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Trading Standards probe into inflated repairs costs charged by Europcar
Europcar faces an accusation of fraudulently overcharging customers for repairs as Trading Standards raided its UK head office.
Evidence obtained by the Daily Telegraph alleges the firm’s UK arm may have profited to the tune of millions of pounds by inflating the cost to consumers of windscreens and other repairs by up to 300%.
Trading Standards is investigating the firm over billing concerns including overcharging for repairs, it was revealed.
...
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is also planning to launch an inquiry, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The paper says more than half a million motorists could have been overcharged for repairs over many years.
...
When a customer brings a car back with a scrape, which falls outside their insurance cover, Europcar bills them for an amount it said was the cost of the repair and adds an administration fee.
Evidence, seen by the newspaper, suggests that some of the repair prices were grossly inflated via secret pre-agreed deals between Europcar and suppliers.
Europcar agrees the price and a margin which it gets to keep, and customers are invoiced for the total ‘cost’ of the work, including the pre-agreed margin.
When the bill is paid the repair supplier issues Europcar with a second invoice, which shows the true cost of the work.
One customer claimed they were billed three times more than the actual cost of a windscreen on their hire vehicle.
...
The company could face a fine of up to 10% of its turnover if it is found guilty of fraud by misrepresentation.
However, if the firm is found to have systemically overcharged customers it could potentially be hit with a class action.
...
The investigation is focused on the UK branch and Europcar, which operates in 140 countries worldwide, has not said whether its offices abroad are operating the same rules.
Motorists could win £30m compensation from Europcar - BBC News
Europcar in crisis over 'fraudulent' repair probe | Daily Mail Online
PressReader.com - Connecting People Through News
( Telegraph artikeln är bakom en betalvägg
Exclusive: Car hire firms face fraud probe as 'half a million customers' hit by £30m Europcar scandal )
Europcar faces an accusation of fraudulently overcharging customers for repairs as Trading Standards raided its UK head office.
Evidence obtained by the Daily Telegraph alleges the firm’s UK arm may have profited to the tune of millions of pounds by inflating the cost to consumers of windscreens and other repairs by up to 300%.
Trading Standards is investigating the firm over billing concerns including overcharging for repairs, it was revealed.
...
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is also planning to launch an inquiry, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The paper says more than half a million motorists could have been overcharged for repairs over many years.
...
When a customer brings a car back with a scrape, which falls outside their insurance cover, Europcar bills them for an amount it said was the cost of the repair and adds an administration fee.
Evidence, seen by the newspaper, suggests that some of the repair prices were grossly inflated via secret pre-agreed deals between Europcar and suppliers.
Europcar agrees the price and a margin which it gets to keep, and customers are invoiced for the total ‘cost’ of the work, including the pre-agreed margin.
When the bill is paid the repair supplier issues Europcar with a second invoice, which shows the true cost of the work.
One customer claimed they were billed three times more than the actual cost of a windscreen on their hire vehicle.
...
The company could face a fine of up to 10% of its turnover if it is found guilty of fraud by misrepresentation.
However, if the firm is found to have systemically overcharged customers it could potentially be hit with a class action.
...
The investigation is focused on the UK branch and Europcar, which operates in 140 countries worldwide, has not said whether its offices abroad are operating the same rules.
Motorists could win £30m compensation from Europcar - BBC News
Europcar in crisis over 'fraudulent' repair probe | Daily Mail Online
PressReader.com - Connecting People Through News
( Telegraph artikeln är bakom en betalvägg
Exclusive: Car hire firms face fraud probe as 'half a million customers' hit by £30m Europcar scandal )