Tony Hetherington is the Financial Mail on Sunday’s top researcher, taking on readers’ corners, uncovering the truth that lies behind closed doors and delivering victories for those left out of pocket. Below you can read how you can contact him.
CG writes: My wife’s BMW was hit outside my daughter’s house by an Uber Eats delivery person on a motorcycle.
He caused an estimated £1,000 worth of damage but merely shouted ‘Sorry Boss’ and sped away.
I wrote to the CEO of Uber Eats, but the only response I got was a phone call telling me that the company had five delivery drivers in the area at the time, but couldn’t do anything to help me due to ‘privacy’ issues.
Tony Hetherington replies: You wrote to Uber Eats boss Matthew Price and gave him the date, time and exact location of the collision. You actually saw the collision and recognized it was an Uber Eats motorcyclist.
Price didn’t respond, but Uber Eats called you to explain that its delivery drivers had a right to their privacy. This was followed by another call when you were told that for privacy reasons the company could not give you the details of which member of staff was in your daughter’s traffic, implying that the person had been identified.
Uber Eats failed to track down the rider who damaged a BMW car
I brought this all up to Uber Eats and the company contacted you and said it would work with the police if you provided a crime number.
But of course the police couldn’t even start an investigation, because you didn’t have a license plate of the motorcyclist who disappeared in the distance.
It was virtually impossible to get a comment from Uber Eats. A spokesperson said they would call me, but that didn’t happen, and emails went unanswered.
Despite the fact that the company told you that there were five delivery drivers in the area when your wife’s car was hit, the company finally issued the following statement: The team of specialists from ‘Uber Eats’ thoroughly investigated this incident and “There is no indication that any courier was active on the Uber Eats platform at the time of the incident.”
So there you have it. Five couriers in the area, one courier on that road, and now none.
Uber Eats, this leaves a very bad taste in the mouth.
Centurion defeats a retreat to Dubai
Mrs VK writes: Early this year I contacted Centurion Estate Planning Group Ltd to arrange a durable power of attorney.
Their representative came to my home, explained everything to me and my partner, and we paid £900.
However, I have not received anything. I’m retired so I can’t afford to lose £900.
Disappearance act: CEPG director Daniel Grant appears to have disappeared from view, with one of his contacts suggesting he was in Dubai
Tony Hetherington replies: Centurion Estate Planning Group (CEPG) advertised its services, including drafting wills, trust deeds, power of attorney documents and home protection plans.
What do these all have in common? Anyone can do this job – no qualifications are required.
You may have been misled by the use of the logo of the Society of Will Writers in Chichester, with the reassuring motto: ‘Safe to do business with.’ Only CEPG had no right to use the logo and I found a County Court judgment against it in August, followed by a High Court order for the company to be wound up.
CEPG had two directors. The man in charge at Chichester was Daniel Grant. He was behind no fewer than 33 companies, at least three of which have a court ruling against them. I would have liked to have a quick chat, but he seems to have disappeared from view, with one of his contacts suggesting he was in Dubai.
CEPG’s website is still live and still displays the logo of the Society of Will Writers, which sets industry standards. It told me that CEPG’s other director, Peter Maughan, used to be among its members. Society director Anthony Belcher said: “Peter was registered with us for the company and was due to renew in April. However, he didn’t do that, so his membership stopped.’
Maughan quit as director of CEPG in May, and I was surprised to discover that he is both a lawyer and a Lib Dem member of Gateshead Council. What on earth was a lawyer doing who lent his name to a dodgy company like CEPG?
He told me he did it “as a favor to a friend” involved with CEPG. He added: “I went down as a non-executive director. I had no shares in it.’
Maughan said he forgot he was a director until his professional indemnity insurance came up for renewal. He explained: ‘The premium was increased enormously, and this was because I resigned as director of Centurion.’
In short, the insurance company smelled a rat in Chichester.
Maughan added: ‘I had no idea of the state of the company – I am shocked and appalled that my name is being associated with this.’
Where does this leave you? CEPG is in liquidation and I think there is as good a chance of there being £900 left in the account as there is a white Christmas in Dubai.
But there is a silver lining: I have found someone who will finish the work CEPG started at no cost. Let me know how it turns out.
If you believe you have been a victim of financial misconduct, please write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Due to the large number of questions, personal answers cannot be given. Only send copies of original documents. Unfortunately, these cannot be returned.
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