Taking advantage of a foreign woman.

Raul Garcia

Taking advantage of a foreign woman.

On Monday Jan. 4th 2010 my wife called City Recovery Service in Liosban Industrial Estate (Galway), because she needed to have her car towed to a garage. The car was sitting in Ballybane Industrial Estate and was towed to Galway Tyre Centre, a garage located in Liosban Industrial Estate too. Liosban and Ballybane are not even a mile apart. She was charged €243. She though it was a very expensive fee to pay but ,since she is spanish and didn’t know what an average price would be, and considering that Ireland is a expensive country, she paid that money. So a few days later I called them myself pretending to be a customer and the telephonist said she would charge me only €80 for doing the very same route. We paid them a visit and instead of giving us any explanation about this ,they were very rude and , they would go on about that was the standard rate but , they wouldn’t have any customers if that was the case, would they? They wouldn’t show me the list of fees when I asked them to. If €243 was really the standard rate why showing the list of fees should be a problem. I went to the Garda Station in the city centre and was told that I should get a solicitor to deal with this matter.
I can’t afford to pay a solicitor to fight against this people and I know that I will never get my money back but I just want to warn you people out there about this company. It is really demoralizing and disappointing to lose your hard earned money that way and not being able to get it back.

Raul Garcia.

Raiser

Threaten them with a Solicitor a few times first.....

Then perhaps ring Citizens Information (Link) and definitely do not rule out The Small Claims Court (Link) This option is a very effective way of putting People before a Judge at minimal cost....

the iceman come

Sad to see this, if we continue down this road of RIP OFF IRELAND we will end up as...

IRELAND R.I.P.

Do not give in to these bstds,you are more than entitled to a list of their "charges" and as another poster pointed out,the small claims court is not expensive and you dont need a solicitor,you can represent yourself, good luck,remember you will win this case.

dvpower

the iceman come wrote: »

Do not give in to these bstds,you are more than entitled to a list of their "charges" and as another poster pointed out,the small claims court is not expensive and you dont need a solicitor,you can represent yourself, good luck,remember you will win this case.

I wouldn't be too sure about that. They offered a service at a price and the OP's wife accepted the offer. It sounds extortionate but that doesn't make it illegal.

(As an aside, towing services were probably much in demand that week and its likely that they decided to cash in on the misery).

Shelflife

Dvpower is right, Yes its sharp practice but its not illegal. they would appear to have taken advantage of the situation but they can basically charge ant price they want. its up to the customer to accept it or not.

topofthecat

typical irish business..greedy f#####...no wonder this country is corrupt to the core...watching the news each day its all bad and depressing....

ScouseMouse

Go in there and ask for the boss.

Show him a print out of this thread and tell him you will be also take it to the newspapers.

Point out to him that the lady is not a tourist and wont be going away.

Then point out to him that perhaps a refund could be due.

See how that goes.

Talk to the boss.

Raiser

Seeing as they maintain they have done nothing wrong and obviously cynical, predatory, gross overcharging is not illegal - There's no harm in posting their details here so anyone can ring to enquire about their most excellent rates and honest service.....


City Recovery Service
U4 Liosban Ind Est Tuam rd Galway Co. Galway

* Tel: (091)755616

Category:Towing & Breakdown Service

:mad:

P.S. Raul - Post about your experience here also - I'm sure lots of People around Galway would love to hear of this shameful behaviour and then take their business and cash elsewhere....

rubadub

Raul Garcia wrote: »

She though it was a very expensive fee to pay but ,since she is spanish and didn’t know what an average price would be, and considering that Ireland is a expensive country, she paid that money.

I don't think this has anything to do with her being foreign, I doubt most people would know what it would cost. If she thought it was very expensive why did she not bother to ring elsewhere for another quote?

twowheelsonly

Ring them every day (and get all your friends to do the same) to tow your car from 10 miles away....:D

Might not get your money back but you'll have the satisfaction of having the mastereds running around the countryside for nothing

Jim79

the best place to start is the citizens advice bureau. Also, You could go through the small claims court, which would not involve employing a solicitors services. if you are persistent you will get a result.

Raiser

rubadub wrote: »

I don't think this has anything to do with her being foreign, I doubt most people would know what it would cost. If she thought it was very expensive why did she not bother to ring elsewhere for another quote?

For whatever reason - car broke down, for all we know there was 3 cranky kids involved and it was all hitting the fan - fast.....

- Cue the Ripoff Merchants to step in and gladly help out for a preposterously large fee........

All clearer in hindsight isn't it? Perhaps in Espana People are more honest and you might take an initial quote as being somewhere nearer to ballpark???????

