Car finance - missing car

jones_guitar

Hi, I have three years left to repay. Just the other day, my van became lost, I couldn't re-locate the carpark I left it in (central London). The car appears to have entered a car park, I went to the car park and they appear to believe it entered at the time highlighted. I have seen a camera image of a vehicle entering the car park, resembling the same number plate, apparently at the time and day last driven. However, the van is not there. I can not see how I can make an insurance claim, as I am unsure what happened. I have no idea where the van is.

The only logical thing to do is wait for letters.

Two options? Let a company sell the van (if it is eventually lifted wherever it is); offer to settle the loan with the remainder. I pay the lifting company and keep it/sell it.

If it was stolen, I assume the car park will contact me, although, I am not holding my breath.

I asked the loan company to put the account on hold. I may have no choice but to let it default if they are being completely reluctant.

tasticz

Are you in any financial difficulty? This could come back to bite you if you are trying to pull a fast one.

What year, what make is the van? I have not heard of vans getting stolen tbh.

Have you reported the van as stolen to police? if it has been stolen then atleast you have a way out incase you get any invoices, PCNs or penalties.

I would also lodge a claim with insurance on the basis that the van was parked at so and so and no longer there when you returned.

I hope you requested the car park company to record the incident in their book?

jones_guitar

No financial difficulty. The van is really lost. Yes, reported it to police the other day. I emailed parking company main office. I don't know if you have ever worked in central London, but it can be an absolute nightmare. I generally thought I lost the van myself; and couldnot relocate out of my own doing. But, the whole car park thing made it more unsure.

The problem with the CCTV, they can refuse to comment, and often will not get involved unless someone sexually assaulted or murdered.

The van has a tracking device provided by the insurance company, they have been so far useless. I'm hoping the car park will reply today or the tracking device tech will reply.

So, in all honesty they should know the last location of the van, as it uses GBS.

jones_guitar

I actually do not recognise the carpark as the one I parked it in exactly. But, then I think it is to myself "impossible, because they appear to have the van at the exact I last drove with camera image". So, I need the tracking device or the car park company to respond. If they don't respond I cannot make an insurance claim, because I still cannot relocate the van. So, I technically could have still lost it.

mcpitman

Eh? Have you parked your van and can't remember where, or has it been stolen from where you left it?

Caz3121

was the car park one where you collect a ticket on entry then pay using the ticket to get out? if so, do you still have the ticket or was it left in the van?
My late father in law once reported his car stolen, insurance contacted etc then it was 'found' a couple of days later in Waitrose car park (with a ticket) where he had parked it...but had forgotten (thought he had parked elsewhere)...queue embarrassing call to the insurance company.

Ergates

jones_guitar said:

Just the other day, my van became lost, I couldn't re-locate the carpark I left it in (central London). The car appears to have entered a car park, I went to the car park and they appear to believe it entered at the time highlighted. I have seen a camera image of a vehicle entering the car park, resembling the same number plate, apparently at the time and day last driven. However, the van is not there. I can not see how I can make an insurance claim, as I am unsure what happened. I have no idea where the van is.

The only logical thing to do is wait for letters.

Two options? Let a company sell the van (if it is eventually lifted wherever it is); offer to settle the loan with the remainder. I pay the lifting company and keep it/sell it.

If it was stolen, I assume the car park will contact me, although, I am not holding my breath.

I asked the loan company to put the account on hold. I may have no choice but to let it default if they are being completely reluctant.

What exactly do you mean by "my van became lost" - that's a strangely passive voice to use there.   Do you mean "I lost my van"?  Or "My van was stolen".  Or is it some very high-tech self-driving van and it got lost by itself?

elsien

I’m reading it that he couldn’t find where he’d parked it; then somehow (process entirely unclear) he was made aware it was in a specific car park. Video appears to show his van going in but it’s not there now and he doesn’t recognise it as the car park he used.

Or something. 

MEM62

I have up halfway through the original post.  Just can't get my head around it.    

Grumpy_chap

jones_guitar said:

Hi, I have three years left to repay. Just the other day, my van became lost, I couldn't re-locate the carpark I left it in (central London). The car appears to have entered a car park, I went to the car park and they appear to believe it entered at the time highlighted. I have seen a camera image of a vehicle entering the car park, resembling the same number plate, apparently at the time and day last driven. However, the van is not there. I can not see how I can make an insurance claim, as I am unsure what happened. I have no idea where the van is.

The only logical thing to do is wait for letters.

Two options? Let a company sell the van (if it is eventually lifted wherever it is); offer to settle the loan with the remainder. I pay the lifting company and keep it/sell it.

If it was stolen, I assume the car park will contact me, although, I am not holding my breath.

