Stolen vehicle recovery costs
Discussion
I had a motorcycle stolen from my barn in the middle of the night. It wasn't insured as it wasn't on the road and was a project bike. Annoyingly I had been working on it for 6 months and spent quite a bit of time and money and it was very close to being ready for mot and then getting back on the road.
Anyway about a week after it was stolen I was contacted by the police saying they had discovered it in Woodland and had arranged for it to be recovered by a local engineering company which they use and it could be viewed by me at the yard. I went down there to view it but sadly the scrotes that stole it had abused it quite badly broken the ignition and steering lock and pulled loads of wiring out such that it could no longer be started and I decided I didn't want it back.
It had many good parts on it that I could have sold on eBay but having weighed up the cost of getting it recovered back to my place and the hassle of taking bits off it and dealing with Buyers on eBay I decided not to bother.
I told the recovery guys I didn't want it but they said I was due to pay the recovery costs of £220. I pointed out that I didn't ask for it to be recovered and I didn't dump it in the woods so I didn't think I should pay. They claimed that I was legally obliged to pay as the vehicle was registered to me. I asked what would happen if I didn't pay and they said they would be adding 12 quid per day storage and I would keep getting bills until they recovered the money from me by whatever means were necessary.
So in the face of possibly mounting costs and them being right I paid the fee.
I guess in most instances this would be picked up by the insurance company.
If I hadn't paid the fee would they really have been able to chase me for the money for recovering a bike that I didn't dump in the woods?
Anyway about a week after it was stolen I was contacted by the police saying they had discovered it in Woodland and had arranged for it to be recovered by a local engineering company which they use and it could be viewed by me at the yard. I went down there to view it but sadly the scrotes that stole it had abused it quite badly broken the ignition and steering lock and pulled loads of wiring out such that it could no longer be started and I decided I didn't want it back.
It had many good parts on it that I could have sold on eBay but having weighed up the cost of getting it recovered back to my place and the hassle of taking bits off it and dealing with Buyers on eBay I decided not to bother.
I told the recovery guys I didn't want it but they said I was due to pay the recovery costs of £220. I pointed out that I didn't ask for it to be recovered and I didn't dump it in the woods so I didn't think I should pay. They claimed that I was legally obliged to pay as the vehicle was registered to me. I asked what would happen if I didn't pay and they said they would be adding 12 quid per day storage and I would keep getting bills until they recovered the money from me by whatever means were necessary.
So in the face of possibly mounting costs and them being right I paid the fee.
I guess in most instances this would be picked up by the insurance company.
If I hadn't paid the fee would they really have been able to chase me for the money for recovering a bike that I didn't dump in the woods?
Not quite the same but several years ago I sold a car & was unfortunately away when it was picked up, so left instructions with the wife.
She took the money & when she was about to fill in the v5 the buyer said, "i'll do that" & she stupidly agreed.
3 weeks later I got a call from Glasgow police (they assumed it was stolen as it was still registered to me, surprise surprise) and I just said I didn't want it & explained I had sold it (my word only obviously) they just accepted it & probably put it up for auction.
She took the money & when she was about to fill in the v5 the buyer said, "i'll do that" & she stupidly agreed.
3 weeks later I got a call from Glasgow police (they assumed it was stolen as it was still registered to me, surprise surprise) and I just said I didn't want it & explained I had sold it (my word only obviously) they just accepted it & probably put it up for auction.
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