Servicing Stop

neishb

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So I've asked the garage I took my car to how much the work would cost in total which was £280 including vat then Servicing Stop calls me and said that it will cost £665.
Did I miss something here?
Here is my email to Servicing Stop (Which they have not replied to)
Hi Chris,

I am attempting to contact you by phone which is impossible and also trying to cancel my agreement with you as you have clearly done nothing in this case.

No one came to collect the car on the agreed date. Apparently the garage only picks up 2 cars per day therefore I had to contact them directly and book it in with them then take the car over and get public transport home.

At this point I’d like to point out that this was the only reason I choose your service.

I also had to collect it today from the garage so I’m really wondering what service you have in fact provided me apart from overcharge for parts three fold.

The garage told me that they charge £30 for a pollen filter fitted and inc vat so why did you charge £105?

This work including VAT should have been £280 and not £664.55. This is an overcharge £384.55 which is simply unacceptable seeing as you have done absolutely nothing to deserve this.

I have spoken to my bank and explained the situation so we are waiting for you to take the pending payment from my account before starting a dispute.

Really not keen on extortion such as this so I will be making every effort possible to make the general public aware of just how much you charge and for what.


Regards,

Bill

AdrianC

I presume you've found your way here because of all the other Servicing Stop threads... If so, I presume you've read them.

Servicing Stop don't run garages themselves. They're just a portal to find signed-up (paid-up) garages. Garages who need to drum business up, because they aren't getting repeat local business. Why? Because of their local reputations...?
https://www.servicingstop.co.uk/join_our_garage_network.html

Woofiedog

I too have complained about Servicing Stop for three main reasons:

1. They mis-represent their services and breach their Terms and Conditions by taking payment for work not ordered or work cancelled before it was started. They mis-state their link with an Arbitration Service who has nothing more to do with them.

2.  They don't provide any source paperwork from the garage to prove they had conducted all the checks listed against Service Stop's only Schedule - the only piece of paper they will provide claiming the work was completed.

3.  They also charge extorionate prices for additional work, which far exceeds what the host gararge would charge if you went to them directly.

Basically, their business model clears the field for them to rip off customers who order the service by either not conveying the correct order through to the garage (to widen their margin and cheat the garage) or they allow (or join forces) with the host garage who does not have to prove them did not do the work Service Stop asked them to do, maybe not even doing any work at all, and in doing so widening its own margin by reducing time spent on the work.

This lack of accountability is appalling and should be disallowed. Insurers expect cars to be properly serviced and roadworthy before they even consider a claim. The law demands that vehicles are maintained and safe to drive.  Servicing Stop does not only fail to meet those needs they seem to actively promote a business model that will make it likely that these needs won't be met.

I have complained to Trading Standards and my MP to get my money refuded. MBNA won't repay my money onto my credit card either until I can prove the garage did not do the work - even that which I had cancelled in good time anyway. They are just as bad.

I will make this my mission in life - to get this charalan bunch of crooks who ripped me off for more than £500 for work I have no ideas was completed at all, let alone partially or fully.

Check out Google Reviews. I have written a real stinker there too about the host garage who appear now to be as bad as Servicing Stop, even stooping to making personal remarks about my appearance (I went and saw them in person a while back).

Servicing Stop and their supplier garages are a disgrace. The garages who would do a good job have probably disengaged from supplying Servicing Stop. Or the might well be advised to if they haven't yet done so.

bukitfagbenle

I have just been presented with a bill of nearly £800...my car is not worth more than £500 and after stating clearly I did not have such funds was told the minimum I could pay was £129.90 or so. I asked why when it was clearly stated on their website that the service and mot would cost less than £100. I was told I had to pay for a special engine oil which is £24.98, environmental charge £7.98, topping up ‘fluid’ for £5.99! I insisted that normal engine oil is quite fine by me but was told I had ‘agreed’ to paying for the special oil by agreeing to the service in the first place!! Help as I am sure there must be a way out of this before my car is delivered this evening. I have replied to an email congratulating me for approving the extra work...special engine oil...stating clearly that I do not! Is there anything I can do to reduce the payment. Needless to say my car is being returned to me having failed mot and refusing all their extortionate prices to ‘fix’ my car. I will insist on seeing the mot certificate at least before paying. 

AdrianC

bukitfagbenle said:

I will insist on seeing the mot certificate at least before paying. 

You know you can do that online the instant the test is completed?
https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/

Whether a particular oil is needed or not is not up to you - it's up to the requirements of the engine in your car.

macman

bukitfagbenle said:

I have just been presented with a bill of nearly £800...my car is not worth more than £500 and after stating clearly I did not have such funds was told the minimum I could pay was £129.90 or so. I asked why when it was clearly stated on their website that the service and mot would cost less than £100. I was told I had to pay for a special engine oil which is £24.98, environmental charge £7.98, topping up ‘fluid’ for £5.99! I insisted that normal engine oil is quite fine by me but was told I had ‘agreed’ to paying for the special oil by agreeing to the service in the first place!! Help as I am sure there must be a way out of this before my car is delivered this evening. I have replied to an email congratulating me for approving the extra work...special engine oil...stating clearly that I do not! Is there anything I can do to reduce the payment. Needless to say my car is being returned to me having failed mot and refusing all their extortionate prices to ‘fix’ my car. I will insist on seeing the mot certificate at least before paying. 

I presume you mean a quote of £800 for the work needed to pass the MOT.? Work not yet done?

umeedify

Gosh I jus wished I had read the reviews beforehand,  I too got stung with an extra 132£ for airfilter, brake fluid and "special engine oil".  I am sooo annoyed as I never was given an opportunity to not pay extra, was just told that to release the car (1 hour before delivery) that this amount had to be paid. These guys are cowboys that need to shut down.  Anyone know of any legal redress that one could take advantage of.  ?

Larmani

I cant believe these people are still in operation. Just had daughters car Serviced and MOT'd through them (work carried out by Braemar Garage, Headcorn Rd Maidstone). The garage claim we didn't provide Locking Wheel nut key - yet ticked 'wheels removed' and 'wheels replaced' for what now appears to be a fictional (and charged extra) brake service. Cost over £700 for a service and MOT - total rip off. 

huskeater

wish i had checked here instead of reading 'other review' pages.
as with most of the posts here i have just been done by them.
checked afterwards for prices elsewhere for the work i was billed for and no surprises they were more the half the price servingstop charged.
£99 for engine oil,£99 for brake oil for a 1.4 engine
trouble is when they phoned they didnt give a breakdown of individual costs just blinded me with details on what/how/why and then the total
car also came back filthy
i know they use so called needy local garages but surely they should have responsibility for the costs and work carried out under their name

CRISPIANNE3

I pre paid for the service up front and was due to be done next month. However after reading the awful reviews and not knowing what garage to car would go to plus whether it would be serviced properly I cancelled under the cooling off period. For the sake of trying to save a few pounds it just was not worth it. However to be fair to this company they have many satisfied customers but I did not want to take the chance with some garage I have never heard of.

CRISPIANNE3

CRISPIANNE3 said:

I pre paid for the service up front and was due to be done next month. However after reading the awful reviews and not knowing what garage to car would go to plus whether it would be serviced properly I cancelled under the cooling off period. For the sake of trying to save a few pounds it just was not worth it. However to be fair to this company they have many satisfied customers but I did not want to take the chance with some garage I have never heard of.

UPDATE.

They were very quick in returning my money and communication was excellent with their office staff.