We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More »
Small claims against Airparks
Dear List,
I'm just wondering if anybody has any advice on how to proceed when an airport car parking service has damaged your car and refuses to accept liability.
I went on holiday for two weeks at the end of July, and parked my car with Airparks - you give them the key, they park your car for in a 'safe' car park, and then transport you to and from the terminal in a bus. When my husband and I returned, it was midnight and there were no lights in the car park. We got into our car, drove out of the compound, and as soon as we got under a street lamp we saw a fifteen inch crack in the windscreen on the passenger side, and several other small scratches and chips. We immediately telephoned Airparks and left a message, and phoned them again immediately in the morning. By this point we had also discovered a deep scratch in our fibreglass bumper, which had been covered over with a dark rubbery substance. After five hours on hold and being told to ring back later, we were told that because we had left the premises we didn't have a leg to stand on. It does indeed state this in their terms and conditions, so I entirely realise that we made a huge mistake there.
Nonetheless, I have been absolutely appalled at the treatment we have subsequently received from the company. We asked for the photographs and CCTV footage of our car while it was in their care, and they told us first that they kept no such records, and when we asked why not, they said 'well, we do keep those records but we are a busy company and we don't have time to deal with troublemakers like you'. My husband asked the lady to put herself in his shoes, and she told him he was patronising. We were told that their records show that there was no damage when we gave them the car, and asked for the photograph that was taken of our car by the exit barrier, at which point we were told that we were being unreasonable. We said that we were simply asking for our fee to reimbursed, and our £60 windshield replacement to be paid, and would pay for the scratch ourselves, and they said we were obviously unintelligent people who did not listen to what was being told to us. And when we said that in a small claims court it was likely that, given that we had our own photographic evidence, and records that we contacted the company within two minutes of leaving the site, the claim would be found in our favour on the balance of logical probability, we were told that they did not like our 'threatening' tone. They also accused us of not caring enough about our car to have checked it before leaving the site.
We sent a letter to the company detailing everything as accurately as possible and asking for any documents relating to the case to be forwarded to us. They asked for a week, and then ten further days, to deal with us. They forgot to deal with us. When we telephoned them, they had no idea who we were but told us they would beat us in court whatever the circumstances were. They have since sent a letter saying we do not have a case (without giving us any of the details or information we asked for).
I know that we broke the terms and conditions, and may not have a legal case. But is it worth going to small claims anyway? Has anybody else had this kind of experience? I am absolutely shocked, to be honest, that a supposedly reputable company would first drive my car and damage it (as this is the only way such damage could have occurred) and then would be so rude, condescending, and sometimes aggressive when we reported what had happened. There has been no investigation, not even a polite or sympathetic word. Anything approaching customer service has been entirely lacking - in fact, I would go so far as to say that staff are trained to upset customers as much as possible. Everybody we spoke to was offensive and belligerent before they had even heard what we had to say. Indeed, in the terms and conditions, they have absolutely no obligations to their customers at all. It begs the question: what are we paying such companies for?
At the very least, this is a word of warning to anybody thinking of using such a company.
I'm just wondering if anybody has any advice on how to proceed when an airport car parking service has damaged your car and refuses to accept liability.
I went on holiday for two weeks at the end of July, and parked my car with Airparks - you give them the key, they park your car for in a 'safe' car park, and then transport you to and from the terminal in a bus. When my husband and I returned, it was midnight and there were no lights in the car park. We got into our car, drove out of the compound, and as soon as we got under a street lamp we saw a fifteen inch crack in the windscreen on the passenger side, and several other small scratches and chips. We immediately telephoned Airparks and left a message, and phoned them again immediately in the morning. By this point we had also discovered a deep scratch in our fibreglass bumper, which had been covered over with a dark rubbery substance. After five hours on hold and being told to ring back later, we were told that because we had left the premises we didn't have a leg to stand on. It does indeed state this in their terms and conditions, so I entirely realise that we made a huge mistake there.
Nonetheless, I have been absolutely appalled at the treatment we have subsequently received from the company. We asked for the photographs and CCTV footage of our car while it was in their care, and they told us first that they kept no such records, and when we asked why not, they said 'well, we do keep those records but we are a busy company and we don't have time to deal with troublemakers like you'. My husband asked the lady to put herself in his shoes, and she told him he was patronising. We were told that their records show that there was no damage when we gave them the car, and asked for the photograph that was taken of our car by the exit barrier, at which point we were told that we were being unreasonable. We said that we were simply asking for our fee to reimbursed, and our £60 windshield replacement to be paid, and would pay for the scratch ourselves, and they said we were obviously unintelligent people who did not listen to what was being told to us. And when we said that in a small claims court it was likely that, given that we had our own photographic evidence, and records that we contacted the company within two minutes of leaving the site, the claim would be found in our favour on the balance of logical probability, we were told that they did not like our 'threatening' tone. They also accused us of not caring enough about our car to have checked it before leaving the site.
