Car released from garage without authority

Johnnyboywdz wrote: »

Good morning - New on here, and my first thread


I have a Landrover Discovery 4, 2012 54k miles. Broke down in France. Got in touch with English transport guy via a web site in France. He agreed to transport to Landrover dealer in UK for xx amount - nothing signed, and stayed at our place for few days..got on well


Delivered car to main dealer. It has been there for 10 weeks while I have been wrangling with Landrover over warranties..contribuitions etc... Dealer had no problem with holding vehicle there for me


Meanwhile, in France wrote off my other car when lorry pulled across me on motorway forcing me into barriers, and cleared off. Anyway, was a write off, got paid out, and told they would collect it.


8 weeks later no collection. Phoned insurance for update. Told they had to arrange for it to come back to UK. At the time the transport guy who recovered my Landrover to UK was staying for few days as was collecting cars near us. He had a spare place on his transporter, so I suggested to insurance that maybe he could recover it back to UK. They called him and all arranged and off he went, after we had agreed that he would use their payment to cover my cost...so we were quits




Something didn't ring right with this transport guy..gut feeling, so 2 weeks ago I phoned Landrover dealer and instructed them to only deal with myself, and specifically not to deal with the transport guy, or his company


Imagine my shock, when I phoned the Landrover dealer yesterday to inform them that I had arranged for a friend to collect my car from them, and was informed that someone had collected it last week!!


I asked who had signed for it, and they told me it was the guy from the transport company, who I had specifically told them not to deal with, and they had not even contacted me for authorisation! No receipt signed or anything. They said “well he had the correct paperwork” which was a photo of the front page of the log book I had sent him for when he initially transported it to UK


Told them that they were liable and that it was down to them to recover my car. They would check with the manager, who was off yesterday, and come back to me – No call back so far




So….as far as I am concerned, the dealer is liable, due to negligence, on the following points;

• They released the vehicle without my authorisation, and without any correct paperwork
• I specifically informed them not to deal with anyone except myself, and in particular not the transport guy or his company – (I have voice recording of the conversation)

I have logged this with my local police station, and have a crime reference number, as my vehicle has been stolen, taken without my permission, but they think it might be a civil matter??? They are forwarding the report to the county where the vehicle was taken from, and they will decide if civil case or not


Am correct in my thinking, and how should I progress ?


Thanks in advance

Johnnyboywdz wrote: »

I did not instruct him to take it - I actually informed the dealer to only deal with myself, and specifically not the transport company concerned

Mercdriver wrote: »

What do you mean by this?

"They called him and all arranged and off he went, after we had agreed that he would use their payment to cover my cost...so we were quits"

If at any point while he was staying with you you suggested that he would pick up your Land Rover then you'll have a hard time proving TWOC. In fact he could argue you did - the photocopy of the documents might assist him. Why did you not recover this from him?