Beware - Morrisons Carwash (& Not Accepting Any Damage Liability)

[alwk43]

Earlier this year I paid £6 for the top wash at a morrisons carwash. Drove in, came out and checked the car as always to find deep grooves on the bonnet and the LH passenger side. I straightaway asked to see a manager and got the Assistant Deputy Manager(!) who took notes. At home I took photos and sent a claim in. Guess what? After 6 months (and them mislaying my claim) I have been told that I entered the carwash at my own risk and therefore Morrisons are not liable. Also they say that noone else reported anything. And that the technicians could not find a fault. A further call with a manager got them investigating the photos again with their technical dept.

I was told that Morrisons requires proof before they settle a claim. Other than getting the manager out I'd need before and after photos. Apparently, who is to say that the scratches did not happen before, elsewhere.

I replied that this particular vehicle has never been in a carwash in its 3 years, that I chose a top wash to mitigate as best I could. That as Morrisons does not say Use This Car Wash & Screw Your Car that I was enteruing a relatively safe contract between myself and morrisons and that any risk is covered by sales of goods/services - ie the service needs to be decent quality.

Morrisons showed my photos to their technical team engineers who refute the fact the scratches were made by the carwash. The customer services manager who I wont name rang me and stated that my claim was rejected as there was no proof morrisons damaged my car. Another 30 minute circular conversation took place and it was stated that the damage could have happened before and I was unaware. I repeated that I saw no scratches before I went into the carwash - I had decided the car needed a wash while I filled it with petrol and therefore had seen the condition just before I bought the topwash. So, rather than admitting that they have screwed my paintwork and rather than apologise and offer to repair and compensate, they are saying no proof we did it so take us to court. I replied that I would not have wasted so much time on the phone to make a claim unless it was true. I did not like them implying that I am a liar.

A technician is coming out at their expense now - six months after the event. No doubt he or she will say it was caused by something other than the rollers and Morrison will get off scott free as I cannot afford to take them to court.

Their customer service pretends to be concerned but trots out a party line which is to imply that loyal customers are liars.

Moral - don't use a carwash. If you do dont use a morrisons carwash. Their adverts make out that they are of the people, for the people when their actions say they don't give a monkeys.

 

[Witch consumer]

All companies providing a service have a duty of care, they are aware of this and that is why they are continuing to 'debate' the issue with you.

Think back, are you sure you have no photos of the car from before the car wash? holiday snaps, night out, even adverts from when you bought it? Has it been in a garage recently, could they vouch there was no damage to the car?

It's ok saying nobody else has complained but it's possible that the brushes or rollers picked something up and drageed it along your car, wouldn't necessarily still be there when the next customer went through or when it was inspected.

Stick at it and if necessary take them to the small claims court, they are insured for events like this, there's a good chance it won't go that far, especially if you can provide evidence or confirmation that the car was not damaged prior to this.

 

[ALewis]

Just a thought to add to the reply you've had,
If you are serious of going to the SCC , it might be wise to get an independent experts evaluation on the damage as they may be able to give an opinion on how 'fresh' the scratches are and perhaps what the cause could be.
Wait for their person to take a look at the scratches first, and if still in dispute, and you are 100% sure, consult an expert and begin the path to the SCC

 

[trickygj]

alwk43

I don't want to upset you further over this and whilst I undertsand this is a consumer forum here to help consumers, being devils advocate if someone came to me with a claim for my carwash I would not pay out without some evidence.

Now maybe they have had other similar complaints and not told you, but if they have not then they would be suspicious. I know I would if it was my car wash.

What do you believe caused these deep grooves on the bonnet and side? Was it the brushes or the mechanics etc. Have you been back and stood and watched and even videoed another car going through to see what bits do what. I would suggest this might be an option if possible to back up any claim.

In defence of your claim it should not have taken so long for Morrisions to sort this out either way and losing you claim form is unacceptable.

I think before you decide to start any action in the Small claims court you will need something more substantial. As has been stated before sometimes companies pay out just to save time and exspense of going to court as it is cheaper for them in the long run.

 

[noname]

ino its a while after this and i hope you read this. you say you filled up befroe you used the car wash. morrisons has VERY good cctv focasd on EVERY pump. there own cctv will show the lack of damage you had on your car before you entered it. they should still have the cctv so ask to see it. should prove your case

 

[Avocet]

Ha! Just came across this thread after a quick Internet search. I too have just suffered at the "hands" of a Morrisons car wash - ripped the back wiper clean off. Like the OP, I too have had the "we're really sympathetic - but get lost" letter (two, in fact)!

 

[Weegie]

I have just had the same response from Morrisons, rear windscreen wiper was ripped off my car but as no one else's car was damaged that day they are not at fault !!!! How can a company of this size, with ample insurance no doubt, continue to deny there are problems with their car washes?

The girl from the garage went into the car wash afterwards and collected all the 'bits' and handed them back to me so they cant deny the damage was done in the car wash!

 

[Avocet]

Yup! Just an update. I got absolutely nowhere with them - typical "see-you-in-court" type of attitude. As the wiper arm was less than £25 fitted (and I didn't pay for it anyway because it was a company car), I've let it go. Needless to say though, I don't shop at Morrisons any more!

 

[trickygj]

What are the Terms and Conditions of the car wash and where were they printed etc?

 

[Avocet]

Terms and Conditions were, (I seem to remember) printed on a board at the entrance. Certainly, there were plenty of "use at your own risk" notices prominently displayed. There were also a set of notices telling you that the car wash was NOT suitable for vehicles with roof racks, loose bodywork, spoilers, non-retractable aerials...etc, but NOT rear wipers.

...and that is my beef. Had they put up something saying it wasn't suitable for cars with rear wipers, I wouldn't have felt quite so agrieved. In fact, they've clearly always had problems with rear wipers because they usually give you a little plastic bag to put over the rear wiper arm. On this occasion, I wasn't offered one and the manager, when filling in one of his big pad of pre-printed "the-car-wash-trashed-my-car" forms (not that their car washes ever damage anybody's car, you understand), commented that they'd just had some new brushes fitted which were supposed to not require people to fit the little bags on their rear wipers - otherwise I'd have been offered one!