Skyparksecure - joyriding in my car!

thecleverbit

A warning to anyone who might use Skyparksecure...

I put my car into their care over the weekend while I was away, they travelled 97 miles in her and burned out my clutch!

When I called to complain, I was asked to put it in writing. 24 hours later I got a form email back stating that they were not liable. They did however say that the gear change was "heavy". Not when I last used it!

I eventully spoke to a company director called "Dean" who was not only rude, but refused to believe me. He now reckons he will be able to check CCTV footage but due to data protection wont be able to show me what he finds. The company say they are not liable for any damage while I left the car, but I certainly didnt authorise them to go joyriding in her!

I am currently waiting to hear back from a firm of solicitors but I think I have a case. I would warn you against ever giving anyone your car keys.

JaymesKenin_2

Ask the Police, you may have a criminal case for your vehicle being taken without consent, they'll seize CCTV if you've got a case, as I'm sure "Dean" will more than likely delete anything he finds if what you say is true.

vax2002

Call the bluff and say it has a gps tracker fitted as part of the insurance.

vikingaero

The problem with these Meet and Greet Valet parking companies is that you don't know if your car is being stored securely or dumped on a the road of a nearby sink estate near the airport.

Also you don't know if they use your car to transport the drivers to and from other pickups at the airport.

Gloomendoom

That's why we always leave our battered old sh!tbox when we use those places. There just isn't much incentive for them to joyride in it and we don't care if it comes back with a few more dents.

dori2o

thecleverbit wrote: »

A warning to anyone who might use Skyparksecure...

I put my car into their care over the weekend while I was away, they travelled 97 miles in her and burned out my clutch!

When I called to complain, I was asked to put it in writing. 24 hours later I got a form email back stating that they were not liable. They did however say that the gear change was "heavy". Not when I last used it!

I eventully spoke to a company director called "Dean" who was not only rude, but refused to believe me. He now reckons he will be able to check CCTV footage but due to data protection wont be able to show me what he finds. The company say they are not liable for any damage while I left the car, but I certainly didnt authorise them to go joyriding in her!

I am currently waiting to hear back from a firm of solicitors but I think I have a case. I would warn you against ever giving anyone your car keys.

Does your car have satnav? Does it store the trips used? can you prove they have been somwhere in the car based on the satnav entries?

I know of a few stories where stolen cars have had the address of the thief entered into the satnav, this has led the police straight to the thiefs front door upon recovery of the car.

The other points I agree with are the GPS one. Tell 'Dean' you have requested the GPS data printout from the insurance company for period the car was left in HIS care, and also contact the police and advise you would like to report the crime of taking a motor vehicle without consent.

Finaly, I would also be worried about receiving speeding fines from camera's or parking tickets. You should be able to defend them, but it's more the time and stress it is going to take to defend the claims if they do happen.

cherie1122

You could try ringing your local Trading Standards section at the Council offices. They may have details of similar complaints by other Skyparksecure customers

97 miles is a lot ...

oldone_2

cherie1122 wrote: »

97 miles is a lot ...

On the other hand they may be employing ex-taxi drivers who take the long way round to the parking depot.

scheming_gypsy

vax2002 wrote: »

Call the bluff and say it has a gps tracker fitted as part of the insurance.

Secifically a Roadhawk
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Garage-Mechanics-Joyride-Car-In-For-Service-Vauxhall-Monaro-Driven-At-125mph-Roadhawk-Video-Shows/Article/200911215446691

soolin

There was a lot of publicity about this sort of thing a year or two ago, I seem to recall that several companies were barred from operating this service.

In fact the one and only time we used an off site car park we had similar problems. We had left a child seat in the car, and when we got it back the car seat had been removed and stored in the back, the ashtray was full of cigarette ends (we do not smoke and use the ash tray for parking coins) the radio had been retuned- all that and 40+ miles added on the clock. Worse of all though for some strange reason the bonnet catch had been broken (heaven knows what they were doing under the bonnet)

We did start with legal letters but the company disappeared and we were advised that this was so common that they are used to just dissolving the company and starting up under a different name.

Never again will I try and save money on airport parking.

thebigyin

Never had a problem with them myself