Complaints

Complaints policy

How to make a complaint, how we acknowledge, decide and escalate, and the adjustments we make for vulnerable customers.

Editorial summary

Complaints policy

Last reviewed: 17 May 2026
Reviewer: cheap car tow editorial team
Reading time: ~6 minutes

cheap car tow is a booking and price-publication service. The recovery itself is performed by an independent PAS 43 compliant operator dispatched at the published rate. See terms for the operator-panel arrangement.

Complaints

Complaints policy

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Scope of this policy

This policy applies to complaints about our service: booking experience, dispatch, recovery operator conduct, billing, communication, data handling, and any other aspect of the service we provide. It does not cover complaints that are between you and a third party (your insurer, the council, the police).

Where a complaint about an operator at the scene involves a criminal offence (theft, assault, dangerous driving), call the police on 999 immediately. We will support the police investigation and supply the operator identification and recovery sheet.

Where a complaint involves a vulnerable customer the vulnerable customer policy adjusts the procedure to remove barriers; see the vulnerable customer policy.

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How to make a complaint

By email at claims@cheapcartow.co.uk. By post to the registered office published on the contact page. By phone on the booking number (the dispatcher will log the complaint and assign a reference; a written complaint is still required for a formal decision).

Include: the booking reference, the date and time of the recovery, the operator identification if visible on the recovery sheet, a written summary of the issue, and what outcome you are looking for. Photos and copies of the recovery sheet help.

by the numbers

What we do when we receive a complaint

Acknowledgment inside three business days, in writing, with a complaint reference number and the name of the case handler.

Initial review: we read the recovery sheet, the dispatcher log, the operator's evidence and any photos. Where the operator's evidence is missing or thin we ask them for it inside seven business days.

Decision: a written decision inside 28 business days. Where the case is complex (multi-party, insurer involved) the timeline can extend; we tell you in writing before the 28-day mark.

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Outcomes we can offer

Apology, where the service did not meet the published procedure.

Refund (full or partial), where the band was misapplied or the service was not delivered.

Goodwill payment, where the procedure was met but the experience fell short of the brand standard.

Operator panel review, where the complaint reveals a panel-place issue.

Procedure change, where the complaint reveals a gap in our own process.

in the press

Escalation routes

Where you are not satisfied with our decision the escalation depends on the nature of the complaint. Consumer rights and contractual disputes: Citizens Advice and Trading Standards.

Data protection: the ICO.

Health and safety: the HSE.

Criminal allegations: the police on 999 or 101.

Key takeaway · 06

Records and retention

Complaints are logged with a reference number, the date of receipt, the case handler, the decision and the date of closure. Personal data is held for the retention period set out in the privacy policy (six years for billing-related records, three years for non-billing).

Aggregate complaints data feeds the operator panel review and the annual procedure review. We publish aggregate statistics in the annual transparency report once the report is established.

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Adjustments for vulnerable customers

Where you have a health, cognitive, language or economic vulnerability we adjust the procedure: longer timelines where helpful, an alternative communication channel (post, third-party advocate), or in-person support where it is available.

The vulnerable customer policy explains the adjustments in more detail and the routes to request them.

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Evidence we ask for in a complaint

The complaint case handler reads the recovery sheet, the dispatcher log and any photos before forming a view. To support the case, send the following with the initial complaint email where you have them.

Booking reference from the booking confirmation. Without it the case handler has to search by phone number, which is slower.
Date and approximate time of the recovery. The dispatcher log is indexed by date so the case handler can pull the timeline quickly.
Driver name and the registered keeper name if different. This is needed to verify against the V5C record.
The recovery sheet emailed to you at handover. The sheet records the operator identification, the lift technique, the strap points, and the photos as found and as loaded.
Photos you took at the scene if you have them. Phone photos with the original metadata are most useful because the timestamp and the location are embedded.
Witness statements if a passenger or a passer-by saw the incident.
The agreed quote read out by the dispatcher at booking, with any variation notes added during the recovery.

