Major Retail Store - Auto Petrol Pump - being charged, but receiving no fuel - help?!

ashlondon

Hi there,

I have an ongoing dispute with a major retail store. I went to one of their remote petrol stations, put my card in for a considerable quantity of petrol, waited and found none dispensed. I wandered the forecourt looking for a phone and a cctv camera, found a camera and waved hoping for a tannoy announcement to start dispensing petrol now etc. Nothing happened. I went back to the store to register my problem. I was told that if no petrol came I would not be debited money. I left with a signed receipt registering my concern.

A month later, my account showed the large debit for petrol taken.

I started a complaint via the stores HQ. I also contacted the store direct and via that a member of staff saved my CCTV footage CLIP to computer.

Over months now the stores HQ simply states that 'the computer says I received petrol' - inference being in my view is that I must be lying; that I did receive petrol. Why then waste so much time pusuing a fair hearing on this?

On advice of the Information Comission I requested the CCTV footage and sent the store a cheque for £10 (a standard nominal charge for such a request, along with full proof of identity). They replied that such information is not given out without a letter from a solicitor. Back to the Info Comission, who stated that an individual has every right to ask for CCTV footage of themselves, with no need for the obstacle of a solictors letter.

The stores HQ maintain that I got petrol and have never sent me the CCTV footage - despite me knowing that the clip is 'still' saved at the store. Of course, I have informed the HQ of this fact re the stored CCTV clip; they maintain that CCTV records are discarded after something like 28 days.

Having logged the whole thread of the complaint thru letters AND informed the stores HQ of my time at each stage spent on this complaint, I am now seeking a fair hearing through the small claims court. For the original debited amount of petrol and a charge for the time accrued in disputing this claim....

the store has just responded to say they will be contesting the whole of my claim.

In my view:

a/ I did not receive goods purchased
b/ I registered that concern on the day
c/ I requested CCTV footage under the Freedom of Information Act and that footage has been denied me.
d/ all this over one small issue.

Any further tips would be very gratefully received!

Thanks ASHLONDON

harveybobbles

They should be able to tell from their tanks underground as to how much fuel was in around the time you were there.

ashlondon

Thanks for your thought.

They say that their computer logged petrol dispensed.

The CCTV footage - which I dont have, but have been talked through by a member of staff - does NOT show someone coming along after me and getting 'free ' petrol.

Basically, their computer says I got petrol.
I did not.
Receiving the CCTV footage - as is my right - would have shown me wandering around looking for help and not happily pumping gas into my car.

Hammyman

Petrol pumps cannot register fuel dispensed unless it is. They can't register fresh air being pumped. I've fuelled wagons at petrol stations as their underground tanks have got empty and the amount has gone up in dribs and drabs as the diesel was sucked through, not continuously as it was sucking air as well.

Hotspur

ashlondon,

Did you go and fill up elsewhere on the same day? If yes do you have proof of that purchase? Could be important evidence if you can show this.

H

Skulls

A few years ago I went and filled my car up. I was out of sight of the dials on the pump but just filled up. Went into pay and the cashier said £2.70 for my pump. Anyhow I was a bit confused, went back to the pump and it was showing £2.70. Jumped into the car to go to another petrol station. When I looked at the petrol guage it was showing 'FULL', my gain their loss!

ashlondon

ashlondon says -

No, unfortunately didnt go fill up elswhere and retain receipt. When it happened, just before Xmas last year & having been reassured that I wouldnt be charged etc if i ddnt get petrol, I was not ultravigilant. I did get a registered slip of paper from the store having gone back to them....I could have had a member of staff come witness my nigh empty fual guage etc etc.

The company says that their auto fuel guages shows a transaction of fuel litres correcponding to the money I put in via my card.

The CCTV does show me baffled etc

The CCTV and pump record does not show someone coming in after me and getting 'my' paid for fuel for free.

All along, my case has rested on

a/ making the complaint on the day
b/ following this up as soon as my next statement came in showing i'd been charged for NO petrol
c/ getting the CCTV footage secured at the store via a helpful member of local staff
d/ requesting that footage from HQ - to allow me to see the strength of evidence on tape re my being baffled and wandering around looking for help and NOT filling up!

tHE STORE has not helped at all......a/ failed to send me the requested footage and b/ just keeps saying our auto records show you got fuel.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

fuel pumps are not as specialised as forcourts will make out they are. i have recieved no fuel being dispensed from a national chain of suppliers, ive gone in, showed my tank still on empty after filling £50.00 worth, fella came out, lifetd the pump handle told the clerk to switch it on pointed nozzle in the bucket and nothing came out but the digital pump was saying he owed £3.00 and delivered the litres.

he came back out put a out of order clip on the nozzle and said fill up over at the other one to your amount of £50.00 wich i did he then apologised and i went.

ive also had a pump go haywire give me free fuel without touch the nozzle handle and not clock up the price or litre dispenced after he turned it on, went to pull it out thinking what going on and all of a sudden i was soaked in it, i put it back into my filler ran in and told the guy to swtich off the pump petrol coming out with no handle being pressed as the cutoff handle was around the side of the building he ran out turned it off and the fella said dont worry about it go home and change before it burns my skin i offered though he said not to worry happy days.

TonyMMM

You have started a claim, and they have every right to dispute it - whether they actually turn up on the day and present a defence is another thing. Get your case together, and organised, have copies of all documents & letters ready - stick to facts and avoid emotion and you should be OK.

Also - get your facts correct (to avoid being caught out on the day) e.g. The Freedom of Information Act applies to public bodies, not supermarkets and is irrelevant here ... you request for CCTV is under the Data Protection Act.

ashlondon

Hi , any further thoughts gratefully received.

Ash

rs65

ashlondon wrote: »

Hi , any further thoughts gratefully received.

Ash

When did you next fill up, and do you have a receipt for it?