We have provided a customer with a free courtesy car whilst we have repaired their vehicle. Their car is ready for collection but they have failed to return our courtesy car and collect their car, which is sitting on our premises taking up space.
What should we do?
The problem you have experienced is not uncommon, when a customer is required to collect and pay for their vehicle they can on occasions be reluctant to do so for a number of reasons, some of which are financial.
If the customer is retaining your courtesy vehicle then initially you should read the courtesy car agreement to establish whether you are able to charge for the additional use. It is usual to have a term within the courtesy car agreement which enables you to make a reasonable daily charge for the use of the vehicle if it is not returned.
You should also check your terms and conditions to establish whether you can retain the customer’s car until you receive all outstanding payments, including storage and courtesy car charges.
Once you have established what your terms and conditions allow, you are able to contact the customer by text, email or letter etc. to formally request the return of the courtesy car and payment of all outstanding monies. If you intend to charge storage, and a daily charge for use of the courtesy car, then make reference to your terms and conditions which allow these additional charges.
If the repair is being paid for by an insurance company, and perhaps the payment of an insurance excess is delaying the customer, it would be prudent to notify the insurance company and make them aware of the difficulties you are experiencing. Be prepared to accurately explain to the insurer the situation and what steps you have taken to encourage the customer to collect their vehicle and return the courtesy car. Make a note of the conversation, recording who you spoke with, time, date and what was discussed.
When you contact the customer and request the return of your courtesy car it is possible that the customer may be unhappy, and may make a complaint to the insurer about your service. Notifying the insurer first and making them aware of the situation may enable the insurer to deal with the customer’s complaint in an informed manner.
If following your contact with the customer they still fail to collect their vehicle, and return your courtesy car, then you should consider notifying the customer that if they fail to immediately return the courtesy car you will report your courtesy vehicle as stolen.
Reporting the vehicle as stolen should be the last resort, the Police will stop the vehicle if they see it being used on the highway, and this generally causes upset with the customer.
Remember if you do report the vehicle as stolen to notify the police if it is returned and ask them to remove it from their stolen vehicle register. If you do not have the vehicle removed from the police computer your next customer using the vehicle will be unhappy when he or she is stopped by the Police.
