Posted by
FlowerPot
13 yrs ago
Handed our Fiat manual transmission right in the main entrance of the hotel for dinner (a top hotel on HK Island-Admiralty) last Sat.
1.5 hrs later (we hv not yet finished our dinner), a duty manager came with a parking attendant, saying that they are not too experience on how to drive our car and ask for our help to re-park it.
When my husband went down, our car was in one of the parking slot indicated that they had parked our car there safely earlier and now wish to re-park it somewhere but in vain. At that moment, my husband found the gear stick was loose, apparently it was being broken.
Now 2 days later, a Director of Rooms contacted us on phone that they held no responsibility cos our Fiat was 13 years' history and the parts cld be faulty anyway and easily be broken.
In hearing that, we found this being totally unreasonable especially when she mentioned the hotel had a disclaimer in not holding any responsibility for car damages happened in their hotel.
Their investigation/verbal report is as simple as this.
Do I have a claim and should I file a claim now?
We have been using all manual transmission car in our life MG, Fiat x 2, VW x 2 & BSA with due care. Is there proper justice to protect us being customer of a hotel?
Is there anyone here can share their experience is highly appreciated.
Our garage has already made a quotation of $4000 for the maintenance though it's not a big money but is there proper justice to protect us?
Can a big hotel evade responsibility as simple as this?
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I refuse to rest in peace in this issue.
Quite persistent to pursue for fair & just.
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Interesting enough.
So many intelligent ppl came viewing but left no comments?
Should i consider to file a criminal offence & immediate arrest for an urgent attention ?
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Hi FlowerPot
Obviously you are upset by this situation. Have you tried communicating with anyone else at the Hotel other than the Director of Rooms? What about the Hotel Manager?Perhaps keep taking it up the ranks until someone listens, or if an international Hotel chain report to head-office. Might be best to put your concerns in writing/email and re-read to make sure before you send that you are being clear, stating the facts, asking for a reputable Hotel chain to take the claim seriously and come to some reasonable resolution.
Agree sometimes these things are not about the money, but about what is fair & just as you stated. Try to be calm but rational, let them know you will continue to peruse the matter until they take it seriously or at least some offer of a resolution, perhaps negotiate going halves in the cost?
Good luck.
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Dear Dear cellardoor,
Thank you thank you so much for your advice.
You're so very kind. Are you the guarding angel that came rescue me all the time? I am so lucky.
I post here is to make a record and share my experience on hotel valet service damages cars - to see how dark/ugly when things happened & becomes so sour that astonished me and my friends.
To foot the $5000 bill is not a problem but do not wish to be a bystander to see the bullying or negligence and the irrespectful demonstrated by judging the car you are driving.
We did strive an effort to foster the heritage and all our life is driving manual transmission MGB (43 years old now), 2 x VW, 2 x Fiat, BSA, mini etc... all of them are working sound and it’s totally difficult to explain to all of those who indicated they’ve no knowledge of manual transmission including their garage, simply by judging the age and the type of car whether it stands out or not. We are not the type that need to drive a Ferrari to make us stand out. It’s just like Warren Buffett vs Bill Gates (in terms of how they live life, does it necessary to be stand out – what’s wrong with simple & basic) or my mechanic “Rolex watch” running for 30 years on now w/o necessary maintenance vs a modern “Swatch”? What is the problem of the age problem for the blame?
The point is that they kept repeating the same assumption "parts ageing" and confirm they holds no responsibility after so many days w/o sending a mechanic to identify or inspect the broken parts as my garage photographed that the broken bush part is an unusual break by force.
I want to see where is the reasonableness lies?
So so grateful for your kind attention!!!
Dont worry, I am a peaceful person and always keep the negative energy far far away from me - Life is short!
I send you a copy of my letter to the hotel already and a copy to you :)
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Hello FlowerPot
You are very welcome! Happy to have helped and have seen your PM and letter to the Hotel (excellently worded by the way! I'm sure they will now start to take you seriously).
I agree that sometimes it is worth fighting for what is right and just and you are entitled to ask for a fair and reasonable outcome. The handling of your case by this reputable Hotel was/is completely unacceptable, hence my suggestion of putting it in writing and taking the matter further with more senior people within the company until the matter is resolved.
Please feel free to PM me again once you receive their reply and if there is anything else I can do to help.
Good on you for standing up for what is right! Good luck with resolving this matter quickly, and with a fair outcome.
Take care.
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Cellardoor,
Thank you so very much for your kind kind offer.
You make my days Shinny !
So grateful.
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FlowerPot,
Surely after the gearbox was damaged you could not move the car from the hotel without getting it towed away? And surely the car was not towed there when you first arrived.. in which case can there be any doubt that the damage occcured at the hotel by their staff after they had parked the car for you??
I feel sorry for your situation, and completley understand how you feel having also experienced these kinds of negligent tactics. Writing letters and being polite does not work. Making lots of noise, and giving them bad publicity always manages to get their attention and a resolution.
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Dear Rob,
When we handed the key to them what happened afterward were all hidden not until I went there called for a duty manager and requested the presence of a police for proper documentation.
Then I know fm the Alibi that 2 ppl had driven my car fm Hotel to the Government ofc bldg for the parking & they found couldnt manage well how to drive our car then, drove back to hotel found us and ask for help when we were still eating. But, when we got on the car the gear stick was completely loose.
Let's see how it goes. Dont worry & let's stay calm.
There's always setbacks, it's a test on how both parties response to it. Luck is random. So let's wait & see.
Sure we all know that most big firms not only have inhouse legal but also security consultant recruited from retired police force to work for them.
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Dear all,
Thank you. We've arrived a peaceful settlement this Monday.
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Hello FlowerPot
So happy to hear of your successful outcome! Always best to try and resolve things amicably first and give the other person the opportunity to respond (unlike advice from Rob, going straight for bad publicity and acting like a loony is unlikely to get a good response).
Think we can all learn something from how you have approached this situation - stood up for what is right and just, reported the situation, wrote a letter with the facts to management and gave them the opportunity to respond - which they did, and hence your 'peaceful settlement'. Pleased to hear the reputable Hotel firm have also done the right thing and thus can retain their reputation as reputable.
Well done!
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Tks Cellardoor :)
Yes, a loving relationship is the foundation of who we are.
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Making noise equates to acting like a looney?? haha.. I guess someone didnt read the opening post carefully... ANyway, glad to hear of the positive outcome Flowerpot.
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would appreciate if the OP can share what was the resolution finally
did the hotel accept liability and paid or some other resolution ?
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Well, have made known to everyone that there's a case and it depends on how you fight for it.
Dont think it's appropriate to embarrass another party here further with great details as i do admire/respect their quick responses in resolving the dispute. (What I have done is basically recorded herein already)
However, i did readily submitted to Cellar Door on action I had taken and the respective reply cos he's so willing/sincere in giving helps unconditionally. Grateful for the generosity.
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When we picked up our Fiat (repaired) from the Garage last evening, garage man told us that the Alpha Romeo parked behind us was having the same issue as we did. Sigh!
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