is helphire and albany assistance the same company?

roxy86_2

I was meant to be having my car collected today and taken to be repaired, however was cancelled due to helphire calling the bodyshop to say that they had a query on the account and to hold off for a min.

The bodyshop rings me about an hour later to day its all been sorted now and that they had received confirmation to go ahead with the work. They are to collect my car tomorrow.

I can helphire to double check everything is ok and they tell me that nothing has been agreed and actually management have decided not to go ahead with the repairs.

I tell them the garage have had confirmation to say its ok and helphire just say oh well look into it.

Anyway i call the bodyshop myslef and am told that a bloke called Rob at albany sent a fax to say go ahead it should have never been cancelled in the first place?

Who is albany?

dacouch

Is your Car Insurance with one of the Admiral group ?

Who did you sign the credit agreement for the car hire to Albany or Helphire

roxy86_2

my car insurance is with swiftcover but they are having nothing to do with my claim as im third party fire and theft. I was put in contact with helphire and digned all agreements with them. i have not spoken to any other company but them.

It just seems weird how someone has contacted the bodyshop to say they can go ahead and do the repairs but it was from a bloke at albany and not at helphire. Helphire are no help either, i contacted them and was told they would find out what was going on as they have been told the repair work has been denied, heard nothing so called back to find that the woman who was meant to be dealing with it had gone home. An email had been sent to her to get it sorted first thing tomorrow but my car is being collected by the bodyshop early tomorow too!!

No one had a bloody clue what they are doing. Ive also asked to speak to management but they arent in until tomorrow!!!

roxy86_2

is it easier to just direct to the third parties insurance company myself? I dont understand why my company wont chase it up! i understand i cant claim on my own car on my policy but im not, im claiming on his insurance! cant swiftcover contact his company saga and say their customer caused damage to my car and they want it sorted?

roxy86_2

i may just quick up with helphire as i did have a hire car for a matter of about 2 days but i didnt feel comfortable driving it and in the end managed to sort out transport elsewhere, hence why i contacted them to say i didnt want the hire vehicle any longer. asat the time of getting the hire vehicle collected i was told that was fine and my reapirs would still be done wtc. Now, 3 weeks down the line Im being told oh no i cant have the repairs if i dont want the hire vehicle!! Yet I was sent an info pack stating it is my legal obligation to mitigate losses and it gave examples. These were if i injuryed my arm and cudnt drive, if i was going away on holiday or if i had arranged transport elsewhere. It clearly said if this is the case call them to get the hire vehicle terminated! No where does it say that by doing this it would cancel the whole agreement including the repairs!!

If i was to mention that to management can they still turn around and say they do not want to do the repairs?

I have read very carefully through all the terms and conditions and no where in there does it say i have to have the hire care to have the repairs done. So surely by them cancelling going ahead and doing the repairs they are in breach of the agreement?

roxy86_2

i dont no what to do? i could take out a hire vehicle again (would only be for a metter of about 3 days) while my vehicle is being fixed. That would mean i can get my car fixed no prob but then am costing money for a car i sont need or want!!

other option is to go to third parties insurance but then what if they ask questions about helphire? like why did you have a hire car, why was the reapirs not done etc? surely they are going to think its a bit dodgy that helphire are going to cliam from them for everything but the repairs which is the main issues?

i am meant to help helphire in every way possible but how can i do that if i have to contact the insurance compnay myself. i could end up landing helphire in it, they not being able to claim theire fees back ad therefore i being liable for those fees!

dacouch

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/44322942#Comment_44322942 Is the previous thread.

Helphire can be a pain and they make the vast majority of their money from credit hire (As yoiu can see from the amount they have charged for the hire car) and injury claims. They only make about 6% of the repair costs when they repair a car which may be why they are messing you about.

Personally I would ring the other Insurer direct and get them to repair the car, if it causes problems for Helphire so be it.

Do you have the other insurance companies details

roxy86_2

yes i have the dtails as they were given to me by my insurance company. if this causes problems for helphire will i then be liable to pay their fees? reason i ask is their fees are prob more than what my car would cos to fix. all it needs is a new upper bumper and some touch up to paint work (scratches).

roxy86_2

i would love to get rid of helphire but i dont want to be left paying the bill. if that was going to be the case i would rather accept a courtesy car. i just dont want to do that if i dont have to as its an extra cost that doesnt need to be charged. they must already have a bill of £200 for the hire car and so i cant see what the problem is. they have made some money. surely if they cancel the agreement they make it more difficult on themselves to claim that £200?

roxy86_2

i actually had the car for 2 half days and then i cancelled it. i cancelled it on a tuedsay but they didnt collect it until thursday and so would they also charge those days? if so that means i had it for 4 days which is problem less then the amount of days my car will take to fix!

roxy86_2

i have just found that albany is part of the helphire group here

http://www.albanyassistance.co.uk/index.php?page=2