A motorist whose tail spoiler and brake light were ripped off in a Tesco car wash is facing a repair bill of £750 after the supermarket refused to accept liability. The customer, who regularly uses the automated car wash at their local Tesco superstore, said staff commented on how frequently cars are damaged there.
Tesco cited a maintenance report from the company that provides and maintains the car washes, which apparently found no fault. However, it refused to let the customer see the report, citing “company policy”. The supermarket also pointed to a disclaimer at the entrance that absolves it of liability unless a fault with the machine is proven.
A Google search reveals numerous complaints from drivers who claim Tesco car washes damaged their vehicles. In each case, Tesco sent an identically worded letter from its solicitors, stating that no defects were found, no other complaints had been received, and that the disclaimer applies. The same letter was sent to the customer and to a man whose car was scraped when a cleaning arm fell off mid-cycle.
Tesco denies having a blanket policy to reject compensation claims, saying it considers them on a case-by-case basis. It told the customer that staff check wash cycles daily and that the car wash in question was found to be in good working order.
The customer now faces the choice of claiming through their insurer or taking legal action. If opting for the latter, they should send a letter before action specifying the damages sought and giving Tesco 14 days to respond. If that fails, they can collate evidence and use Scotland’s “simple procedure” to claim through the sheriff courts, or a similar county court process in England and Wales.
