RAC Complaint- Service T&C

[CraigMcK]

So, hopefully an easy answer to this one.

My car broke down in November 2020. I had no recovery type support so I called RAC. They read the standard terms, Mechanic roadside, or recovery truck up to 50 miles, that is not in dispute. I knew the Land Rover dealership was about 25 miles away.

 

Eventually I got a text message to say they were on their way. A subcontracted recovery driver turned up (non mechanic) and said they will only recover to 10 miles! At no point in the discussion with RAC did they say they may subcontract the work. This resulted in the car having to go to a non dealership garage (although LR Specialist) which was within 10 miles.

 

I complained to the RAC and they said it was recovered to a garage and so I still needed to pay, end of story. I therefore contacted the back and they did a refund on the payment after I sent them prints of the RAC website etc. This was in early December.

 

Roll forward to today when I get a letter from RAC telling me I needed to pay. I called them up to confirm they reversal had been made by the bank to be told they still want to money and will be putting it to debt collection, the guy said what the bank did was nothing to do with them and I was the customer, not the bank. I am waiting for a manager to call back, as there were none available!!!

 

The financial result for them not taking the car to an LR dealer was that LR refused, reasonably so, to pay for the garage labour to change the failed part, this cost me about £300, the RAC charge was £149

 

So, can anyone tell me, can they actually put this into debt recovery after a bank do a reversal? Where do I go from here, I really don't want my credit rating ruined by these clowns!

 

 

[dx100uk]

1stly RAC nearly always subcontract work, same as the AA do, esp in remote areas or when no suitable RAC is available quickly.

you say a land rover so the vans with the pull out dollies can't do it , too heavy.

 

£149 for a recovery doesn't seem too bad

 

why do you think you don't owe them the money?

 

just remember a DCA is not a bailiff and this cant hurt your credit file no.

 

 

[CraigMcK]

Thanks DX, The reason is that they said they would take it 50 miles, when the guy turned up he said 10 was their max, so it could not go to the LR dealer to be fixed as they were 25 miles away.

 

That resulted in LR only paying for the part and refusing to pay for the labour charge as it was not a dealer repair.

[dx100uk]

Cant see the rac doing anything then

You contracted them to recover your vehicle clearly stating why .

They failed 

 

Now on another front ..why did lr refund you

Warranty repair?

 

 

[CraigMcK]

Thanks, I'll see what turns up.

 

Yes LR refunded the steering rack change. It seems to be an acknowledge recall issue in other countries, but not here. Thankfully I went armed with that info the LR direct and they paid for the part in full, but as I said I picked up the labour cost as the car did not go to a dealership.