BIG BEN'S
Towing & Recovery
 07754 984 147

Terms & Conditions

Last updated:

These terms govern the services provided by Big Ben's Towing & Recovery ("we", "us", "our") to you, the customer ("you", "your"). By booking a recovery, transport or scrap collection with us — by phone, online quote, message or in person — you agree to these terms. They are written in plain English and intended to be fair on both sides.

1. About us

Big Ben's Towing & Recovery is a sole trader based in Great Lumley, County Durham, DH3 4HU. We can be contacted on 07754 984 147 or info@bigbenstowingandrecovery.co.uk.

2. Our services

We provide vehicle recovery, transport, breakdown assistance and the purchase of unwanted/end-of-life vehicles, primarily across the North East of England. Long-distance transport jobs are quoted UK-wide.

3. Quotes and pricing

  1. Per-mile rate. Recovery and transport are charged at £1.75 per mile, calculated as the round trip from our base in Great Lumley (DH3 4HU) to the pickup point, on to the drop-off point, and back to base. The total mileage is rounded to the nearest mile.
  2. Online quotes are indicative. Quotes generated by our online tools use estimated road distances and standard assumptions. The final price is confirmed by phone before dispatch and may vary if access, vehicle condition, or routing differs from what was supplied.
  3. Minimum charge. A £40 minimum applies to local jobs. A £30 minimum payout applies to scrap collections, paid even where the recovery cost would otherwise exceed the EMR offer.
  4. Surcharges. Priority/urgent dispatch attracts a 20% uplift. Specialist handling for low-clearance, classic or extensively damaged vehicles attracts a 15% uplift. Bank holidays and overnight long-haul jobs may carry an additional charge — agreed before work starts.
  5. VAT. We are not currently VAT-registered. Prices are inclusive.

4. Booking and confirmation

  1. A booking is confirmed when we agree a price and time with you, in writing or by phone.
  2. For pre-booked transport jobs (auction collections, classics, planned moves) we may ask for a deposit of up to 25% of the agreed price to secure your slot. Deposits are deducted from the final invoice.
  3. You must provide accurate vehicle details — make, model, registration, condition, location, access notes and any modifications affecting recovery (e.g. lowered suspension, locked transmission, EV with no neutral). Charges may increase if the vehicle materially differs from what you described.

5. Payment

  1. Payment is due on completion of the job, by card (in person or by phone link), bank transfer or cash.
  2. Card payments are processed by Stripe. We never see or store your full card details.
  3. If the agreed price has not been paid within 7 days of completion, we reserve the right to charge interest at 4% above the Bank of England base rate, accruing daily, in line with the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 where applicable.

6. Cancellations and missed appointments

  1. You can cancel a booking free of charge up to the point our driver is dispatched.
  2. If our driver has already been dispatched, a cancellation fee may apply equal to the mileage already incurred at £1.75/mile, plus a £25 wasted-trip charge.
  3. If the vehicle is not at the agreed location, the keys are not available, or no one is on site to authorise the recovery, we treat this as a missed appointment and the cancellation terms above apply.
  4. Pre-booked transport deposits are non-refundable if cancelled within 24 hours of the agreed pickup time, unless we can re-let the slot.

7. Your obligations

  1. You confirm that you are the legal owner of the vehicle, or are authorised by the owner to instruct its recovery, transport or disposal.
  2. You must remove all personal property from the vehicle before collection. We do not accept liability for items left inside.
  3. You must ensure the vehicle is in a state we can safely recover — handbrake released or accessible, in neutral if possible, no fluids leaking onto the public highway. We will use reasonable judgement and equipment to recover vehicles that are not.
  4. You must disclose any hazardous condition: fire damage, leaking battery, damaged fuel tank, structural failure. Failure to disclose may result in additional charges or refusal of service.

8. Our liability and insurance

  1. We carry goods-in-transit and public liability insurance. Your vehicle is covered from the moment it is loaded onto our flatbed until it is unloaded at the agreed destination.
  2. We will use reasonable skill and care in performing every job. Where damage is caused by our negligence, we will put it right or compensate you up to the limits of our insurance.
  3. We are not liable for: (a) pre-existing damage; (b) damage to vehicles that were already structurally compromised before we attended; (c) damage caused by a hazardous condition you failed to disclose; (d) loss of items left inside the vehicle; (e) consequential losses such as loss of use, missed appointments, or rental car costs.
  4. Our total liability for any single job is capped at the replacement value of the vehicle as evidenced by Glass's Guide or equivalent at the date of the job.
  5. Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for any other liability that cannot lawfully be limited.

9. Storage of vehicles in our care

  1. Vehicles delivered to a destination of your choice are deemed accepted on arrival. If no one is present to accept, we will leave the vehicle at the agreed address using reasonable judgement.
  2. If we agree to hold a vehicle at our depot, the first 24 hours are free of charge. After that, storage is charged at £20 per day (calendar days, including weekends).
  3. Vehicles unclaimed for more than 28 days, despite reasonable attempts to contact you, may be disposed of under the Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977. We will give written notice before disposal and any net proceeds (less storage and disposal costs) will be held for you for 6 years.

10. Scrap and end-of-life vehicles

  1. Scrap offers are indicative and based on EMR Sunderland's published scrap rate at the time of quoting. The final offer is confirmed when we have seen the vehicle.
  2. You must hold the V5C (logbook) or be able to prove ownership. We will notify the DVLA on your behalf and supply a Certificate of Destruction once issued by EMR.
  3. Cars without a V5C may still be accepted at our discretion, with appropriate identity checks. The price may be reduced.
  4. Once the vehicle is loaded for scrapping, you may not change your mind — the DVLA notification is irrevocable.

11. Things outside our control (force majeure)

We will not be liable for delays or failures caused by events outside our reasonable control: severe weather, road closures, traffic incidents, vehicle breakdown of our recovery truck, or acts of public authority. We will keep you informed and offer to reschedule at no extra cost.

12. Data protection

We process your personal data in line with the UK GDPR and our Privacy Policy. The lawful bases we rely on are contract performance (to deliver the recovery), legitimate interests (to follow up on enquiries and quotes), and legal obligation (to notify the DVLA on scrap collections).

13. Complaints

If something has gone wrong, please tell us — we'd rather sort it directly. Email info@bigbenstowingandrecovery.co.uk or call 07754 984 147 within 14 days of the job. We aim to acknowledge complaints within 2 working days and resolve them within 14 days.

14. Governing law

These terms and any dispute arising from them are governed by the law of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction.

15. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. The version that applies to your job is the version published on this page on the date of your booking.

These terms are written to be fair to both sides. If any single clause is unenforceable, the rest still apply. If anything in here is unclear, just ask — we'd rather explain than argue.

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