Recovery + Storage Fees after a theft

[osc89er]

So,

 

a slightly different query than the usual parking charges.

 

My car was broken into in the early hours of Sunday, the police decided that as there was a broken window and the car was unlocked that they would have the car recovered to the out-of-town lockup of their contracted 24 hour recovery company.

 

I found out that the car was gone on the evening of Sunday, after the office of the recovery agent had closed.

 

I then reclaimed the car on Monday at a cost of £150 for recovery and £20 for 1 night's storage. Drove the car away, then discovered that they had damaged the car (bent track rod end caused by negligence. They recovered the car again, then fixed the problem at no further cost to me.

 

I have paid the £170 by debit card, I am satisfied that they have repaired the damage they have done to car to normal garage standards.

 

Where do I stand regarding the £150 recovery and £20 storage? Can I reclaim the £20 as I did not know about the theft until 6pm Sunday and was not informed of the location of the car until 11pm on Sunday night? Are there any grounds that I had no contract with them and is £150 an excessive amount to charge?

[green_and_mean]

You should inform your insurance company who should pay it.

[osc89er]

Insurance is not an option. My excess is £500 and I did not make a claim through it. Even if I had a low/zero excess then the cost in increased premiums, loss of no-claim-bonus would dwarf the £170 in costs.

[green_and_mean]

If you weigh up the possible loss or damage to your car if it had not been taken to a secure place then £150 is not that expensive.

[osc89er]

This is true, and I have considered that.

 

However I am just exploring the thought from the other angle which is that I did not engage their services myself. Also that my RAC cover which will cover me for something like 7 or 8 recoveries will cost me £140 this year ( I know, if I used it 8 times the cost is subsidised by the thousands of members who don't use it at all... )

 

Do I have a leg to stand on for storage before I had an opportunity to retrieve the vehicle, and is £150 excessive for a recovery (regardless of the potential costs if it had not been recovered)? Or is this perhaps one of those grey areas where it isn't really clear or worth pursuing?

[nero12]

This is true, and I have considered that.

 

However I am just exploring the thought from the other angle which is that I did not engage their services myself. Also that my RAC cover which will cover me for something like 7 or 8 recoveries will cost me £140 this year ( I know, if I used it 8 times the cost is subsidised by the thousands of members who don't use it at all... )

 

Do I have a leg to stand on for storage before I had an opportunity to retrieve the vehicle, and is £150 excessive for a recovery (regardless of the potential costs if it had not been recovered)? Or is this perhaps one of those grey areas where it isn't really clear or worth pursuing?

 

Did the police make any attempt to contact you before removing the vehicle.

[osc89er]

Not as far as I know. No missed calls on my mobile, they did not have number listed when I phoned the police. No calls left at home. The theft happened at 3am - perhaps they decided that they didn't have any contact details so just moved the car.

 

I will double check with the police later.

[nero12]

Not as far as I know. No missed calls on my mobile, they did not have number listed when I phoned the police. No calls left at home. The theft happened at 3am - perhaps they decided that they didn't have any contact details so just moved the car.

 

I will double check with the police later.

OK, my personal thoughts.

 

If they made no attempt whatsoever to contact you, then they maybe in the wrong. At the very least they should have given you a warning, or tried me thinks.

[crem]

So,

 

My car was broken into in the early hours of Sunday, the police decided that as there was a broken window and the car was unlocked that they would have the car recovered to the out-of-town lockup of their contracted 24 hour recovery company.

 

 

*thinks out loud*

I wonder how much this private recovery company is "contributing" to the police funds for the area.

[nero12]

*thinks out loud*

I wonder how much this private recovery company is "contributing" to the police funds for the area.

Possibly good thought LOL

[green_and_mean]

I think you will find the Police usually pay the contractor to attend not visa versa.

[gwc1000]

I think you will find the Police usually pay the contractor to attend not visa versa.

 

True, but in my experience the contractor and the Chief Constable attend the same Lodge.

[crem]

I think you will find the Police usually pay the contractor to attend not visa versa.

 

If the recovery co. is going to charge you £150 to release your car, why would the police need to pay them to attend too?

[Guinness_the_cat]

I had almost this exact situation about 3 years ago. GF's car parked outside my house whilst she was at work (at pub so late night). car got broken into (we think about 11pm) - nothing taken. Police called at and arranged for it to be taken and stored by local company (luckly only about 3 miles away).

 

Before going to the compound we wend to the police station the next day (they wanted finger prints to eleminate) and we asked the officer about the fee. He told us just to put it on our insurance claim as we needed a new window anyway. I said that we wouldn't be claiming as a new drivers window was only about £10 from a scrap yard (other than furry steering wheel cover, nothing else had been touched). To my supprise, he got onto the the removal / storage company and told them to add the cost to their account as they had needed to remove the car to take prints...

 

Not sure how much this helps - apart from to say that it may well be worth contacting the the police - they can sometimes supprise you.

[green_and_mean]

If the recovery co. is going to charge you £150 to release your car, why would the police need to pay them to attend too?

 

How do you know the recovery company is not acting as an agent for the Police and collecting the fee on their behalf? The company will also collect vehicles that are seized or needed as evidence of a crime and no payment is collected so are unlikely to do that work for free.

[lamma]

was this in Manchester ?

 

I liked this story so much I bookmarked it when I read it

FightBack Forums > ITV Nightwatch

[poppynurse]

I had a similar situation and wrote to the chief constable stating that they should pay as they had made no attempt to contact me (the registered keeper) and I had RAC cover which would have been free - they wiped the bill.

[osc89er]

I had a similar situation and wrote to the chief constable stating that they should pay as they had made no attempt to contact me (the registered keeper) and I had RAC cover which would have been free - they wiped the bill.

 

 

This part is interesting. I am going to phone the police later today to update them and to find out if any attempt was made to contact me.

 

Do you have the text of your letter? Was this formal/legalese or a firm statement to the police.

 

Seeing as I have actually gone ahead and paid for this, what are my chances of getting them to reimburse me ( I do have the receipt/invoice )