TRADING standards are warning holidaymakers to be on their guard when booking airport parking following a number of recent high profile cases involving scam parking businesses.
The innocent victims in these cases had paid for a ‘meet and greet’ service with the promise of parking at a ‘secure’ facility, however on returning from holiday the owners have found their cars covered in mud after they had been parked in fields, on residential streets or even with parking tickets after the cars had been abandoned in pub car parks.
Councillor Andy Crump, portfolio holder for Community Safety at Warwickshire County Council said: “When you book car parking ahead of your summer holiday your thoughts are often on the beach or the bars.
“Parking at airports can look expensive and there may be the temptation to look for a bargain to ensure a bit of extra spending money.
“In these circumstances it is easy to let your guard down and fail to make proper checks to confirm that you car will be safe and secure when you are away.”
He added that using secure airport parking will mean your car is being looked after, even when you are thousands of miles away and will give peace of mind.
Trading standards say:
When booking a holiday, including airport parking, Warwickshire Trading Standards are advising consumers to follow their top tips:
• When booking airport parking, use a reputable company. Start your search on the official Airport website and use a company that is a car parking trade association member. Pre-book your space and don’t leave valuables in your vehicle.
There is more holiday advice available from www.which.co.uk , www.gov.uk , www.moneysavingexpert.com
If you think you may have fallen victim to an airport parking scam or you require consumer advice about a holiday that has gone wrong, contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506.