Where you do not have one or more of these, the case handler still investigates from the records we hold. Missing evidence may slow the case; it does not block it.

by the numbers

Typical outcomes by complaint category

Complaint categories and the typical outcome where the complaint is upheld:

Billing: refund of the disputed amount, plus a goodwill payment where the misapplication was clear from the records. Where the band was applied correctly but the customer was not given enough information at booking, the outcome is usually a procedure change for future bookings rather than a refund.
Operator conduct at the scene: apology, operator panel review for the relevant operator, and where the conduct breached PAS 43 working procedure, removal of the operator from active dispatch pending PAS 43 audit. Where the conduct was criminal (theft, assault, dangerous driving) the matter is reported to the police independent of the complaint.
Vehicle damage in transit: claim routed to the operator's motor trade or goods-in-transit insurance. The recovery sheet records pre-existing damage; new damage is claimed against the operator's policy with us providing the supporting documentation.
Data protection: investigated under the privacy policy. Material breaches are notified to the ICO inside 72 hours where the threshold is met; affected individuals are notified directly where their rights are at high risk.
Accessibility: the barrier is recorded in the accessibility statement's public register and a fix is planned. Interim workaround is offered where possible.

Goodwill payments are case-by-case and are not a formula. They reflect the gap between the published procedure and the customer's experience.

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Financial Ombudsman Service route for insurance disputes

Where the complaint concerns the insurance-paid leg of a recovery (the insurer's claims handling, the credit-hire arrangement, the subrogation back to a third-party insurer) the appropriate external body is the Financial Ombudsman Service. The FOS handles disputes about FCA-regulated insurance products including motor insurance.

The FOS route requires that you have first complained to the insurer directly and received a final response (or eight weeks have passed without a response). We are not the insurer; we cannot escalate to the FOS on your behalf. We can provide the recovery sheet, the VAT invoice and the dispatcher log to support your case.

For non-insurance recovery complaints (the operator panel itself, the dispatch experience, our pricing decisions) the FOS is not the right body. Citizens Advice and Trading Standards cover that ground; the privacy policy covers data-protection complaints to the ICO.

in the press

Audit and continuous improvement

Complaints inform the audit cycle. Operators with material complaints are reviewed before the annual cycle. Procedure changes triggered by complaints are recorded with the change date so they are auditable.

We publish a summary of complaint trends in the annual transparency report; identifiable information is not published.

Key takeaway · 12

Review and change history

First published 2026-05-17. The complaints policy is reviewed every 12 months or sooner if the cited primary source changes. Material changes (new lawful basis, new escalation route, new scope) are added below with a date and a one-line reason. Editorial corrections (typo, broken link) are not logged here; the live page is the source of truth.

If anything in this complaints policy reads as inaccurate, out of date, or unclear, email the editorial team at hello@cheapcartow.co.uk with the page URL and a description of the issue. The editorial team replies inside three business days; a material correction is published with a dated note in this section. External escalation routes (ICO, Trading Standards, Financial Ombudsman Service) apply where the relevant complaint is in scope for the regulator.

Primary sources cited on this page

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

How do I lodge a complaint?

Email claims@cheapcartow.co.uk with the booking reference and a written summary. The complaint is acknowledged inside three business days.

How long do you take to decide?

Final decision inside 28 business days. Where the case is complex (multiple parties, insurance dispute) the timeline can extend; we tell you in writing before the 28-day mark if it is going to extend.

What if I am not satisfied with your decision?

Escalate to the relevant external body: Citizens Advice for consumer-rights disputes, the ICO for data-protection issues, HSE for safety incidents, Trading Standards for commercial-practice complaints.

Will you record the complaint?

Yes; all complaints are logged and used to review the operator panel and our procedure. Identifiable information is held for the retention period set out in the privacy policy.

Can a third party complain on my behalf?

Yes with your written authority. A solicitor, family member or representative can correspond with us provided you have signed an authority letter.

Is there a fee to complain?

No. The complaints procedure is free of charge for the customer.

Need a recovery?

Published price, PAS 43 compliant operator, 24/7 dispatch.

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