Vehicle Rental Inspection: How CarGo Helps You Avoid Unpleasant Surprises

Returning a rental car only to discover, a few days later, an unexpected charge on your account for a scratch can be a particularly unpleasant experience. Unfortunately, this situation is more common than you might think, and it can be difficult for customers to make their case. After all, you need to be able to prove that the scratch was already there before you picked up the vehicle, which is not always easy.

At CarGo, this type of inconvenience has no place: thanks to the certified photo vehicle inspection, there are no more unpleasant surprises. Here’s how this new system works and what it means for you in practical terms.

What is a certified photo vehicle inspection?

Until now, the inspection of a rental vehicle was mainly based on a paper form listing the most visible defects. Some customers also took photos with their smartphones to supplement this information. The problem is that it is not always possible to guarantee the date and time when these photos were taken, or even their authenticity. How can you formally prove that a photo was not taken after an incident on the road?

This is precisely what the certified photo inspection was designed to address: preventing and resolving disputes between rental companies and customers. At CarGo, the system relies on the WeProov professional app. It allows a guided photo scan of the rental vehicle, covering both the interior and exterior, in just a few minutes.

With this process, every photo is automatically time-stamped and geolocated. The digital report compiling all the photos can therefore serve as reliable evidence. Thanks to this system, lengthy email exchanges can become a thing of the past.

How does the inspection work at CarGo?

At CarGo, this technology is already integrated into every stage of a short-term rental across nearly 400 agencies in the network. Using the WeProov app, the vehicle inspection takes place in three steps:

• A complete photo scan at the start of the rental. Before handing over the keys, a CarGo agent uses the app to take a series of guided photos. These cover the entire rental vehicle: bodywork, bumpers, wheels, windows, seats, dashboard, and more. Each photo is time-stamped and geolocated, with no possibility of modification. If everything looks correct, you are asked to sign the inspection report directly through the app.
• The same photo scan at the end of the rental. Once the vehicle has been returned, the same procedure is carried out again to document its condition. This second series of photos allows the vehicle's condition at the start and end of the rental to be compared directly and objectively.
• Automatic generation of a time-stamped report. The app then compiles all the photos into a single report containing the certified visual evidence. This document can be accessed by both the customer and the agency and can be used as a reference in the event of a dispute.

From your perspective, there is therefore nothing special you need to do: the entire process is managed by CarGo.

What does this change for you?

This new inspection system changes the relationship between the renter and the agency when it comes to short-term rentals. For you, it means:

• Greater transparency: since all photos taken before and after the rental are geolocated and time-stamped, there is no possibility of falsification.
• A real time saver: with the certified photo inspection carried out by the CarGo agent, you no longer need to take photos yourself or download a third-party app.
• Greater peace of mind during your rental: if you notice damage during your trip that you did not see when you picked up the vehicle, you can simply check the photo scan carried out by the agent. If the damage already appears in one of the photos, you can be confident that you will not be charged any additional fees for it.
• No more worrying about improper charges: if you believe you have been incorrectly charged after returning the vehicle, you can point to the photo from the initial inspection showing that the damage was already present. However, if the damage resulted from an actual unexpected incident, you should know what to do in the event of an accident or breakdown during your rental.

Whether you're renting a city car for a weekend or a van for a house move, you can rely on CarGo for greater peace of mind.

A solution highlighted by the media

Disputes over the condition of rental vehicles when they are returned are a well-known issue in France, and the media regularly report on them.

In its July 12, 2026 edition, Le Parisien published an article about holidaymakers who faced charges for damage they claimed was already present. These cases notably involved deposits being held for extended periods and overestimated repair costs. According to the same newspaper, citing a specialist insurance provider, “nearly one in five claims could involve misconduct by the rental company.”

Against this backdrop of growing mistrust toward rental companies in general, the article highlighted businesses that have chosen to embrace greater transparency. CarGo was cited as an example, thanks to its use of the WeProov app, which helps prevent this type of unpleasant experience.

More recently, France 2's 8 p.m. news covered the issue in a report broadcast on July 18, 2026. After discussing the abuses previously reported by Le Parisien, the journalist demonstrated the WeProov application with a CarGo branch manager. The conclusion from the customer getting ready to drive away was clear: everything was “clear and straightforward,” allowing her to set off with peace of mind.