified in court documents as the defendant, owed the amount in traffic fines, administrative fees, and damages allegedly incurred after the contract between the two parties was terminated.

The company also sought 12 percent annual interest from the date the case was filed until full payment, in addition to Dh3,150 in consultancy fees.

According to the plaintiff, the contract had been terminated through a prior court judgment, but the vehicle was not returned until nearly a year later.

The company argued that multiple traffic violations had been recorded during that period and that the customer had not paid them despite repeated reminders.

In its judgment, the court said the case file contained no evidence establishing the actual date on which the vehicle was handed back.

"What the plaintiff has stated in its claim was not supported by credible proof of the actual date of delivery,” the ruling said.

The court also noted that the consultancy report submitted in the case did not specify the documents relied upon to determine the delivery date.

As the party bearing the burden of proof, the court said, the plaintiff was responsible for substantiating its claims.

The case was dismissed in its current form, with the rental company ordered to pay court costs and legal fees.