Heathrow parking firm crashed car!
Discussion
Asking on behalf of a family member, in a real nasty situation.
Used a meet and greet parking firm, found online, seemed a reputable website/well polished, seemed normal enough.
Hands keys over at the airport all seems well. Off on holidays.
Returns, firm is 45mins late dropping car off....its late at night, dark and driver is very distracted, hands keys and power walks off. At that point collosal damage to the car is seen, both sides side swiped and front corner stoved in.
Ring parking firm, leave message, ring family member (all calls recorded by default) to report it. Family member instantly emails firm confirming everything.
Limp it home, garage says £9k worth of damage.
Few emails exchanged over course of a couple days, but they get no where. Firm doesn't deny the damage, but avoids the question and cites their T&C as not their problem....then go radio silent.
Firm is phoenix'd version of another similar company. Same company director. Old firm's reviews were all horrow stories. New firm is similar.
Insurance company decline cover, as no clear sequence of events/driver/location. (!!)
Have advised trying the insurance ombudsman, and they are looking at a money claim using the instant phone calls made, emails next day, firm not denying it and garage repair bill. Shot in the dark, not expecting much. Not paid on credit card.
Post is a warning/general heads up and general shot in the dark for any routes they could try? Additionally, can an insurance company really wash their hands of the whole situation?
Used a meet and greet parking firm, found online, seemed a reputable website/well polished, seemed normal enough.
Hands keys over at the airport all seems well. Off on holidays.
Returns, firm is 45mins late dropping car off....its late at night, dark and driver is very distracted, hands keys and power walks off. At that point collosal damage to the car is seen, both sides side swiped and front corner stoved in.
Ring parking firm, leave message, ring family member (all calls recorded by default) to report it. Family member instantly emails firm confirming everything.
Limp it home, garage says £9k worth of damage.
Few emails exchanged over course of a couple days, but they get no where. Firm doesn't deny the damage, but avoids the question and cites their T&C as not their problem....then go radio silent.
Firm is phoenix'd version of another similar company. Same company director. Old firm's reviews were all horrow stories. New firm is similar.
Insurance company decline cover, as no clear sequence of events/driver/location. (!!)
Have advised trying the insurance ombudsman, and they are looking at a money claim using the instant phone calls made, emails next day, firm not denying it and garage repair bill. Shot in the dark, not expecting much. Not paid on credit card.
Post is a warning/general heads up and general shot in the dark for any routes they could try? Additionally, can an insurance company really wash their hands of the whole situation?
Edited by Andeh1 on Saturday 3rd August 21:31
If the car keys were handed over voluntarily then I can well imagine that the insurance company will decline to cover the damage - such a clause is common in t's and C's.
Payment was presumably by debit card if not by credit card.
No helpful suggestions for your family member OP, but sorry to hear the story.
Payment was presumably by debit card if not by credit card.
No helpful suggestions for your family member OP, but sorry to hear the story.
2Btoo said:
If the car keys were handed over voluntarily
As they would be of course.The company must have insurance...
If complaints procedures and Ombudsmen get nowhere the next stop might be small claims - but the company would of course say 'Wasn't us mate'.
Oh for dashcam footage...
2Btoo said:
If the car keys were handed over voluntarily then I can well imagine that the insurance company will decline to cover the damage - such a clause is common in t's and C's.
Payment was presumably by debit card if not by credit card.
No helpful suggestions for your family member OP, but sorry to hear the story.
Might be mileage in a Taken Without Consent claim though? Definitely get legal advicePayment was presumably by debit card if not by credit card.
No helpful suggestions for your family member OP, but sorry to hear the story.
I know it’s of no help now, but as a warning to others, if using a meet and greet, always use the official airport M&G service, these third parties are rife with issues. Plus most official airport M&G’s have you drive through a camera bay that photos every part of the car incase of a damage claim.
BertBert said:
Collectingbrass said:
Might be mileage in a Taken Without Consent claim though? Definitely get legal advice
In what way could giving your keys to a parking company to park your car amount to TWOC?Collectingbrass said:
BertBert said:
Collectingbrass said:
Might be mileage in a Taken Without Consent claim though? Definitely get legal advice
In what way could giving your keys to a parking company to park your car amount to TWOC?Unless the vehicle has dashcam and tracking to prove it went elsewhere that's a dead end.
CrgT16 said:
Never used M & G! The concept of handing my car keys to a third party I don’t know doesn’t sit well in me. Either park on the short or long stay or just get a taxi to the airport.
I’ve never understood the idea of taking my own car to the airport at all, taxi costs from my experience have always been either cheaper than, or similar enough to parking fees that it just makes no sense to leave the car in a more dangerous situation than at home.paradigital said:
CrgT16 said:
Never used M & G! The concept of handing my car keys to a third party I don’t know doesn’t sit well in me. Either park on the short or long stay or just get a taxi to the airport.
I’ve never understood the idea of taking my own car to the airport at all, taxi costs from my experience have always been either cheaper than, or similar enough to parking fees that it just makes no sense to leave the car in a more dangerous situation than at home.Taxi to chosen airport £140 x 2.
Secure parking for 10 days £117 including overnight stay.
E-bmw said:
paradigital said:
CrgT16 said:
Never used M & G! The concept of handing my car keys to a third party I don’t know doesn’t sit well in me. Either park on the short or long stay or just get a taxi to the airport.
I’ve never understood the idea of taking my own car to the airport at all, taxi costs from my experience have always been either cheaper than, or similar enough to parking fees that it just makes no sense to leave the car in a more dangerous situation than at home.Taxi to chosen airport £140 x 2.
Secure parking for 10 days £117 including overnight stay.
Discussion on here is a bit pointless really - every member here knows not to use unofficial M+G.
Apparently M+G parking companies only need to have 3rd party insurance. And if they don't even bother with that, who's going to check unless the police stop them - ANPR would still show the car as insured.
Apparently M+G parking companies only need to have 3rd party insurance. And if they don't even bother with that, who's going to check unless the police stop them - ANPR would still show the car as insured.
Andeh1 said:
Additionally, can an insurance company really wash their hands of the whole situation?
It would depend on the exact terms of your policy but broadly speaking yes they can I'm afraid.The starting point is that your vehicle is only covered if it's being driven by one of the people named in the policy, which it clearly wasn't.
Some of the better insurers add a clause extending cover to when it is being driven by a motor trader/repairer or by a valet parking service - but that's not a standard clause. (The expectation would be that a semi-reputable garage or parking service would have its own insurance that covers vehicles that they are driving). Worth checking your policy, but if it doesn't mention the situation then it means that it's not covered.
There might be an arguement about a theft/TWOC claim if the driver had obviously taken your car for a joyride rather than just driving to the car park and back but (1) it sounds like you have no way of proving that's what happened and (2) the policy might have a blanket clause saying no cover if you handed the keys over voluntarily, or if the car was taken by deception etc. Again worth checking the exact wording but I wouldn't get my hopes up.
In order to have caused £9000 with of damage the driver must have hit something fairly substantial. If he had no other insurance then your insurer is potentially in the hook for any third party costs arising for the collision, though not damage to your car alas.
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