Valet parking driving my car 70 miles

[fredT]

Hi

Valet parked our car for about a week (airport), and came back to see someone had driven it a fair way, some 70 miles according to the paperwork, and it corresponds with the used fuel as well.

Anyone has any experience of this, or what I should do? Valet parking company (official one) is investigating what happened (there is no dispute it didn't happen, it's on the check in/out paperwork).

Clearly some compensation is in order, what is reasonable to expect?

Cheers

 

[p3tchy]

Been thrashed all weekend by some little spotty little carpark attendant so he could impress his 16yo girlfriend and get his end away on your back seat...

 

[Mbstarz]

U need to watch watchdog bbc 1 from a few weeks ago. They were on about the same sort of thing..

I always park at airparks or similar with CCTV and get a shuttle. Wouldn't want a stranger driving my merc regardless of distance.

Try your best for compensation. It's well out if order

 

[Mbstarz]

In regards of compensation I would aim for it all back (whether u get it or not) + for fuel and hassle: why settle for less??

 

[Mbstarz]

Been thrashed all weekend by some little spotty little carpark attendant so he could impress his 16yo girlfriend and get his end away on your back seat...

Must use anti bac on rear seats !

 

[Harrythedog]

What have the valet company said?

 

[fredT]

They said nothing yet, just that they are investigating it.

Minimum I expect is full refund, fuel and tire cost a full valet plus something. Just wondering if anyone had experience?

I guess an apology from the 16 yr old would be in order, and really he should thank me for helping him get laid.

 

[baxlin]

U need to watch watchdog bbc 1 from a few weeks ago. They were on about the same sort of thing..

I always park at airparks or similar with CCTV and get a shuttle. Wouldn't want a stranger driving my merc regardless of distance.

Try your best for compensation. It's well out if order

Don't the likes of Airparks move the car, that's the problem? At least they do at Luton.

We always use the mid-term parking where no-one else is involved, you find your own space and take the car keys with you. (and we use Mrs Baxlin's Fabia so I can selfishly avoid dings on the MB.........)

 

[stwat]

It's a well known and common issue. Many so called 'secure' parking services simply dump the cars on the streets and often use the cars for personal jaunts.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

I've only used airport valet parking twice, on both occasions fortunately without any problems. Apart from the convenience, I like to think that it cuts out the risk of a family-filled car/MPV parking next to me and the doors being thrown open by excited juniors onto my car's pristine bodywork!

I hope you get some reasonable compensation something on the lines that you suggest - or at least that as a starting point in negotiations. I suspect that at best their first offer will be free or reduced cost parking next time you use them, of course no good at all. Stick with it and good luck. I've had to fight a couple of airlines for compensation and found that there's no substitute for calm persistence and patience.

Well done for not naming the company nor giving any clues as to who they are. At this stage of the proceedings it's very sensible. No point in slagging them off if they eventually come up with a satisfactory resolution.

 

[fredT]

It's a well known and common issue. Many so called 'secure' parking services simply dump the cars on the streets and often use the cars for personal jaunts.

Yeah that doesn't surprise me in the slightest, but I never heard about it with the airport operated parking.
And even them you have to assume they are hoofing it going down to the carpark, but taking it for a 70 mile spin is a pisstake.

 

[jaymanek]

Happened to me too.. damaged my car, I got £500 out of them to repaint my bumper...after a long long drawn out affair..

 

[fredT]

I've only used airport valet parking twice, on both occasions fortunately without any problems. Apart from the convenience, I like to think that it cuts out the risk of a family-filled car/MPV parking next to me and the doors being thrown open by excited juniors onto my car's pristine bodywork!

I hope you get some reasonable compensation something on the lines that you suggest - or at least that as a starting point in negotiations. I suspect that at best their first offer will be free or reduced cost parking next time you use them, of course no good at all. Stick with it and good luck. I've had to fight a couple of airlines for compensation and found that there's no substitute for calm persistence and patience.

Well done for not naming the company nor giving any clues as to who they are. At this stage of the proceedings it's very sensible. No point in slagging them off if they eventually come up with a satisfactory resolution.

I use them all the time and never had a problem. Depending on the outcome I will continue to do so as when travelling with kids and luggage I like the convenience.

Can't blame the company as I'm sure it's done without their knowledge, but we'll see how they handle the situation!

 

[st13phil]

Can't blame the company as I'm sure it's done without their knowledge, but we'll see how they handle the situation!

How refreshing to read a level-headed response to the situation. Please let us know how the resolution pans out.

 

[w124nut]

If the valet company does not offer full amount paid, and if you paid the parking fee by credit card, write to the credit card company, disputes and chargeback department, stating your case with photo copies to get a full refund.

 

[stwat]

They have been known to rent out customers cars.

They tend to use customers who are unlikely to know the difference. It seems like they picked the wrong customer this time.

 

[crockers]

Had to laugh at claiming for tyre wear.....I know Mercs can be heavy on rears....but....

 

[Giantvanman]

Just a lateral thought……….you haven't mentioned timescales but it may be worth telling the company that you are going to the police unless they act promptly etc having ascertained that the place where the car was meant to be parked was not 35 miles away from the airport.

The rationale for involving the police is quite simple; you entered a contractual arrangement to have the company park and store your car and return it to you.

The bit in between where someone from the company drove the car for X-amount of miles is outwith the contract and the person or persons doing the driving during this time were committing a criminal offence (TWOC or joyriding).

Simple DNA swabs taken from the car matched to samples taken from the person known to have parked your car on day one and seven and yours would show how many samples to be considered.

Whether or not you could get your local police to do this is one thing but the company are not party to any conversation you have with the police. And the press/Which/Watchdog……..

 

[grober]

Just wait for the speeding tickets to arrive!

 

[Smatt]

Might have been used in a getaway......