Congestion Charge via hire company
This is my first post and i'll start by apologising as it's a bit of a long one!
I put my car in to service at VW and hired a car from them for 3 days. One month later I recieved a call from VW to say that whilst I had the hire car, they had recieved a Congestion Charge notice. I said that I had paid the charge, but if they could contact Congestion Charging and have the case put in my name I would then be able to contest it. This was agreed and I heard no more until a couple of months later. VW called me again and asked me why I had not paid the fine! I explained that CC would not deal with me as I am not the registered owner and that they had to contact them and say it was me who was driving. The charge would of then been frozen at £60 and I could of paid it or contested it.
Obviously worried about this, I called congestion charging to explain what had happened. They informed me that VW had not followed the correct procedure as they should of sent a copy of the hire agreement to them, so as they could then contact me. I got back on to VW and explained this, they simply laughed at me and told me to get in the real world, and that I should of paid the charge in the first place!
Furious at this I went to VW asked to speak to the manager, who was just as helpful as his staff (not very) i asked if i could have a copy of the hire agreement so as I could deal with it myself. Whilst I was doing this, I had a call from my bank to say that I was owerdrawn.
VW had taken £185 out of my bank!!!!! Yes, I had orignally signed an agreement to say they could take monies if something like this was to happen, but surely, t is negligence on there behalf that the charge had reached £185. They should of either paid it at £60 or had it handed over to me correctly.
To add even more to insult, as I had managed to get the correct details to congestion charging, they then sent me a bill also for £185 as VW hadn't even paid them!
I wrote to congestion charging, however, they was not interested as it had past the 28 days. VW eventually paid CC the £185 they had taken from me. But now I am left £185 out of pocket, because VW didnt do their job properly.
I contacted VW customer service and was simply told that they had spoken to the people involved and that they said they had done all they could to help. They also said they could help me no further as it was not a manufacturing problem.
Sorry for the long thread, but i am desperate for help.,
Many thanks
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