Meet and greet debacle
Car is written off by uninsured airport parkers ... who then refuse to pay compensation
A FURIOUS couple have hit out after their car was written off by an airport meet-and-greet service – which then claimed it was not liable for compensation. Sandra and Domenico Carnevale handed their Vauxhall Zafira over before flying to Turkey from Gatwick.
But in the middle of their holiday, they received a call to tell them their car had been involved in a head-on collision.
It later emerged the driver did not have the correct insurance to move their car. But the company employing him, MCP Gatwick Parking, claimed it was not responsible. To make matters worse, the couple’s own insurer, Tesco Bank, has also refused to pay out because the car was in the care of the firm at the time of the accident.
Mr Carnevale, 50, a care home maintenance worker, said the couple had looked into launching a civil action to recover the cost of replacing their £8,500 car. But they were warned they may not get anything because of allegations MCP’s owner has dissolved similar companies faced with claims in the past. Mrs Carnevale, 49, a childminder, said: ‘My advice to people thinking of using a meet-and-greet company is to go to the airport’s approved list of companies.’
The couple left their three-yearold car at Gatwick’s orange car park at 5.30am on July 2.
They were met by someone from MCP after paying £87.95 through online booking agents Compare Parking. But four days into their 11-day break their son rang to say the accident.car had They been contacted involved the in vehicle an recovery firm holding their car, which said the accident happened in Charlwood, West Sussex, around 9am on July 2 – just three hours after the car was handed over. The couple subsequently learned the driver who crashed their car was insured through Ageas UK. But Ageas said it would not honour a claim because the driver was only covered for private use. Surrey prosecutingwithout Police the have correctthe confirmedman insurancefor they driving but are cannotas it helpis a ‘civilMr and matter’.Mrs Carnevale Mr Carnevale said Tesco Bank enquiries revealed allegations MCP director Chris Smith had owned similar companies that were taken to court in the past. In the meantime, the couple, from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, have a £550 bill to authorise police to collect their car and have it crushed. A Tesco Bank spokesman said: ‘When a vehicle is handed over to a third party such as a concierge service, that company assumes responsibility for the vehicle.’ Compare Parking said it refunded the Carnevales’ booking fee, but added: ‘We are only concerned with the booking. They should deal with MCP Gatwick Parking.’ MCP director Mr Smith has been contacted for comment.