Most cars come back from airport parking exactly as they went in. When one does not, what happens next depends almost entirely on two moments: the photographs you took when you left it, and what you did before you drove away on the way home. Parking companies generally will not accept a damage claim reported after you have left the car park, and without "before" photographs it is your word against theirs. This guide covers what to record, what to do if you find damage, how to claim, and where to go if the operator says no.
Before you leave the car
Two minutes with your phone settles most arguments before they start:
- Photograph the whole car: all four corners, both sides, the bumpers, the wheels and the roof if you can see it. Your phone records the date and time with each photo.
- Photograph the dashboard, with the mileage and the fuel gauge, especially for Meet & Greet, where someone else drives the car.
- Point out any damage already there to the driver at a Meet & Greet handover, and photograph it close up.
- Take valuables with you. Parking companies generally do not accept responsibility for anything left in the car.
- Keep your confirmation, with the booking reference and the operator's phone number. You will need both if anything goes wrong.
Our guide to what happens to your car with Meet & Greet explains the handover in more detail.
When you collect it: check before you drive away
This is the step that matters most. Under the terms you book with, parking suppliers accept no liability for loss or damage that you do not report before you leave the car park. Once you are on the motorway, it is very hard to show the damage did not happen on the way home.
- Walk round the car before you load the cases. If it is dark, use your phone's torch. Late-night arrivals are when damage is most easily missed.
- Compare the mileage with your photo from the day you left. With Meet & Greet, the car should only have been driven between the handover point and the car park.
- With Meet & Greet, check at the handover point, while the driver is still with you.
If you find damage
- Report it there and then, to the driver, the car park office or the operator's phone number on your confirmation, before you leave.
- Photograph the damage, close up and from a distance, with the car park in the background.
- Ask for a written incident report, and note the names of the staff you spoke to and the time.
- Ask them to keep the CCTV. Footage is not kept for ever, so ask on the day for the recording of your car to be kept.
- If it looks like theft or vandalism, report it to the police, on 101 or online, and keep the crime reference number. Your insurer will ask for it.
Making the claim
Your claim is with the parking operator, which looks after the car and is responsible for it while it is in its care. Parking suppliers generally accept responsibility for their own negligence where it is proven, but not for the acts of third parties. At car parks where you keep your keys, and at on-airport and hotel car parks, cars are usually parked at the owner's risk, so a claim there normally goes through your own insurance unless the operator was at fault.
Put the claim in writing to the operator, and include:
- Your booking reference, the dates and the car's registration.
- Your photographs from the day you left and the day you collected the car.
- The incident report, and the names and times from the day.
- A repair quote, or two if you can, so the amount you ask for is clearly justified.
- What you want them to do, and a date to reply by.
The law is on your side here. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill. Our booking terms set out the parking suppliers' responsibilities.
If you booked through Before You Fly, contact us with your booking reference as well. We do not run the car parks ourselves, but we pass your complaint to the operator and can help if you are getting nowhere. The security FAQs set out the process.
If the operator says no
- Send a "letter before claim". Citizens Advice recommends this formal final letter before any court claim: say what happened, how much you want and how you worked it out, give a deadline, usually 14 days, and say you will go to court if you do not get a reply. Keep a copy and proof of postage.
- Complain to the trade body. If the operator belongs to the British Parking Association, the BPA can look at whether it broke its Code of Practice, once you have been through the operator's own complaints process.
- Make a small claim. In England and Wales, claims of under £10,000 can be made online, through Civil Money Claims or Money Claim Online, without a solicitor. In Scotland, the simple procedure covers claims of £5,000 or less.
Claiming on your own insurance
Your motor insurance continues to cover the car while it is parked, as it would at home. It is often quicker to claim on it, but compare the repair cost with your excess first: Which? notes that for minor damage, where the repair costs about the same as the excess, a claim may not be worth it, especially if it pushes up your premium. Whatever you decide, Which? advises that you still tell your insurer about the incident, as not doing so could breach your policy.
Speeding tickets after Meet & Greet
If a speeding notice arrives for a day your car was parked, the mileage photos are your evidence. The police send the notice to the registered keeper, and you must reply within 28 days with the name of the driver, so do not ignore it. Contact the operator straight away for the name of the driver who had your car, and include the operator's details and your booking confirmation in your reply.
Choosing the right company in the first place makes all of this less likely. Our guide to telling a legitimate parking company covers what to look for.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if my car is damaged in airport parking?
Report it to the operator before you leave the car park, photograph the damage and ask for a written incident report. Then put the claim in writing, with your photos from the day you left and a repair quote. If you booked with Before You Fly, contact us with your booking reference too.
Can I claim for damage I only noticed at home?
It is much harder. Parking suppliers generally accept no liability for damage that was not reported before you left the car park, which is why it is worth checking the car before you drive away, even late at night.
Is the parking company responsible for damage to my car?
For damage caused by its own negligence, such as by its drivers, generally yes, where it can be shown. It is not usually responsible for the acts of third parties, and at car parks where you keep your keys, cars are usually parked at the owner's risk.
Should I claim on my own car insurance?
It can be quicker, but compare the repair cost with your excess and think about the effect on your premium. Either way, tell your insurer about the incident.
Can I take a parking company to the small claims court?
Yes. In England and Wales, claims of under £10,000 can be made online without a solicitor; in Scotland, the simple procedure covers claims of £5,000 or less. Send a letter before claim first, giving the company 14 days to reply.
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