Compensation offer for terrible service following breakdown

jazzyb88

Hello,

I recently had a bad experience with Green Flag, the summary of which is this:

1. Broke down, called them up and was told they'd be there in the hour.
2. Got a call within the hour stating they'd be there in 2 hours (what actually happened was they booked me on as a lower priority job!!!)
3. 4 hours later a van arrives and agrees I needed the recovery truck I originally told them I needed!
4. 4 hours the truck arrives
5. In total 8 hours and an utter lack of service or even a clue what was going on half the time!

They were kind enough to offer compensation once I filed a complaint, initially offering £70 and then increasing that to £100 with £20 of that coming from the subcontractor who is ultimately responsible for this. I was fine with this initially, but now am not sure (without sounding greedy!)

As the car was left by the roadside for so long (hazards on for maybe 2-3 hours, then I gave up!) the battery died. By the time it was recovered and got to the garage and charged up (probably the next day to be honest, as it was evening when it arrived), the battery was toast.

Now the battery was 5 years old, so not brand new, but it was in good working order beforehand with no issues. I am convinced that due to the huge delay and the fact it went dead and stayed dead for perhaps 12-24 hours is the reason it needed replacing.

Would it then be fair to ask them to increase the compensation to cover the cost of this (£90) or at least half of it? Or should I just be happy they've offered anything and move on?

To be honest, I could accept a 4 hour delay as that would mean I could have still worked half the day, gotten the car to the garage and perhaps charged up the same day. However, as it took them all day (and I am doubting it was because they were super busy, I think incompetence is to blame here) it meant I definitely lost a days work, the car wasn't seen to until the next day, and so I do feel a bit out of pocket to lose a day's work, hungry, cold and tired by the roadside and to top it off now a battery!

Please tell me my logic is not flawed!

scotsbob

Hazard lights only use about 3 amps so a fully charged battery would keep them going for about 10 hours minimum. Did you have radio and heater on as well?

I think you have done well with what they are offering you, however it won't do any harm to ask for more.

jazzyb88

I had the radio on for possibly 2 hours in total, but no more than that. From what you say about the hazards though, maybe the radio was the culprit and so could be my fault? Then again, I only used the radio after the fourth hour - most of the time I spent on the phone calling them up!

I will ask them nicely and see what they say...but trying not to sound ungrateful at the same time

aggypanthus

I had a bad experience with them, and was given £50.
What level of cover do you have? The highest level inc car hire etc, up to a certain value, think its 3day at £100 cost. As I didnt claim this, I would have expected this value as comp, but it was such a bother dealing with them.

I understand your frustration only too well. No harm in writing to them.. not hopeful though!

jazzyb88

I have Recovery Plus, so the one just below European cover (and the one that offers the best cashback rates of course!!)

Okay, I'll draft a letter tomorrow and see what they say...

londonTiger

i think you'd be lucky to get more than that to be honest.

baza52

jazzyb88 wrote: »

I had the radio on for possibly 2 hours in total, but no more than that. From what you say about the hazards though, maybe the radio was the culprit and so could be my fault? Then again, I only used the radio after the fourth hour - most of the time I spent on the phone calling them up!

I will ask them nicely and see what they say...but trying not to sound ungrateful at the same time

I thought the battery died after 3 hours of having the hazards on. How did you listen to the radio after 4 hours for another 2 hours with a flat battery?

Joe_Horner

Leaving a good battery dead for 24 hours wouldn't kill it. I use a car battery on a heavy duty cycle for lighting where it's fully charged then flattened (over about 4 hours) completely twice a week. It often sits in a completely dead state for 2 - 3 days. Thats doing just about everything possible wrong as far as a car battery's concerned!

It's a normal 35AHr car Numax battery, and was 2 years old when I started using it like this. A year later it was still up to the job of jump starting my 2 litre diesel last week when its alternator died.

Nodding_Donkey

Make sure you get the 50% renewal as well

If you do then I'd say that is a fair offer. It sounds like the battery was on it's last legs anyway.

jazzyb88

baza52 wrote: »

I thought the battery died after 3 hours of having the hazards on. How did you listen to the radio after 4 hours for another 2 hours with a flat battery?

Hazards on for 3 hours, then switched them off because I gave up (so not dead at this point).

Then radio on afterwards Although perhaps the radio had more of a draining effect than I initially thought.

Ok so from what everyone is saying, it sounds like the battery was going to die anyway. That changes my thoughts somewhat, so probably best to take what they've given and move on.

Thanks!

Bantex_2

I have been with AA for years, cost a bit more but never waited longer than an hour and nearly always fix there and then. (I don't work for them but do have 3 or 4 cars, some of which are getting o a bit).