Notice to dispose of vehicle - but they don't have it!

GingerB57

I recently broke down on a very busy road. Very stressful. Whilst arranging AA breakdown the police got their contractor to remove my vehicle (my AA van passed as the car was being uploaded onto the truck). The nice recovery man took me 0.5 miles to a car park where the AA man met us. Then he left. I have now received a rather shirty letter demanding I go and pick up my vehicle from their compound and pay £190 re plus £25 per day storage. Thing is, they don't have my car and they never did. I appreciate I will have to pay something but does the statutory removal charge still apply if they didn't remove it to the compound? Its been a really rubbish month, very expensive and I object to a demand that isn't accurate that comes in an unsigned letter!

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6666072/notice-to-dispose-of-vehicle-but-they-dont-have-it

It's probably a stock letter which works for 99% of their cases and you are in the 1% where it doesnt work.

Have you actually contacted them to see what they are charging rather than the letter that gives the basis of the charge? The statutory rate for recovery is fixed at £192 irrespective of how far its recovered to or how far the truck had to travel to get to you (doesnt necessarily come from the base). I dont think the fact they took it to a carpark for you rather than a compound reduces the fixed recovery cost but was hopefully more convenient for you.

Grumpy_chap

Where is the car now?

What are they actually asking you to pay? "£190 recovery plus £25 per day storage" might be correct if, in your case, that means £190 for the recovery (which I assume you do not dispute plus £25 per day storage for NIL days.

Mildly_Miffed

Given the location, the police inevitably will remove it if they think the removal isn't being dealt with in a timely manner. Their priority is both keeping traffic moving and stopping you being smeared by the hard-of-thinking.

My camper broke down on a trunk A road, no shoulder, just round a bend, at the bottom of a sliproad last year - the AA moved it within 15 minutes, to the nearby services… where I then sat for six hours waiting diagnosis and onward recovery. Even in that 15 minutes, there were a couple of close calls… and that was a Sunday afternoon.

And, yes, if the police remove it, you have to pay. That £190 + £25/day is £190 for the removal (you need to pay), then £25/day for storage (which you don't need to pay, since they didn't store it).

How long were you sat there before the AA arrived?
Did you already have the AA cover, or did you need to spend time buying it before they agreed to attend?

tom192

I work on motorways, process is known as a statutory removal. The price is roughly the same as what you have been charged and as mentioned it's either to a place of safety or the operators compound (no difference in price for either regardless of the day/time/holidays etc).

Normally with ours if it's released to you or dropped into a place of safety you have to pay before the operator will unload the vehicle and give it you back. If not it goes to the compound and storage charges are then payable after 24 hours.

If you are in a live lane it's whoever's operator arrives on scene first, once the front wheels are on the truck it's that recovery operators regardless if the other operator then arrives. The aim is to get people out of harms way and get the road open.

Not sure why yours has been released without paying but you should be able to challenge the storage costs but you will still need to pay the recovery side as it sounds like that did take place.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81981153#Comment_81981153

They havent said there is actually any storage to pay just that storage would be charged at £25 per day… the only thing actually appears wrong in the letter is the fact they seem to be implying that they have the vehicle but having not actually seen the copy it may be the OP is misinterpreting the wording.

GingerB57

Thanks for the kind replies - just going to have to suck it up! The car is now scrapped (via my local garage). The removal chap (who was lovely) just dropped my car in the car park and left, didn't ask for anything or mention fees. The police no doubt called them as the AA initially gave an eta of 40 minutes which then changed to 5. The whole thing was horrible and only made more stressful by the attitude of the policeman when I really was doing my best. A couple of people have said it might have been better if someone had hit my car and then it would have been written off but I am so, so grateful that didn't happen and that the only thing hurting is my pocket...

But if you're going to send a legal letter you really should actually sign it...

Mildly_Miffed

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81982550#Comment_81982550

The police aren't there for your feelings - their job is removing the hazard that's obstructing traffic.

If the AA told them 40 min, then of course they're going to find a faster solution via their own contractor… That might be one to take up with the AA.

As for the "signature" - you do realise that, even if there was one, it'd just a scanned image printed as part of the mailmerge, too…?

user1977

But if you're going to send a legal letter you really should actually sign it...

Why, what difference do you think that makes? Do you think a legal email needs a signature too?

tom192

Did you already have AA cover or did you join at the roadside?

Does the letter clearly state what exactly is due to be paid? Ie has the letter laid out what the charges are for the recovery and storage of vehicles and then itemised what you have been charged for? As it's not clear as to whether they are still adding storage charges?

Agree with mildly miffed, the police are not there to comfort you, they are putting themselves at risk protecting you in live lane which is dangerous in itself. They were also likely wearing a radio earpiece with constant chatter about other jobs going on around them which they will also be monitoring whilst talking to you, and also listening out for their call sign for any coms that they are being passed. That's also along with keeping an eye on approaching traffic, it's hard work!

Goudy

I'd be tempted to take the letter to the pound and offer to pay when they stump up my car.

When they say they haven't got it, ask them what is it you are expected to pay for?

I would presume they just want the money for the initial tow and the rest of the letter is just generic information regarding storage costs. I don't think they get a lot of tows just to move a car, they tend to tow and impound them, hence the cover all letter.

But at least you'll know there and then without trying to find someone via phone/email that can explain it.