Servicing Stop - Avoid at all costs!!

Bitter12

Had full service. This included new brake pads. Brakes squealing loudly. I queried this. They said the brakes squealed because they were dirty and needed cleaning and if they did this then there would be a charge of £48.30

jaypatel70

So I had the misfortune in using this company. Having read about their business model, I thought it would be ideal as it saves time and inconvenience in dropping your car off at the garage.....so I thought.

Their website has glowing testimonials from happy customers but I can guess some of these are not genuine.

Anyway, the car (brand new) was booked in for its first service. They knew what car it was, and what would be required. Anyway, it was picked up on the day....not the time it was booked for and away it went.

A couple of hours later someone rings me and says the car will need some special type of oil (which I was aware of) and also some filter needed changing which I thought would have been changed as part of the service cost. Anyway, I just agreed and was told the car would be ready and delivered by 6:30pm.

So I called the garage at 4:00pm checking the status of the work and was told again, "i would be delivered at 6:30pm as promised. All good I thought....and that's where it stopped.

At 6:25pm I receive a call from the garage explaining they have ordered the wrong oil and as the car has already been drained and it was too late to get the replacement oil they would have to drop the car off the following day.

So, I explained I needed the car as it was the main source of transport. The gentleman at the garage explained it cannot be dropped off that night but will be dropped off at 11:00am the following day.

So now I had to organise additional transport to get the wife do the daily school run and commute. I then had to take time off from work to receive the car! It finally arrived 10:45am and nearly £200 for the service that should have cost £140.

When I complained, they simply didn't sympathise but rather said it couldn't be helped and they did not say the car would be ready the same day! Lies!

Then they said I should provide them with receipts for taxis and public transport! When I explained I had to take time off from work, they now ask for evidence! Total joke of a company!

In hindsight I should have read the numerous complaints about this company and stayed away.

So I have had my fingers burnt, beware of any others wanting to use them. Unprofessional, unsympathetic and simply there to rip customers off.

their latest reply "Thank you for your response.

I apologise for the confusion. We would need some form of evidence proving financial loss as a result of the late delivery before we can consider compensation. For instance if your had to take a taxi we would require the receipts."

So looks like I've lost nearly 3 hours work! Thank you Servicing stop!!!

jaypatel70

Bitter12 wrote: »

We have been ripped off by these people! Has anyone taken them to trading standards or small claims court?

I'm seriously contemplating this. I'm sure we're not the only ones on this forum who has had an issue with them.

jaypatel70

jaypatel70 wrote: »

So I had the misfortune in using this company. Having read about their business model, I thought it would be ideal as it saves time and inconvenience in dropping your car off at the garage.....so I thought.

Their website has glowing testimonials from happy customers but I can guess some of these are not genuine.

Anyway, the car (brand new) was booked in for its first service. They knew what car it was, and what would be required. Anyway, it was picked up on the day....not the time it was booked for and away it went.

A couple of hours later someone rings me and says the car will need some special type of oil (which I was aware of) and also some filter needed changing which I thought would have been changed as part of the service cost. Anyway, I just agreed and was told the car would be ready and delivered by 6:30pm.

So I called the garage at 4:00pm checking the status of the work and was told again, "i would be delivered at 6:30pm as promised. All good I thought....and that's where it stopped.

At 6:25pm I receive a call from the garage explaining they have ordered the wrong oil and as the car has already been drained and it was too late to get the replacement oil they would have to drop the car off the following day.

So, I explained I needed the car as it was the main source of transport. The gentleman at the garage explained it cannot be dropped off that night but will be dropped off at 11:00am the following day.

So now I had to organise additional transport to get the wife do the daily school run and commute. I then had to take time off from work to receive the car! It finally arrived 10:45am and nearly £200 for the service that should have cost £140.

When I complained, they simply didn't sympathise but rather said it couldn't be helped and they did not say the car would be ready the same day! Lies!

Then they said I should provide them with receipts for taxis and public transport! When I explained I had to take time off from work, they now ask for evidence! Total joke of a company!

In hindsight I should have read the numerous complaints about this company and stayed away.

So I have had my fingers burnt, beware of any others wanting to use them. Unprofessional, unsympathetic and simply there to rip customers off.

their latest reply "Thank you for your response.

I apologise for the confusion. We would need some form of evidence proving financial loss as a result of the late delivery before we can consider compensation. For instance if your had to take a taxi we would require the receipts."

So looks like I've lost nearly 3 hours work! Thank you Servicing stop!!!

They have just offered a 20% discount on my next service with THEM! Do they think I'd even touch them with a barge pole?

jaypatel70

So they have now referred me to their legal team:

Thanks again for your recent correspondence following your Full service with us.

Unfortunately, despite numerous communications between us, we don!!!8217;t seem to be making progress towards resolving your complaint.