We sent a letter to the company detailing everything as accurately as possible and asking for any documents relating to the case to be forwarded to us. They asked for a week, and then ten further days, to deal with us. They forgot to deal with us. When we telephoned them, they had no idea who we were but told us they would beat us in court whatever the circumstances were. They have since sent a letter saying we do not have a case (without giving us any of the details or information we asked for).
I know that we broke the terms and conditions, and may not have a legal case. But is it worth going to small claims anyway? Has anybody else had this kind of experience? I am absolutely shocked, to be honest, that a supposedly reputable company would first drive my car and damage it (as this is the only way such damage could have occurred) and then would be so rude, condescending, and sometimes aggressive when we reported what had happened. There has been no investigation, not even a polite or sympathetic word. Anything approaching customer service has been entirely lacking - in fact, I would go so far as to say that staff are trained to upset customers as much as possible. Everybody we spoke to was offensive and belligerent before they had even heard what we had to say. Indeed, in the terms and conditions, they have absolutely no obligations to their customers at all. It begs the question: what are we paying such companies for?
At the very least, this is a word of warning to anybody thinking of using such a company.
0
Comments
-
Well you kinda answered your own question, You left the carpark then realised there was damage. So no, You dont have a leg to stand on.0
-
My Brother had a similar problem at Airparks Luton, he did notice the damage before leaving the car park, despite them parking his car in a dark corner of the car park, sadly he got the same treatment that you got, he even had photo's of the damage taken by Airparks, but they didn't want to know.
I never use Airparks now.0 -
Well you kinda answered your own question, You left the carpark then realised there was damage. So no, You dont have a leg to stand on.
Sporedude - yes, I answered my own question insofar as having a legal case. But I think you have missed my point. This is a website about consumers who have been treated badly. I have been treated with absolutely appalling negligence by this company. Should consumers simply accept that they have to pay for inadequate services, be treated with contempt and derision when those services go wrong, and when the company has tried its best to hide the damage (by parking our car in the darkness and concealing the evidence)? The fact is they damaged our car, which is criminal whether we drove away or not. And the point is, that even though I realise I have shot myself in the foot by driving away, this state of affairs is absolutely ridiculous and other people should know about it. It doesn't make what they did okay, and it doesn't mean that people should have to shut up and accept it when they are treated badly. The system, in my view, is unacceptable. At the very least, as I said, other people should know about it. At best, the system should be changed. Only by communicating on a forum like this can anything ever be done about these criminals and reprobates.0 -
My Brother had a similar problem at Airparks Luton, he did notice the damage before leaving the car park, despite them parking his car in a dark corner of the car park, sadly he got the same treatment that you got, he even had photo's of the damage taken by Airparks, but they didn't want to know.
I never use Airparks now.
This is exactly my point. I have heard other stories of people following the correct procedure and still being ignored. What kind of a way is this to run a company? Surely businesses should be cultivating good reputations, by first keeping adequate records, secondly making sure that damage doesn't occur, and thirdly having a decent procedure in place if things go wrong? I'll never use Airparks again and I'm sure there are a hell of a lot of people who feel the same way.0 -
Wow! Seems to be plenty of complaints about Airparks on Google.The man without a signature.0
-
Yes, there are a lot of complaints - especially on Reviewcentre.co.uk. Even those who reported the damage immediately have been fobbed off.
The thing I am most annoyed about is that it clearly states on their website that they take timed digital photographs and have 'award-winning security and CCTV', and yet they refuse either to provide this information or even to look at it if you ask them to. What's the point of having it if you won't use it to establish what happened?
If they could give me the documents I might accept that somebody else had done the damage - but they're obviously afraid to go down that road in case it was them that did it. And it's deceptive advertising - if they tell you they have all these security procedures when you book, then you expect them to use them to establish what happened if something goes wrong. Instead you get spoken to in the rudest possible terms.
I'm gathering the evidence - I have a couple of friends who are local journalists and one of them might run a piece on it. And I'm going to take them to small claims anyway. It's worth losing £30 if it !!!!es them off. Plus it might cost them more to deal with it than just to give me my money back.0 -
Just read your message regarding Airparks. We are in the same boat with £1600 worth of damage.
People at the Birmingham office are no help. Did you take them to court? Love to know how you got on, as we look like taking them to the county court if they don't accept that they damaged the car by next Thursday.0 -
I'd suggest to all of you that you report the matter as vandalism to the local police. Not sure if the police would do anything, but they could make the company release its CCTV to them to see that it of course wasn't anything to do with airparks!0
-
I'd suggest to all of you that you report the matter as vandalism to the local police. Not sure if the police would do anything, but they could make the company release its CCTV to them to see that it of course wasn't anything to do with airparks!
Wouldn't a subject access request under the Data Protection Act cover this situation? For a small fee, they must provide any footage related to you (if practicable)What goes around - comes around0 -
I suggest you Private Message 'garvbuck' and maybe they will come online to update you, as they were last online -
Last Activity: 12-02-2010 12:27 PM0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 349.8K Banking & Borrowing
- 252.6K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 453K Spending & Discounts
- 242.8K Work, Benefits & Business
- 619.6K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 176.4K Life & Family
- 255.7K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards