What are the chances of getting my money back from the AA?

lawstudent100

I have AA breakdown cover and would like to cancel it and get my whole refund back because of how I was treated. I don't think that this was acceptable, what do others think?

The story:
I phoned the AA breakdown at 4.50pm saying that my car had steam coming out of the bonnet. They told me that a patrol would be with me by 6.10, so I said yes ok, for rush hour that seemed fairly reasonable. This was after I told them I was a female on my own in a deserted industrial area of Birmingham in snow. By 6.20, when they hadn't appeared, I called back, the woman at the AA told me that a patrol was not coming out to me, and that a garage was coming out to me. I asked when this would be, and she called them to find out. They said it would be 10pm when they got to me. When she realised how upset and scared I was, she asked them to get to me by 8pm but couldn't promise anything.
I could barely move with cold as I had been waiting around for over 2 hours by this point.
In the end, after my brother in law had been trying to get me towed by anyone he knew, my car couldn't be towed on a rope (airbags) and he couldn't find anyone with a towbar. We decided I would try and limp it home, as I would have been waiting another good few hours for someone to turn up, so my brother in law gave the call centre a good go at them and cancelled the call out. My car got home in an hour after 3 stops throughout the journey instead of 15 mins.
At 11.30 at night (yes, 11.30), I had a phone call from a garage who had just been passed my call out from the AA.

This would have taken over 6 and a half hours to be recovered? As a young, lone female in an industrial area?
Surely I can't be the only person who considers this to be unacceptable?

I want my money back in full from the AA and I am going to go with Green flag after hearing good reviews. What are my chances? Has anyone managed it before? :mad:

gardner1

well if it was on a day when loads of snow ice etc what do you expect
lone female industrial estate fair point but no boubt lots of lone females broke down that day along with old people suffering from cold luck of the draw really
chances of getting refund ZILCH it would have been same outcome with rac greenflag autoaid etc

paulsad

Complain to the AA - they should be made aware of your experience to make enquiries at their end.

opinions4u

A calmly written letter of complaint, highlighting the chain of events and the timescales is the place to start.

Clearly state what you want them to do about it (e.g. refund your premium and leave you covered for the remainder of the insurance period would seem like a starting point).

You might not get everything you ask for - but see what response you get first.

Ms_Chocaholic

Am I reading it correctly, you were only 15 mins from home? Why did you continue to wait, I would've called a taxi and gone home rather than sitting in the cold for hours.

15 mins = 10 miles or less?

MrRedundant

Exactly. Im sure this would have made sense and the AA garage could have called when at or near the car for her to go back.

newbie007_2

Ms_Chocaholic wrote: »

Am I reading it correctly, you were only 15 mins from home? Why did you continue to wait, I would've called a taxi and gone home rather than sitting in the cold for hours.

15 mins = 10 miles or less?

Cab isn't cheap. Op wants to them to see what is wrong with car and also to get car home if it cannot be fix by the roadside; parking in residential area without permit?; they are a number of reasons. It is the prerogative of the op to wait and that should not be questioned.

As said if during the snow and ice period recently then it's difficult for the AA as they would be stretch to the maximum, even with outsourcing to other recovery companies. By all means write a polite letter of complain and await their response.

Ms_Chocaholic

I agree, it is the pregogative of the OP to wait but why moan about waiting for 6 hours when your home is 10 mins down the road, ludicrous.

OP was parked on an industrial estate, not a residential area so permit probably did not apply. Cab isn't cheap I agree but preferable to sitting freezing in a car for 6 hours at minus degrees.

Given the problems for the AA at this time of year, terrible weather and significant increase in number of calls etc I think it would have been sensible for the OP to return home.

motorguy

newbie007 wrote: »

Cab isn't cheap. Op wants to them to see what is wrong with car and also to get car home if it cannot be fix by the roadside; parking in residential area without permit?; they are a number of reasons. It is the prerogative of the op to wait and that should not be questioned.

The O/P was playing the 'lone female in an industrial estate at night' card.

Surely a few pounds on a taxi would have been well worth it to ensure her personal safety?

OR could the aforementioned BIL not have come and got her?

PsiDOC

Also the tow rope vs airbags thing is a pile of crap as well. SRS systems are only active with the ignition in the ON position so you can safely tow with the ignition in the acc (1st click) position so the steering lock is off.
In the event you want to be doubly sure you pull the SRS fuse as well.

opinions4u

To all those who are playing the "should have got a taxi" card, the OP was told that the wait would be 1 hour 20 minutes.

In those circumstances, how many of us would ring a taxi to take us home and leave our car where it was?