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| Meet-and-greet users at Stansted Airport tell of car damage and mystery miles | Meet-and-greet users at Stansted Airport tell of car damage and mystery miles |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Sophie Rose used Keir Allan's meet-and-greet service when she flew to Dublin last month | Sophie Rose used Keir Allan's meet-and-greet service when she flew to Dublin last month |
| A woman says she has been left in a "nightmare" with up to £6,500 worth of damage to her car after leaving it with a company offering "secure" parking for airport passengers. | A woman says she has been left in a "nightmare" with up to £6,500 worth of damage to her car after leaving it with a company offering "secure" parking for airport passengers. |
| Sophie Rose used Keir Allan's meet-and-greet service at Stansted Airport for her 30th birthday trip, but said on her return she was told her car had been in a "hit-and-run accident" 21 miles (34km) away in Harlow. | Sophie Rose used Keir Allan's meet-and-greet service at Stansted Airport for her 30th birthday trip, but said on her return she was told her car had been in a "hit-and-run accident" 21 miles (34km) away in Harlow. |
| The BBC has spoken to other Keir Allan customers whose claims include them returning to vandalised cars, finding hundreds more miles on their odometers and dashcam footage showing a trip to Burger King. | |
| GetAwayEssentials.com Limited - which trades as Keir Allan - told the BBC it did not cause the damage to Mrs Rose's car so was "not liable", and disputed the repair costs. | GetAwayEssentials.com Limited - which trades as Keir Allan - told the BBC it did not cause the damage to Mrs Rose's car so was "not liable", and disputed the repair costs. |
| The firm said it notified Essex Police of the accident and provided the force with a witness statement. | The firm said it notified Essex Police of the accident and provided the force with a witness statement. |
| Keir Allan said it does not accept liability for the damage to Mrs Rose's vehicle which happened in a hit-and-run incident | Keir Allan said it does not accept liability for the damage to Mrs Rose's vehicle which happened in a hit-and-run incident |
| On arriving back from Dublin last month, Mrs Rose's car was returned with its "boot up in the air and the bumper completely smashed in". | On arriving back from Dublin last month, Mrs Rose's car was returned with its "boot up in the air and the bumper completely smashed in". |
| Her insurers said that, in order to cover the repairs, she needed to claim on Keir Allan's insurance. But Mrs Rose claimed Keir Allan had "refused... and said that it's a police matter". | Her insurers said that, in order to cover the repairs, she needed to claim on Keir Allan's insurance. But Mrs Rose claimed Keir Allan had "refused... and said that it's a police matter". |
| "I contacted Essex Police and the reference number Keir Allan provided me with doesn't exist," she said. | "I contacted Essex Police and the reference number Keir Allan provided me with doesn't exist," she said. |
| Mrs Rose, from Felixstowe in Suffolk, thought Keir Allan had "been nothing but rude, disrespectful". | Mrs Rose, from Felixstowe in Suffolk, thought Keir Allan had "been nothing but rude, disrespectful". |
| Musa Ahmed, director at Keir Allan, said Mrs Rose had received a much lower repair quote and the matter was now with the civil courts to resolve. | Musa Ahmed, director at Keir Allan, said Mrs Rose had received a much lower repair quote and the matter was now with the civil courts to resolve. |
| On arriving back at Stansted, Jamie Andersen says he received a postcode by WhatsApp for the location he had to go to collect his vehicle | On arriving back at Stansted, Jamie Andersen says he received a postcode by WhatsApp for the location he had to go to collect his vehicle |
| Jamie Andersen and his father-in-law used Keir Allan for parking during a family trip to Fuerteventura from Stansted in April. | Jamie Andersen and his father-in-law used Keir Allan for parking during a family trip to Fuerteventura from Stansted in April. |
| On arriving back at Stansted, Mr Andersen said they were sent a post code for the nearby village of Burton End by WhatsApp to collect their vehicles. | On arriving back at Stansted, Mr Andersen said they were sent a post code for the nearby village of Burton End by WhatsApp to collect their vehicles. |
| Mr Andersen, from Haverhill in Suffolk, said they "had no choice" but to spend £40 on a taxi for seven people "not knowing if our car was there, [or] if someone was there with our key". | Mr Andersen, from Haverhill in Suffolk, said they "had no choice" but to spend £40 on a taxi for seven people "not knowing if our car was there, [or] if someone was there with our key". |
| The post code was for a yard, where Mr Andersen found a person "very overwhelmed with phone calls and angry customers". | The post code was for a yard, where Mr Andersen found a person "very overwhelmed with phone calls and angry customers". |
