damage to car left with airport parking !!

pendragon_arther

Valet parking morons are notorious for using cars for joyriding. It's proving negligence that's the problem.

marlot

alfie_1 wrote: »

the parking area was a farm/wood/field [I google earthed it from sat nav info recorded] which so far as I can see is still waiting for PP.

Did they promise 'secure parking' somewhere?

Valet parking around Gatwick has featured on watchdog etc for years, with cars being parked all over the place. SOme people have even received parking tickets.

Mercdriver

Mercdriver wrote: »

I had damage to my wife's BMW X5 while away and car parked with valet parking at Terminal 3 of Heathrow. I noticed the damage immediately on picking up the keys. The attendant who was the one who parked it, said no damage was caused. I told him that the damage to the alloys and front right of bumper was not there when I dropped it off, and that there was corresponding marks from the bumper and tyres on the pillar that he hit. He continued to deny it, so I asked for the manager and went about taking photographs of the damage and the marks on the pillar in relation to each other with an SLR and macro lens, which showed the fact that the fibres of the fibre glass were freshly damaged. He's maintained that the damage was historical.

I downloaded the photos to my laptop and showed them to the manager and said that if he didn't accept liability then I would be calling the police as there was an accident that hadn't been reported. This did the trick and they admitted liability and we were loaned a car while the BMW was in for repair at the main dealer.

Get as much evidence as you can, photograph it, and send it to them. It does get awkward once you've driven away, as they get you to sign to say you have inspected the car. This has always been something I always refuse to sign until I have inspected the car.

Generally now, as I travel through LHR very frequently, I look at deals for using the short stay car park for a few days which is cheaper than using valet parking, and I get to keep the keys.

Just to clarify - this was BAA's own valet parking.

maninthestreet

I never use airport parking that requires me to leave my car keys with them -to avoid situations just like this. Of course, even with self-parking there is still the risk some other driver may end up damaging your car....

Nodding_Donkey

Er, I don't think BAA have anything to do with it lol

bod1467

Nodding_Donkey wrote: »

Er, I don't think BAA have anything to do with it lol

Why not? BAA are a private company who own various airports. It wouldn't surprise me if they also had a valet parking arm to their business.

alfie_1

straighttalker wrote: »

There's no need to be sarcastic, he's only trying to pre empt what they will argue in Court.

It's down to you to prove that they did the damage. Do you have a pre parking vehicle checklist which was signed by both parties confirming there was no damage to the underside of the vehicle before you left it with them?

In your mind, you know they did the damage but you need to prove that they did it and it wasn't pre existing.

:rotfl: I wasn't being sarcastic ! I took on board what he said and acted on it.. when I say THANKS , I mean it ...

alfie_1

I actually had a call from the police today for information re this parking company. they are gathering evidence to shut them down. the "agent" who took my booking is also being investigated for dodgy dealing.
I contacted the local council to verify if the parking site was legal [PP] and they forwarded my email to police as an ongoing investigations.. apparently the police visited the illegal parking site and got stuck in the mud there !! they are prepared to give evidence as to the "secure barriered site with cctv" being anything but ...
the company [agent] I booked through has various companies on their books and ALL apparently are suspected to be illegally run.


they claimed to be members of the BPA [british parking as.] they are not ... nor are the others.


I have given them a dead line to pay for damages otherwise I have police permission to NAME AND SHAME to warn others.


please take care and check out all companies, I fell for all the blurb !

RS2000.

alfie_1 wrote: »

I actually had a call from the police today for information re this parking company. they are gathering evidence to shut them down. the "agent" who took my booking is also being investigated for dodgy dealing.
I contacted the local council to verify if the parking site was legal [PP] and they forwarded my email to police as an ongoing investigations.. apparently the police visited the illegal parking site and got stuck in the mud there !! they are prepared to give evidence as to the "secure barriered site with cctv" being anything but ...
the company [agent] I booked through has various companies on their books and ALL apparently are suspected to be illegally run.


they claimed to be members of the BPA [british parking as.] they are not ... nor are the others.


I have given them a dead line to pay for damages otherwise I have police permission to NAME AND SHAME to warn others.


please take care and check out all companies, I fell for all the blurb !

I don't really see why it's a police matter. It's not their job to "name and shame".

alfie_1

THEY are not naming and shaming ... but I can now.
if my emails to them do not result in payment then I have a strong case for court. I can now prove all points.


the reason it has been a "police matter" is because
illegal premises are being used for parking
fraudulent claims by company
uninsured drivers
unliscenced drivers
and the list goes on.


they want to shut down whole company when all evidence is in.
the reason I got their permission /advice... was because I did not want to be accused of slander ... I have got all my facts now.