Can a garage hold my car even though I don't owe any money?

Piggles1982

I was wondering if you can help me.

Someone has crashed into the side of my 5 door car which now doesn’t open, the other doors still open including the driver’s door. I have taken the car to Ford Sandicliffe for a quote in which they’ve produced, although now they’ve informed me they won’t let me take the car back due to the rear door not opening.

Are they allowed to do this as it’s my property and no chargeable work has been done on the car therefore I don’t owe them any money? I have had to get the bus home from Leicester and I’m now stuck without a car at present until I receive my courtesy car.

Kind regards

Dave

knightstyle

As it is your car and you haven't signed any contract with them to repair it go and collect the car. If they won't let you have it call the police and say the garage have stolen it. Do this in the garage and hand the phone to the garage person to talk to the poilice.

mikey72

No, they have no right at all.

Piggles1982

my partner suggested us driving up there tonight in her car with the spare key and just taking it back as long as it's still open then ring them tomorrow and ask them about the car for them to find it has disappeared?

Could I take this any further, as they've really hacked me off, I've had to stand around in the rain and wind for 20 mins waiting for a bus then had to pay to get home on the bus, fuming.

Badger_Lady

Piggles1982 wrote: »

my partner suggested us driving up there tonight in her car with the spare key and just taking it back as long as it's still open then ring them tomorrow and ask them about the car for them to find it has disappeared?

Please don't do that.

Piggles1982

I won't be doing it but that's how much they've wound me up.

It seems to me that they have done this so they get the work on my car and I don't take it anywhere else

atrixblue.-MFR-.

i would be fuming too, they have no right to keep it at all. they have no contract of work to be done or that has been completed and outstanding money owed, go get it! if they refuse, tell them their braking the law and you are now going to call police, and do a sit in protest, no keys no leave no leave means someone has to stay on after hours to keep an eye on you they cant touch you physically either, so what other options do the have lets think ummmm call the police on themselfs!!

Piggles1982

Thank you for your advice people, much appreciated

Think I'll be driving over there tonight and I'll update you tomorrow

sarahg1969

Badger_Lady wrote: »

Please don't do that.

There's no reason why the OP can't go and collect the car, if it's in an accessible place and he has a spare key.

w211

Don't the garage have some sort of duty of care of allowing a car which is unroadworthy (or could appear to be, in your case) on to the public road? If something were to happen (though can't guess what in your case - unless you were to carry people in the back and can't get out in an accident, which is what the garage may assume), would the garage be to blame?

Similar thing when a friend bought a new motorcycle, and we went to the dealer to collect it. My friend couldn't arrange to get a copy of the insurance certificate in time, and the dealer wouldn't let him take the bike.

"Oh. No, we were going to put the bike in the van and drive it back to his house," I said pointing to my van parked outside. The dealer saw this and said that's ok, as if he were to have an accident riding it and they didn't have proof of insurance then they could responsible.

Only suggestion is that if this is what your garage is thinking, is to get the car recovered/towed maybe?

If garage is wrong, might be worth keeping receipts of travelling expenses, and claiming it back from them + if you need the car work, include loss of earnings. https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/web/mcol/welcome

atrixblue.-MFR-.

they cannot keep it, simple as that, even in an unroadworthy condition, they didnt do work on it so cant be held liable. only the police can order the vehicle off the road, not a dealer or trader.

they can advise NOT KEEP IT.