Businessman blasts meet-and-greet Airport Secure Parking
A businessman has taken legal action after a meet-and-greet airport parking firm returned his Range Rover to him with 'hundreds of pounds worth of damage.'
Lee Jones, 45, said he was left with a repair bill of around £600 after he dropped his Range Rover sport off with the Manchester based Airport Secure Parking Ltd.
The company promises to look after customers' cars while they are on holiday, and travellers drop off their vehicles on departure and then pick them back up upon arrival.
Businessman Lee Jones said he was left with a repair bill of around £600 after he dropped his Range Rover sport off with the Manchester based Airport Secure Parking Ltd
Mr Jones, from Liverpool, flew out to Tenerife from Manchester Airport last July with his mum and her partner on a summer holiday.
The 45-year-old, who owns the Albert Dock-based Stone Management Group, said that when the Range Rover was returned to him it was clearly damaged.
He said: 'I saw the damage straight away as the car was being driven to us across the car park.
'The damage was to the near side door, wing and bumper. I said to the driver "what has gone on here." He replied: "I thought it was like that when you dropped it off."'
Damage to the Range Rover. Mr Jones was flying to Tenerife from Manchester Airport, and says when he collected upon his return, it was clearly damaged
Airport Secure Parking Ltd promises to look after customers' cars while they are on holiday, and travellers drop off their cars on departure and then pick them back up upon arrival.
Mr Jones said that Airport Secure Parking accepted liability and agreed to pay for the damage. On July 20 the company sent an email to him which read:
'I have spoken to the owner we are more than happy to pay for the damage, I have passed this onto the accounts team the only problem is it may take up to the end of the month before we can pay out as we run 28 day invoices and don't receive monies until the 2nd and 15th of every month.
'I know this is something you may not want to hear we will try and push it along but I cannot promise you.'
The 45-year-old said that Airport Secure Parking accepted liability and agreed to pay for the damage, but they started swearing down the phone at him and stopped answering his calls
Mr Jones said: 'I had the repair work done in Speke, and the bill came to around £600 before VAT. Airport Secure Parking said that they would pay the bill at the end of the month.
'But then the months started to go by. They started swearing down the phone, and then stopped answering my calls.
'I have now taken out at county court judgement against them. According to the website Creditsafe the company already has three CCJ against them.'
Mr Jones said that he wanted to highlight the issue because so many people on Merseyside used Manchester Airport ever year.
He said: 'I just don't want anyone else to use this firm and end up out of pocket like me. The issue needs highlighting.
'I am a successful businessman, but I know that a lot of ordinary people across Liverpool work hard all year around and then look forward to a summer holiday. I would hate to see hard working people left with a repair bill.'
Airport Secure Parking Ltd declined to comment.
'I would hate to see hard working people left with a repair bill': Mr Jones said he does not want others to be in the same situation as him (pictured: the repair bill for the Range Rover)
A Manchester Airport spokesman said: 'The airport offers a wide range of car parking facilities and is also well connected via public transport.
'If anyone has any doubts about if their car parking is official from Manchester Airport, they can verify it with our customer services team. If using a third party provider we'd always recommend using car parks that have achieved the Park Mark status. For anyone affected by meet and greet companies, please report it to Manchester City Council.'
Manchester City councillor Nigel Murphy, executive member for neighbourhoods, said: 'We strongly urge all holidaymakers to be extremely cautious and to do their research through trusted independent sources before handing over their car keys to an unofficial meet and greet airport parking company.
'All too often, some firms leave cars in muddy fields, or on residential streets - and in the worst cases, vehicles have been lost or stolen, leading to real heartache for the innocent customers involved. If the firm doesn't have the appropriate motor trade insurance in place, then motorists may not be covered in the event that something goes wrong while they're abroad.
'We're working closely with Manchester Airport, Greater Manchester Police and other Greater Manchester councils to tackle the harm caused to our residents and motorists by some firms and would encourage anyone who has been affected to contact us.'