Hire Car and PCN admin fee

MrsMParker

Hi, I really hope someone can help me...

back in August I had a hire car from my insurance company as part of a claim while mine was being fixed. I gave the car back no problems until a few days later £60 was taken from my account. I rang the hire company (albanay assistance) and they explained it was for a PCN and admin fee. I got details of the PCN to realise it was from work as I had a hire car the automated camera didnt recognise it. I sroted this and the PCN was cancelled 4 days later, however 4 months later albanay are claiming they didnt know the PCN was cancelled. I have been assured that SMART PARKING (yes, THEM!) will resend a letter confirming this. Rang albanay to explain and see what happens next, was shocked to hear that they will only refund £30 (50%) and to find out that they never paid the charge....£60 was THEIR ADMIN FEE!!!

basically I am disgusted and wondered if there is any way to claim this back, this is the only part of the hire agreement that I can find which relates to charges

"You must pay all road tolls, penalties, impounded vehicle charges, infringements,
congestion charges or any other charges imposed by statute or otherwise relating to
the way in which the Hire Vehicle is used, driven or parked
20. You must pay the Lessor on demand (i) the cost of the Lessor providing or
arranging roadside assistance (except where it is provided to rectify or deal with a
matter that is the Lessor’s liability under this agreement) (ii) for any of the costs set out
in clause 19 which the Lessor has paid on Your behalf and (iii) an administration fee of
£50 plus VAT for each occasion it deals with a damage claim relating to the Hire
Vehicle or receives a charge and/or penalty or notification of any of them and each
time the Lessor demands payment from You in respect of payments due under this
agreement other than Charges."

Do I just have to swallow this?

any help would be greatly appreciated,

Thank you

System

See here

http://www.bvrla.co.uk/advice/guidance/using-bvrlas-conciliation-service

Edna_Basher

It looks like other people have experienced similar problems with Albany Assistance - for example on this thread.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5360905

You will see the intervention from an Albany Assistance rep on that thread; it looks like they scan this forum to check whenever their name crops up.


MSE user "Hot Bring" has kept them busy by incorporating the "Albany Assistance" name into his/her MSE signature :T

Half_way

It would appear that Albany Assistance have an issue, the problem here is that a substantial majority of the general public believe these things to be fines and panic and pay up, it looks like this also extends to the staff at Albany Assistance who obviously believe the same.
either that or the staff training by Albany Assistance is defective in some way, or Albany Assistance make a nice bit of money on the side form lucrative admin fees charged by Albany Assistance.

StaffsSW

The £60 admin sounds very excessive, but I suspect it is collection of admin fees rolled into one.

Albany do not have their own fleet, instead they cross hire them in from various suppliers, who in turn may be leasing the vehicle from the registered keeper. It is likely that the Registered Keeper may have processed the original NtK and charged £20. This will be passed on to the hire company, who name Albany and also charge £20. In turn Albany will have named you, and added their £20.

This supply chain is why so many PPC do not like dealing with vehicle rental companies.

Auxillis

Hello MrsMParker,

Would you be able to email onlineteam@albanyassistance.co.uk with your reference number, so that we can arrange for someone to contact you directly regarding a refund.

Kind Regards,

Albany Assistance Online Team

Umkomaas

It's good to see - if 'albanyassistance' is a genuine poster - an organisation helping a customer with a problem. Do all you can please 'albanyassistance'. '

Tis the season of goodwill after all.

Quentin

It's a genuine poster.


They always offer assistance when you go public and mention their name.


Unfortunately too often seen here (usually on the motoring and insurance boards) as it seems their name is regularly mentioned by disgruntled innocent policy holders forced to use their services by their insurers,


(Though this is the first time they have committed publicly to pay out any "refund")

Umkomaas

It's a genuine poster.

Thanks for this Q. I'm always cautious about offers of off-line help from a poster with a low post count, hence the caveat.

Sorry to doubt you albanyassistance, but hope you understand my initial concern.

Coupon-mad

Albany Assistance, shame on you for charging an exorbitant 'admin fee' and not refunding it in full, like EuropCar and other lease hire firms do when unfair rip-off fake (private) PCNs are cancelled.

Also, Smart Parking PCNs are not worded in a way that Albany Assistance could be liable anyway. They do NOT follow the POFA 2012 so it was never your business nor Albany Assistance's liability. All you needed to do was provide the name of the hirer, that does not justify a massive admin fee.

Refund the person in full, please and I hope they come back to confirm you have done so. What we worry about is that by replying on these threads Albany Assistance is gagging people. Let's hear what really happens in these cases in the end.

Auxillis

Hello MrsMParker,

We have yet to receive any email from you.

If you could please get in touch with your reference number to onlineteam@albanyassistance.co.uk at your earliest convenience.

Kind Regards,

Albany Assistance Online Team