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Drive Assist - Watchdog

20 November 2007

Thank goodness we turned our TV on last night. BBC’s Watchdog had just started and quick thinking Jim spotted a report that made our ears prick up. It was the report here on the car hire company Drive Assist.

In June I had a bump in my car that resulted in a replacement car from Drive Assist being driven by us for about 10 days. In truth we didn’t necessarily need this car, but as I reported at the time it came as a result of the many phone calls we received following the accident. We were assured it would cost us nothing as the costs would be reclaimed from the other party’s insurers. Sadly this wasn’t quite the case.

The car was collected by a Drive Assist driver on 23rd June. On 7th September I received a letter claiming I had caused a dent to the boot lid and was therefore being charged £155. I know we didn’t damage the car but of course a car can easily be damaged whilst parked and without one’s knowledge. However, alarm bells rang as firstly being obsessed with cleaning I had cleaned the car inside and out. It was filthy on delivery with half eaten crisps and spilt drinks on the inside and the outside was covered in general grime. There was no dent to this car on the boot lid. There were other marks (none listed on their inventory) both in the interior and on the exterior paintwork. The second bell rang because the driver on collection only sat in the vehicle and took the various readings regarding fuel and mileage and was gone within minutes. How could he have seen any damage as he hadn’t even looked around the car?

All of this seems to be unimportant to Drive Assist to whom I have complained on three separate occasions until the £155 was finally debited from my account on 13th of this month. Their only argument is to send and resend the ‘paperwork’ that I signed. I signed a ‘PDA’ screen so could argue that I had no idea what I was signing for as on neither delivery or collection of the car was I advised what I was signing for exactly. Most certainly I was not advised that damage was noted on collection of the car.

Having seen that we are not alone has caused much relief, but alos has angered me to know that this has happened to others. I had contacted the Financial Ombudsman Service following the last reply from Drive Assist on 7th November and just prior to them debiting my account. I have also contacted the Watchdog programme and for what it might be worth have emailed Drive Assist again on the address supplied on the Watchdog site.

I will wait with baited breath (but won’t be holding it!) to see what their response will be….

If you want to conatct the company the details are on the Watchdog site.

My update is here.

Written by Jane · Filed Under Reviews 

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