During our exchanges, Servicing stop has laid out the viewpoint of Servicing Stop regarding the matter and I regret to say that unless any further information arises, we will not be changing our position.

Under these circumstances, I think it is necessary to refer you to the Citizens Advice Bureau. If you would like this issue escalated you will need to write to our Auditing and Legal Team. The details are:

Servicing Stop
Auditing & Legal Team
Refuge House.
9 - 10 River Front.
Enfield.
EN1 3SZ.

seatbeltnoob

The company is just too greedy, some of their own garages have spoken out about how bad their sales tactics are.

Just search for servicing stop on youtube, you'll find a bbc watchdog excerpt on them giving accounts of how bad they are.

Just plain greedy, they'll try to do up to £800 worth of work where the main dealer has only required £150 worth to do. the MAIN DEALER charged less than 5 times what servicing stop does.

Just look up their reviews on google.

There is no reason why anyone should use their services now as the warnings are everywhere.

it's a shame really, this looked promising and they could have become a household name and become as well known as kwik fit and halfords. But these cowboys are going to end up with the business fined and behind bars eventually for the scams they are doing.

medic1982

I am sorry to hear of all the bad experiences but thank you all for sharing. I was interested but hesitant about using this service but fortunately I did a search and read all of your accounts. As pointed out they have to try and cash in from their loss leader.

BIGhonckerAbergavenny

PLEASE, PLEASE PLEASE BELIEVE ME DONT TRUST AT ALL:
I write through personal and very bad experience of Servicing Stop:
The full annual service was advertised on their website for just over £91, I also understood that replacement of spark plugs would come to another £50 at the very most as part of the service:
The car was collected at 9:43am instead of between 8-9am, no apologies or explanation,
At exactly 10:37am I received a call from someone named George who advised he was at Servicing Stop and the total would actually be over £370, after I had asked 3 times for a breakdown having expressed my shock George said he had,!!!8217;!!!8217;had enough of this,!!!8217;!!!8217; I assume with my insistence on having a breakdown, he then verbally gave the breakdown including spark plugs costing over £150, and then advised YOUR CAR WILL BE
RELEASED ON PAYMENT OF WHATS GIVEN TO YOU.
I had no alternative, but to agree, the car should have been returned at 4pm at the latest, I eventually got the car back at 7pm from a man that had clearly not been happy to return the car, the car smelt of cigarettes inside, the man told me the windscreen wipers are broken and this was a lie, the man also brought the car back absolutely filthy outside despite being washed the day before and only having had a 5 miles journey to his garage?
I have made several attempts having taken advise from the Citizens Advise, WHICH and a friend who is a local solicitor to come to an agreement with Servicing Stop for most of the £370 to be returned having highlighted the above but with no respect from them let alone agreement.
PLEASE BE ADVISED FROM MYSELF THOUGH; HAVING CONTACTED MY CREDIT CARD PROVIDER AND EXPLAINED EVERYTHING, A CHARGEBACK HAS BEEN INITIATED ON THE £370,
So with effort and determination as well as good advise from the best sources it is possible to deal with this sort of company who think they can trade on the internet and take full advantage of the dynamics involved so as to completely rip people off.
Trust me, if all else fails CHARGEBACK will bring you justice as a straight honest customer like myself and the others that have recorded their experience of this APPALING COMPANY.
PLEASE, PLEASE PLEASE, TRUST ME, IF ALL ELSE FAILS TRYING TO DEAL WITH THIS COMPANY THEN MASTERCARD OR VISA IS THE BEST PLACE TO GO AND REQUEST A CHARGEBACK!!!

BIGhonckerAbergavenny

Please, Please, Please do not use this company ever again.
All you need to do to obtain justice is contact either your credit card provider or debit card provider depending upon which you used and ask for a CHARGEBACK to be initiated.
In my case after the CHARGEBACK the company disputed the validity of this but Mastercard accepted my argument that I had in effect been FORCED to pay the extra, consequently a full CHARGEBACK was actioned!!!

Noree

Why do people even go to these price drop traps?

Go to an honest independant garage. They are EVERYWHERE and easy to find. Go for one which is approved by a strict code of practice.

https://www.trustmygarage.co.uk is my top tip to find somewhere.

Feel free to then cross reference with something like Google Reviews.

If there is ever a dispute and the garage are not being helpful, you can contact their code of practice to take things further.

Trustmygarage is a Trading Standards approved code of practice and any issues are taken seriously.

STOP USING CLOWNS IN THE MOTOR TRADE!!!

Pay reasonable money for your car maintenance/MOT from the off and you are normally at lower risk of problems.

MOT discount is something DVSA take into account and will generalise a garage at a higher risk of disciplinary action. It does reflect on their site score from DVSA.