I asked the loan company to put the account on hold. I may have no choice but to let it default if they are being completely reluctant.

jones_guitar said:

No financial difficulty. The van is really lost. Yes, reported it to police the other day. I emailed parking company main office. I don't know if you have ever worked in central London, but it can be an absolute nightmare. I generally thought I lost the van myself; and couldnot relocate out of my own doing. But, the whole car park thing made it more unsure.

The problem with the CCTV, they can refuse to comment, and often will not get involved unless someone sexually assaulted or murdered.

The van has a tracking device provided by the insurance company, they have been so far useless. I'm hoping the car park will reply today or the tracking device tech will reply.

So, in all honesty they should know the last location of the van, as it uses GBS.

jones_guitar said:

I actually do not recognise the carpark as the one I parked it in exactly. But, then I think it is to myself "impossible, because they appear to have the van at the exact I last drove with camera image". So, I need the tracking device or the car park company to respond. If they don't respond I cannot make an insurance claim, because I still cannot relocate the van. So, I technically could have still lost it.

This is quite a difficult thread to follow, particularly the interchangeable use of car / van and other possible inconsistencies - there is some odd choice of phraseology but I am guessing that English may not be the OP's first language.  It is also quite understandable that the OP is full of all sorts of conflicting emotion so some reduced clarity is quite reasonable.

I'll try to set out the events as they seem to me as correct events is key to determining the next steps.

1. The OP has a vehicle which presumably has reasonable value to it - three years' remaining finance plus a tracker fitted.
2. The OP parked the vehicle in a carpark in an unfamiliar location and had a "senior moment" so unable to recall exactly where the vehicle was parked.
3. The OP cannot currently locate this vehicle.  This means the vehicle is either stolen or still where the OP left it parked (but can't recall the location).  
4. The OP has located a carpark where a vehicle resembling the same number plate was recorded on CCTV entering that car park at about the time that the OP was parking the vehicle.  If this is the same Make, Model, Colour of vehicle with the same distinguishing features (towbar, Butlins bumper sticker, Kevin & Stacey sunstrip, or whatever) as the OP's vehicle then it is likely that this is indeed the OP's vehicle entering the car park.  A slightly obscured number plate is probably not relevant - if the OP's vehicle is AB21CDE then it is unlikely that the identical vehicle but slightly different number plate (say, AB21CDF) entered the same carpark within the same hour time slot as the OP.

If the above summarises the position, then the notes about the vehicle being lifted and sold and settling the finance or defaulting are largely irrelevant, particularly as the OP has confirmed no financial difficulties.  

The next steps would have to be as follows:

1. Report the vehicle as stolen to the Police and obtain the crime number (though it is possible the OP has already done this).  This will mean if the vehicle is located or flags ANPR etc. it is alerted.
2. Report the vehicle as stolen to the OP's insurer.  Make the insurer aware of uncertainty about where the vehicle was last left, but the evidence to suggest the OP left the vehicle in the car park with the CCTV.
3. Write to the car park with the CCTV and request the CCTV, or that the CCTV is retained.  The OP needs to tell the insurer about this CCTV as it is important evidence to support the OP's case.
4. Obtain the tracker records for the vehicle - this will as a minimum record the vehicle entering the car park.  If the tracker cannot locate the vehicle now, or does not have any movement since the vehicle entered the car park, then that might indicate the vehicle is still in the car park.  For underground central London car parks, and obscured tracker signal is not improbable.
5. Visit the car park and methodically walk every row and every lane of every floor to see if the vehicle is still there.  It is possible that it will be - after all the OP was unsure at the time the vehicle was parked and with added stress of "lost / stolen vehicle" it would be understandable if the OP had been confused at the time and simply looking on the incorrect floor of a multi-storey car park.
6. If the vehicle is not in the car park, then that confirms the vehicle as stolen.  Allow the Police and insurance processes to conclude in normal fashion.  
7. If the vehicle is in the car park, happy days, report as "found" to the Police and insurance (the vehicle will likely be noted as "stolen, recovered") and accept the silliness of the situation.
8. If the vehicle just happens to be in a nearby carpark, then the OP will receive parking tickets which will need to be paid but at least the OP gets the vehicle back.  Report as "found" to Police and insurance.

One other area of comment that the OP should be aware.  Loosing the vehicle does not cancel the finance.  Given the OP is not in financial difficulty, it is not clear why the OP asked the loan company to put the finance on hold and / or considered defaulting as a result of the vehicle being lost / stolen.  The vehicle will either be recovered or paid out by the insurance company.  It was these comments that would have been why questions were asked about pulling a fast one.  Gladly, the OP has confirmed this is not the case.

Hope that helps and good luck OP.

jones_guitar

I found it. Yes, I didn't know what carpark. Seems strange, but not if you run a business in central London. Those issues are common.