Towing Companies Overcharging - Metro Melbourne

Caerdyddblue on 15/09/2022 - 09:53
Last edited 15/09/2022 - 10:16 by 1 other user

Hi everyone, has anybody dealt with difficult tow companies in Metro Melbourne?

It is regulated and I am having difficulty with an operator. I ended up having to deal with them directly as I only had third party insurance (bad decision from myself but you live and learn), the car was with them for 16 days in total and they charged me $900. As mentioned it is a regulated industry and storage of a car is capped to either $29 for Car - Under Cover or $19.60 Car - In locked yard. When I went to collect some personal belongings they made me pay the $900 before I could go to the car, when I went and found my vehicle it was outside in the rain with the drivers window open (have photos and videos of this), they even made me pay with only providing a balance sheet as apparently the invoice receipt wouldn't produce until after payment and was then emailed to me.

They charged me the $29 a day for undercover storage when the car was clearly not undercover, when I initially called to query this the person on the phone told me that all cars on the yard are charged at the $29 rate and tried to play down any knowledge of another rate. I emailed to follow this up along with the fact that they also double charged me for excess kilometres which they have admitted was incorrect and I've received no reply or no refund for either. I'm going to put in a complaint via the VicRoads website but just wondered if anybody has had similar issues or advice?

The company (Macktow) seem to deal majority of the time with insurance directly, if they do charge every car the full rate incorrectly then insurance companies wouldn't be querying it!

Thanks

Automotive

Comments

  • xdigger on 15/09/2022 - 10:44
    +7

    Is that the business model of most towies?

  • Drakesy on 15/09/2022 - 11:12
    +2

    Sounds like an ombudsman job?

  • elgrande on 15/09/2022 - 11:14
    +2

    This is why the industry is regulated for pricing

  • Caerdyddblue on 15/09/2022 - 12:14

    Thanks for the feedback, I guess I'll lodge a complaint first then ombudsman if that fails I assume. Never made any complaints like this before so unsure of the process. The reply to my initial email when they admitted an overcharge on the excess, the excuse was that on the day I inspected the car the car was outside but for the rest of the time was undercover, sounds like BS to me.

    • spal on 15/09/2022 - 12:29
      +3

      Ask them to prove it to you. You have dated photos of the day you saw your car. They need to have that too. Tell them that you don't accept it and as you are disputing it you will lodge a complaint. If you press on they will most likely back off. VicRoads might have some regulatory oversight on them.

      • [Deactivated] on 15/09/2022 - 12:56
        +7

        he should submit the complaint, even if they back off. odds are he is just one in a long line of many they have defrauded, at the very least it might put them under more scrutiny, so they can't get away with it in the future.

  • JIMB0 on 15/09/2022 - 13:54
    -2

    Did you try leaving a 1 star review?

    • El cheepo on 15/09/2022 - 14:57
      +1

      Not sure about the eastern states but if its like the west, it would be rare to see many towies with better than 1 star reviews.

      People generally don’t pick their tow truck company (depending on the circumstances and their state of mind after what ever event caused the tow being necessary), the parasites prey on the vulnerable and inexperienced and charge through the nose not caring if insurance or the person themselves will have to foot the bill.

      I’m sure there are some decent ones out there, but they would be rare…

  • hothed on 15/09/2022 - 14:45

    Charge back from your bank to recover the funds?

  • Caerdyddblue on 20/09/2022 - 11:59

    Update - I sent a second email about the lack of refund or response and gave them until the end of the day to respond or I would contact the Real time operations group and begin the complaint process, 2 hours later they refunded the $43 double charge and also the difference for the storage, $193 all in.

    Thanks again for all the advice

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