Formal Complaint Regarding Unauthorized and Substandard Repairs on My Vehicle

Dear Absa Insurance Representative

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding the handling of my vehicle repair (Policy Number: ***, Claim Number: *** by Auto Body Works panel beaters, which was arranged through Absa insurance

On Thursday, August 29th, I received a notification that my car was ready for collection. However, upon arriving on Friday, August 30th, I found that the paintwork on the fender, side skirt, edges, door was of extremely poor quality, and the repairs were incomplete. I immediately informed Beverly, your courtesy car consultant, who communicated with you regarding extending my rental car due to the delay.

On Monday, September 2nd, after confirming that the vehicle was ready for collection, I traveled to the repair facility once again. To my dismay, some of the defects identified on Friday remained unresolved, and, additionally, the front bumper had been resprayed with poor workmanship. This respray was unauthorized and not part of the original insurance claim. Such unauthorized and substandard work raises serious concerns about the quality control measures in place and your partnership with service providers who fail to meet basic professional standards.

Moreover, I have incurred personal costs due to these repeated trips. On August 30th, I traveled 60 kilometers (round trip) to collect my vehicle, only to find it was not ready. Again, on September 2nd, I made another 60-kilometer trip, resulting in a total of 120 kilometers driven at my own expense. This situation is not only inconvenient but also financially burdensome.

As per my understanding, my rights as a consumer under the South African (Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008) entitle me to receive services that are carried out with reasonable care and skill (Section 54). Additionally, as a consumer, I am protected against being charged for services that I did not authorize (Section 17). The insurer, under the terms of our agreement, is obligated to ensure that any repairs facilitated through their services meet a certain standard of quality and are confined strictly to the scope of the claim unless explicitly authorized otherwise.

Given these circumstances, I am requesting the following actions:

1,Immediate inspection of my vehicle by an independent assessor, appointed by Absa insurance, to evaluate the unauthorized and substandard work.

2,Rectification of the unauthorized and substandard paintwork at no additional cost to me, carried out by a repair facility of my choice or another repairer approved by Absa insurance, ensuring that the workmanship meets professional standards.

3.A formal explanation regarding how unauthorized work was performed on my vehicle and the steps that will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.

3.Compensation for the inconvenience and potential loss of value to my vehicle due to the substandard repairs, as well as reimbur*****t for the travel costs, I have incurred.How do I resell such a vehicle with false signs of front accidental repairs? 4,An extension of the courtesy car rental at no cost, as the delay in completing the repairs is entirely due to factors beyond my control more especially if 30days rental car elapses. Please treat this matter with the utmost urgency. If I do not receive a satisfactory response within 3 business days, I will have no choice but to escalate this matter to the relevant ombudsman and pursue legal action under the Consumer Protection Act.

I do have photos documenting the defects found today of the resprayed full bumper which I have emailled to my assesor Shane Davies and Elisabeth Mokone Claims consultant, unfortunately defects found on the 30th of August were not taken in the paintwork for your reference.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter. I look forward to your prompt and satisfactory resolution.

Yours sincerely,

Todani Khaphathe ***