Asda Stevenage delivery van reversed into my car and rove away

mensa_patient

Any help or direction would be appreciated.

Two weeks ago tomorrow an Asda delivery van from their Stevenage store came into the bottom of the close that I live in and made a meal of turning around, hitting the side of my parked car and driving off without stopping.

Luckily my girlfriend and a neighbour saw it happen, as the reversing alarm on the van was going on for a number of minutes and many neighbours were worried he was going to hit something. I saw the van up against my car and driving away.

I didn't get the registration number and received the following response from Asda when I got in touch with them:

<start>

Dear Mr

---

,
Thank you for your email.
I’m so sorry that one of our Drivers hit your parked car. I understand how distraught this must’ve been as the Driver did not stop after damaging your vehicle.
In order to trace the Driver, we’ll need the vehicle registration number to identify from which store the Driver came from.
I’ve called the Stevenage store and they would need the registration number in order to investigate the matter.
Once again, I’m sorry for the experience you’ve had and thank you for letting us know.
Regards,

ASDA Home Shopping

<ends>

This disappointed and infuriated me, as it suggests that they intend to do nothing about the matter. I would have expected the driver to stop, having hit my car with a force that he/she should have felt. I emailed a number of Asda contacts back, both in customer services and high up the head office chain, but received nothing else from them. Dead end.

I've had better results from the store itself, but the going is ridiculously slow. They have admitted that their records show a driver was delivering at the time and have admitted the accident occurred. I now have the driver's details and the van registration number. However, they don't have externally facing emails, so it's all done on the phone and by fax. Each time I ring up, I'm told the person I need to speak to is either in a meeting or not in the store on that day. When I say that I want to speak to the store manager about it, the person is suddenly available and on the phone. Very annoying that I have to cause a fuss every time to get someone on the phone. So far I have had to involve four different store personnel in the process.

I expect more from an organisation of the likes of Asda, which needs to retain a good public profile in the face of its eroding market share.

I've notified the police about the driver leaving the scene of the accident and they will be investigating, but I wonder if anyone here knows if I can escalate this within Asda in any way. I seem to be getting somewhere, as they've admitted liability, but they still haven't alerted their claims management company to the accident, so I'm stuck with a huge dent in the side of my car and no resolution in sight.

BargainGalore

Surely they have records of what number van was on what route and day/time sounds like they want to not play ball

Hope you get who did it I hate little runts her do this had it done to me before

mensa_patient

Thanks BargainGalore. In one phone call I got annoyed with the lack of anything happening and told them so, politely but in no uncertain terms. At that point they admitted fault and did give me the details of the driver in my street at the time and his registration number, so that was a definite result, but it's all petered out a little since then.
I'm pushing all the time, but not much seems to be happening between my phone calls. I just want it sorting out!!
They've twice told me they'll be coming around to take photos of my car and failed to turn up on both occasions.

mumto2loves

what a pain!!:mad:

in the nicest possible way though, why are you doing all the phoning and getting cross? surely you just need to give the details to your car insurance company and let them deal with it? thats what you pay loads of manoey a year for?

mensa_patient

Yes, I've reported it to my insurance company, but my excess is £550 and I'm loathe to pay it and then have it reimbursed at some point in the future. However, I may get in touch with my insurance company again and see whether my legal cover can make some inroads, thanks.

notbritishgas

It is an offence not to stop and swap details after an accident.
Now you have the reg No. you can surely report it to the police.
Or threaten Asda with that action.

spiro

notbritishgas wrote: »

It is an offence not to stop and swap details after an accident.
Now you have the reg No. you can surely report it to the police.
Or threaten Asda with that action.

Definetly report it to the police especially as you have an independent witness (your girlfriend wont be classed as independent).

ALso if they wont come to you to take photos of the car and its is driveable, drive down to the store and ask to speak to the manager so he can get them taken there and then.

Gigervamp

notbritishgas wrote: »

It is an offence not to stop and swap details after an accident.
Now you have the reg No. you can surely report it to the police.
Or threaten Asda with that action.

The OP has reported it to the police.

notbritishgas

Gigervamp wrote: »

The OP has reported it to the police.

Yes, the OP was quite long and I missed that bit.:o

duchy

Why not "helpfully" provide them with photos-hand delivered into the hands of the store manager by yourself with a witness along or sent recorded delivery.

Must admit by this point I wouldn't be dealing with it at store level but would be speaking to their head-office.

Storck

They will deal with it through their insurance company. Ask for those details and if they ask why say your insurance company needs them. Then either get in touch directly with them or pass them on to you insurance company. They will not just give you cash to sort it out.