Not upheld: inadequate roadside repair service / engineer competency complaint against Inter Partner Assistance SA

Decision detail

Summary

Mr M complained that Inter Partner's approved engineer failed to complete satisfactory repairs at the roadside when his car's power steering made a grinding noise. The engineer found the power steering fluid empty, deemed the car unsafe to drive, and offered recovery which Mr M declined. Mr M later had the car repaired by his own garage for a loose screw and fluid top-up, and questioned the engineer's competency. The ombudsman found the engineer's diagnosis was sound, that it was reasonable to ask for component locations, and that steering repairs cannot be safely performed at roadside. The complaint was not upheld as Inter Partner acted in line with policy terms.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found it reasonable that a roadside engineer would not know the exact location of every component on every car model and that asking the driver was a practical approach. The engineer's diagnosis of the power steering issue was confirmed by Mr M's own garage, demonstrating competency. Steering system repairs cannot be safely performed at roadside, and steering fluid is not carried as standard, so roadside repair was not possible. Inter Partner acted in line with policy terms by conducting an inspection and offering recovery.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website