| The family was taken to a makeshift "office" - a black Vauxhall Astra which contained hundreds of car keys in folders. | The family was taken to a makeshift "office" - a black Vauxhall Astra which contained hundreds of car keys in folders. |
| Mr Andersen's key was there but his father-in-law's one was missing. | Mr Andersen's key was there but his father-in-law's one was missing. |
| Mr Andersen said his father-in-law, who was carrying a spare key at the time, had unexpected extra mileage on the clock, his dash cam had been wiped and cables disconnected. | Mr Andersen said his father-in-law, who was carrying a spare key at the time, had unexpected extra mileage on the clock, his dash cam had been wiped and cables disconnected. |
| Mr Ahmed strongly denied the allegation that dashcam footage had been deleted. | Mr Ahmed strongly denied the allegation that dashcam footage had been deleted. |
| The BBC has spoken to another customer who said he had had an extra 264 miles (425km) on the clock and a previously full tank of fuel in the red after it was left in the care of Keir Allan. | The BBC has spoken to another customer who said he had had an extra 264 miles (425km) on the clock and a previously full tank of fuel in the red after it was left in the care of Keir Allan. |
| The car was parked outside Burger King for more than an hour | The car was parked outside Burger King for more than an hour |
| Mr Andersen's dashcam footage was available and showed the car parked at a Burger King restaurant for more than an hour after he had dropped off his car. | Mr Andersen's dashcam footage was available and showed the car parked at a Burger King restaurant for more than an hour after he had dropped off his car. |
| "I just felt like someone had broken into my house and it wasn't a nice feeling," he said. "I know what a meet-and-greet is but you don't expect your car to be driven to a drive-through." | "I just felt like someone had broken into my house and it wasn't a nice feeling," he said. "I know what a meet-and-greet is but you don't expect your car to be driven to a drive-through." |
| Mr Ahmed said: "We refute any suggestion that customers cars were used for any other purpose than to store and return the cars to the customers." | Mr Ahmed said: "We refute any suggestion that customers cars were used for any other purpose than to store and return the cars to the customers." |
| However, he said that "since at any one time we have over 300 keys of our customers, naturally, due to human error keys do get misplaced". | However, he said that "since at any one time we have over 300 keys of our customers, naturally, due to human error keys do get misplaced". |
| He said the company reimbursed customers for the cost of any lost keys. | He said the company reimbursed customers for the cost of any lost keys. |
| The government said it was "aware of concerns" about some 'meet and greet' parking companies at airports | The government said it was "aware of concerns" about some 'meet and greet' parking companies at airports |
| Essex Trading Standards has had 38 airport parking complaints so far this year - compared to six in 2023 and 16 in 2024. | Essex Trading Standards has had 38 airport parking complaints so far this year - compared to six in 2023 and 16 in 2024. |
| Isaac Occhipinti, from the British Parking Association (BPA), said there were many reputable companies but that issues can "erode trust". | Isaac Occhipinti, from the British Parking Association (BPA), said there were many reputable companies but that issues can "erode trust". |
| He said the sector had an "inherent vulnerability at its core in that anybody can turn up at an airport car park with a clipboard and a high-visibility jacket and claim to be a meet and greet company". | He said the sector had an "inherent vulnerability at its core in that anybody can turn up at an airport car park with a clipboard and a high-visibility jacket and claim to be a meet and greet company". |
| "We would really strongly recommend don't always go for the cheapest option on the market, he said. "If it's incredibly cheap there may well be a reason for that." | "We would really strongly recommend don't always go for the cheapest option on the market, he said. "If it's incredibly cheap there may well be a reason for that." |
| The BPA has tried to introduce accreditation but take up has been poor, said Mr Occhipinti, and he called for further government regulation. | The BPA has tried to introduce accreditation but take up has been poor, said Mr Occhipinti, and he called for further government regulation. |
| A government spokesman said: "We are aware of concerns about some 'meet and greet' parking companies at airports. | A government spokesman said: "We are aware of concerns about some 'meet and greet' parking companies at airports. |
| "All privately operated car parks must abide by consumer law, with complaints properly investigated, ensuring fairness and protection for customers." | "All privately operated car parks must abide by consumer law, with complaints properly investigated, ensuring fairness and protection for customers." |
| Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. | Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. |