I was well impressed with that bloke on Rogue Traders last night. Whether it was all talk or not, he definitely gave the impression that he really gave a shit. He probably could have done better up front but I got the impression he’d learnt a lesson – possibly why he gave up the stripping business!

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Oh, and yeah, they would definitely be responsible if they crashed the car or similar. They just wriggle out of liability for damage while it’s parked up. They’re insured for the former. It’s similar to when you put your car in for a service and the mechanic drives it round the block to test or even just spins the car around in the road to get it into the garage. They have a rather pricey “any car” insurance for that sort of thing.

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Darren

As a travel agent we book a lot of parking and the best way to be safe is to make sure the car park your using has a park mark (this is issued by the Police). The companies pay and the car park is inspected to make sure it comes up to a minimum standard. Travel Agents use this as a guide when recommending car parks. For more information visit http://www.parkmark.co.uk

This is not the first time this has come up.

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Darren
I agree with Nick this is recurring problem that will be difficult to stamp out. It is a good point about the Parkmark it is only by checking the company you book with is reputable otherwise you pay through the nose for the official airport parking “on” site.

The company cannot wriggle out of any accident caused by their negligence – irrespective of anything you signed. So any accidents while they are driving the car would be down to them. Also you would have a case against them if they claimed to have secure storage and you could prove the car was parked up somewhere else.

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Just to Point out that the Rogue Traders edition that was aired was a repeat ,and not a current reported event. ( Although i bet there are still some dodgy companies out there!)

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I had Qantas park my car once and they caused a minor dint on the car in the back corner. They claim it was pre-existing as they mark a form with any damage to your car (though don’t give you a copy). The dint I was claiming was remarkably marked with a different coloured and thickness pen. Yet they wouldn’t pay out. I chased it through various lines of management but it just got worse the higher up you went. Absolutely shameful but what we have come to expect of this once fine and well-thought of airline. Someone probably even got a bonus for avoiding “another” issue.

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Having been involved in airport parking since 1989, I can only recommend that travellers use car parks under the Park Mark Safer Parking Scheme. Briefly this is operated and monitored by the British Parking Association to reduce crime and is subject to annual visits.

When parking on airport, you have no idea of the ability or care taken by drivers as they come and go. I have operated both park your own and staff parked cars and whilst accidents due occur when staff park cars they are not even close to the carnage I have seen when drivers are left to their own devices.

If parking with an off airport car park and they are not Park Marked operated and the price is ridiculously cheap as the saying goes its too good to be true it probaly is.

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I recently responded to an offer by email from Purple Parking and booked my car into their Airparks site at East Midlands Airport for a period of 8 days. When I returned to collect the vehicle I discovered that the nearside wing mirror was broken.

It had been undamaged when I arrived on the site. When I brought this to the attention of staff I was immediately shown a digital image which it was claimed had been taken minutes after my arrival at the start of the 8-day period and therefore proved that the damage had been pre-existing. The photograph in question had no recorded data showing the time and date when it was taken.

The reason given was simply that the camera had not been set up to record such data. Even had it been, such evidence would have been inconclusive, as it is a simple matter to reset the time and date on any digital camera. I was extremely annoyed at the treatment I received from on-site staff who referred to it as a “joke” that I should have the temerity to call into question the authenticity of their evidence.

My advice to anyone who might be tempted to risk using this organisation would be to take their own photographs prior to leaving their vehicles, and to register the fact with reception staff.

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