UK Assistance Anyone had dealings with them

SCOOBY_DOOBIE_DOO

I was due a visit from UK Assistance tomorrow to take away my wife's car and after doing some research I stumbled across this forum. After reading all these truly damning and condemning reports I got straight on the phone to Direct Line. I told them that there is no way I am letting UK Assistance go anywhere near my car and I that I will be taking it to my local Volvo dealership to carry out the repair work who will forward on the bill to Direct Line. I was very firm and determined and amazingly they agreed! They are sending round one of their own independent assessors (not a UK Assistance employee I have been assured) to carry out an independent assessment of the damage before taking it to Volvo (which is fair as dealerships can be expensive). So the lesson here is insist that you take it to a dealership you trust!

Deepgreen

A disastrous company! Our car was damaged in a minor crash and our insurers (Direct Line) nominated UK Assistance for us - not our choice.
The repairs took a month to 'complete', and on the day that they were supposed to send the car back, they rang us to ask for the security code! Why not check this at the start?? We did not have this and so they applied to Vauxhall for a new one. This took another two weeks, and then they took a further week to use the code and complete the work. When the car came back it had several defects with the repairs and had to go back to them again.
The new security code still has not been supplied to us as UK Assistance claim they do not have it and Vauxhall repairs do! We keep being sent from one to the other. UK Assistance also do not return calls when they promise to, and their web site and e-mails systems are constantly down, so it is very hard to contact them.
On top of this, the cost of the repairs (we demanded a breakdown of this) was more than a complete car of the same age (2 years old)would cost!!
Ten weeks after the car was taken in for repair we are still not happy with the outcome - an absolute disgrace. We have written to Direct Line to advise them of the appalling service and the rip-off cost.

Mini_Countryman

Hello. My daughter had a bump in her mini countryman car and directline who she is insured with put the car into UK Assistance for repair. Her car is white and 6 weeks old. They rang on the 29/04/2014 to say that the car was ready but that they had now noticed white overspray paint on the car.
I asked why they had not noticed it before and how it had got there.
they said that it could not possibly be from their garage where they repair and paint cars because it is well organised.
They brought the car back and i was amazed that they could do this and suggest that it is nothing to do with them so i thought i would do some research.
i also received a call from an engineer who stated that he works for direct line and that he had been to look at the car and he agreed with the garage that it was not their fault but that we could put another claim in to get it sorted out because it must be accidental damage.
I will go more into this when i have done my homework

Mikeha

After reading numerous posts about this company I was dubious in having to use them and I was right. car repair was quick, however had to refuse car when returned. Car was de-badged their response was that they were sent wrong badges so I will have to "call in to get them fitted later on" rear bumper wasn't refitted correctly and rear lights not working. This place is a utter joke! Think twice before agreeing to having your car repaired here and beware their blame culture. everyone else is at fault but them!:mad:

Tweetypye

Having read all the reviews on this forum I was very dubious when my sons car was due to be taken in for repair by our local uk assistance. My son's car was damaged while he was parked outside our house and the insurance company of the responsible party told us that was who they use so we had no choice. My initial scepticism seemed justified when they didn't turn up to collect the car when they were meant to so had to rearrange for the following day. They collected it first thing Tuesday morning and rang within a couple of hours to say they had assessed the damage and would have it ready Wednesday the following week, this in itself was a pleasant surprise as we felt being an older car it would be written off. We then received a call on Friday morning to say it was ready and they would drop it back that afternoon. The car has been returned and you would never know it was ever damaged, colour match and bodywork is perfect. So in only 4 days from collection to return my son was over the moon. Perhaps we have just been lucky but I can only review based on our experience and we are very pleased

youknowwherethedoorisUK

Mini_Countryman wrote: »

Hello. My daughter had a bump in her mini countryman car and directline who she is insured with put the car into UK Assistance for repair. Her car is white and 6 weeks old. They rang on the 29/04/2014 to say that the car was ready but that they had now noticed white overspray paint on the car.
I asked why they had not noticed it before and how it had got there.
they said that it could not possibly be from their garage where they repair and paint cars because it is well organised.
They brought the car back and i was amazed that they could do this and suggest that it is nothing to do with them so i thought i would do some research.
i also received a call from an engineer who stated that he works for direct line and that he had been to look at the car and he agreed with the garage that it was not their fault but that we could put another claim in to get it sorted out because it must be accidental damage.
I will go more into this when i have done my homework

I can believe it.. if a centre manager is capable of punching a women in the face !! Then denying /placing blame with faults on your car is easy to them. advice to all would be stay away from direct line group. go to a company who employs decent honest people..

lalchand

i had my van fixed by UK Assistance - november 2015 VERY BAD COMPANY!! my insurance comapany direct line not help full now i have called in independent car assessor enigneer confirmed today that my whole side of my van has been painted wrong uk asstaince enginer told me whole side has been painted so did direct line engineer 2 times my van went back to them cow boys

my next step now give direct line one final chance so i could take my van to my own choice of
garage or i report direct line ombudsman take legal action for my loss.

lalchand

hi, yes bunch of liars and not very good my van went back to garage 2 times not painted right they lied told me whole one side was painted its been confirmed by independent engineer that only part of van been done rest been polished out.
my advice stay well clear from this company they not what they seem.
and direct line very poor service they have given me

dacouch

lalchand wrote: »

i had my van fixed by UK Assistance - november 2015 VERY BAD COMPANY!! my insurance comapany direct line not help full now i have called in independent car assessor enigneer confirmed today that my whole side of my van has been painted wrong uk asstaince enginer told me whole side has been painted so did direct line engineer 2 times my van went back to them cow boys

my next step now give direct line one final chance so i could take my van to my own choice of
garage or i report direct line ombudsman take legal action for my loss.

If Direct Line sent you to the garage then they're liable for their work

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/technical_notes/household-insurance-repairs.html

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/88/88-insurance-claim-disputes.htm

P.S DL are liable for your engineers costs as well

Yohanne

I was already feeling like I'd been pranked by this company too, I have given up with them and after reading previous threads I am now feeling even more sceptical!! Was hit in the rear a month ago now and was promised that my car would be repaired in a minimum of Five days maximum of Seven days!! I am now into a month of my car being taken away from me and am beginning to feel like I've been pranked!! Not only has my car been gone for this length of time but the company doesn't seem to know what the left hand's doing from the Right hand!!! Total mess of customer service faults going on there!! I have been fobbed off by different members of office staff telling me different pieces of information every time, one minute my car is coming back then it's not, then there is a delay in the warehouse, then the part had been ordered and after a long delay it seemed it was the wrong part ordered, the I've been promised for my car to be coming back on a certain date again and then another excuse it seems I have now totally lost all my trust and faith in this repair company and when renewing my insurance I will not be insuring with Privellege again in the future!!! Very poor service a total shambles!!!!!