J_Wholesale

Talk to Joe! Or threaten to.

ejmaztec

Raiser wrote: »

Seeing as they maintain they have done nothing wrong and obviously cynical, predatory, gross overcharging is not illegal - There's no harm in posting their details here so anyone can ring to enquire about their most excellent rates and honest service.....


City Recovery Service
U4 Liosban Ind Est Tuam rd Galway Co. Galway

* Tel: (091)755616

Category:Towing & Breakdown Service

:mad:

P.S. Raul - Post about your experience here also - I'm sure lots of People around Galway would love to hear of this shameful behaviour and then take their business and cash elsewhere....

Perhaps the sharks will come on here and give us all their reason for taking this woman to the cleaners? Fecking disgrace.

rubadub

Raiser wrote: »

For whatever reason - car broke down, for all we know there was 3 cranky kids involved and it was all hitting the fan - fast

Could well have been, so still themselves to blame for not shopping around. Many people will pay over the odds for convenience/short notice/short leadtime, nothing new. The OP said the car was "sitting in" an industrial estate, that sounded to me like it was left there.

Raul Garcia wrote: »

I went to the Garda Station in the city centre and was told that I should get a solicitor to deal with this matter.

I honestly don't see how you could get a solicitor involved

Raiser wrote: »

Threaten them with a Solicitor a few times first.

What would you suggest they tell the solicitor? What do you think would be said to a judge?

Raiser wrote: »

Seeing as they maintain they have done nothing wrong and obviously cynical, predatory, gross overcharging is not illegal

It is not illegal so I do not see why you or the gardai would suggest getting a solicitor, it would be like me going into a garda station and complaining that a jacket I bought in dunnes for €243 is now €80. This is not the ranting forum, somebody should be playing devils advocate. Obviously they were overcharging, it is up to the customer to choose whether a service or product is worth buying at that particular time & place.

Raiser wrote: »

All clearer in hindsight isn't it?]

It was/is clear in FORESIGHT that shopping around is a good idea -this, and the majority of threads on here just show that. If people continue to pay, people will continue to charge.

Raiser wrote: »

Perhaps in Espana People are more honest and you might take an initial quote as being somewhere nearer to ballpark???????

I seriously doubt it, lots of people (in all countries) have this self-deprecating, "grass is greener" attitude. I am sure plenty of shysters like this exist in all countries and it is not particular to Ireland.

mcwhirter

dvpower wrote: »

I wouldn't be too sure about that. They offered a service at a price and the OP's wife accepted the offer. It sounds extortionate but that doesn't make it illegal.

(As an aside, towing services were probably much in demand that week and its likely that they decided to cash in on the misery).

But thats the stupid irish way,cashing in, just like the builders during the boom times.
It has ruined this country, its a kip

Raiser

OP just book them every few days for the next 6 months for non-existent cars broken down in Spiddal, Gort, Clifden and where ever else keeps the Gobshítes busy - Bad form invites and deserves bad form

ScouseMouse

Raiser wrote: »

OP just book them every few days for the next 6 months for non-existent cars broken down in Spiddal, Gort, Clifden and where ever else keeps the Gobshítes busy - Bad form invites and deserves bad form

Thats the stupidest thing I have ever read. You think that will help the OP get their money back?

The only way forward is to get the message across that you will tell everyone how unreasonable they were. What they did is completely legal - legal but ****e.

They offered a service for a price and it was accepted. No amount of solicitors or consumer groups can do anything about it.

They have been caught out as they thought they would never hear about it again. So the only way out, is to put this matter to bed, and give a refund to limit the damage.

Go in and see the BOSS, the big BOSS and only the BOSS.

If that still fails, we could all ring up and ask the question: Are you really charging women €243 for a tow?

Raiser

superscouse wrote: »

Thats the stupidest thing I have ever read. You think that will help the OP get their money back?

The only way forward is to get the message across that you will tell everyone how unreasonable they were. What they did is completely legal - legal but ****e.

They offered a service for a price and it was accepted. No amount of solicitors or consumer groups can do anything about it.

They have been caught out as they thought they would never hear about it again. So the only way out, is to put this matter to bed, and give a refund to limit the damage.

Go in and see the BOSS, the big BOSS and only the BOSS.

If that still fails, we could all ring up and ask the question: Are you really charging women €243 for a tow?

That's the stupidest thing I ever read - Did I say it was going to get him his money back????????

- I was a joke you uncontrollable Muppet.

Raul this thread has had 878 views in less than 3 days, perhaps make the Owner aware that a daily increasing amount of People think his Company are one best avoided under any circumstances........ I know I wouldn't trust them to honestly tell me the colour of my Car.......

ScouseMouse

Raiser wrote: »

- I was a joke you uncontrollable Muppet.

If you say so LOL:D