Essex County Recovery Bureau Inc.

This is a horrible company and it’s a corrupted with the police department. In the middle of a pandemic and snowstorm they are price gouging their fees. I want to know how I can report them for this poor customer service . Today I had to go to two different lot - my car was under their care for less than an hour and they charged me over $300. I have never experienced such horrible service at a time when we should be supporting one another in this global COVID-19 crisis

When you are dealing with a stressful situation such as an accident and towing of your vehicle it is difficult. When you have to deal with an unhappy and condescending person like Barbara, it is brutal. My interaction with her from beginning to end was frustrating to say the least. Rude treatment and terrible customer service skills. I eventually got Joe, the owner on the phone and got similar treatment. I could live with the fact that the driver hitched my vehicle on his truck the wrong way because it was a mistake and at least he was a nice guy.

Review: Hi,

My Truck was recently towed to ECRB due to an expired registration. When I picked up the truck it would not start. I had asked the person assisting me if they had done anything to the truck or to the ignition as it did not feel right when I put the key in. I was told they don't do anything to the cars when towing I asked him again if he was certain about this as something felt wrong. After paying 40 USD for a jump start I drove my truck home. The ECRB person told me that the battery should be replaced and they happened to sell batteries which felt odd as the battery was 2 years old and I had never had any issue with this before. When I got home I checked my tuck - it would not start - I popped the hood to jump it with my other car and I saw that someone had loosened the screws on connector to both + and - battery terminals. As soon as I tightened these my truck started right up with no need for a jump from my other car.Desired Settlement: I feel that ECRB is responsible for loosening the battery connectors or did not provide adequate security while the vehicle was in their custody and the 40usd paid to jump start the truck should be refunded.

Business

Response:

E.C.R.B. was called by the Bloomfield Police Department to tow a 2003 Ford F-150 which was impounded for expired registration. The vehicle, which was locked, was transported to our storage facility, which is under 24 hour video surveillance and parked. When the customer arrived to retrieve his vehicle, he obviously brought his keys. That is the only time that keys were present and access to the vehicle was possible. Please note, that in order to open the hood of a vehicle, you must first have access to the vehicle itself to release the hood latch. When the customer’s paperwork was complete and he was ready to leave his vehicle did not start. A jump start was required to start the vehicle, a service the company provides for a $40.00 fee. The customer requested that we provide the service. In order for the vehicle to jump start properly, the screws on the battery terminals (that the customer is referring to) wouldhave to be tightened. The terminals were tight and the jump start was successful. At no time, other than at the request of the customer did any representative from E.C.R.B access the area under the hood of his vehicle. E.C.R.B. performs various roadside assistance services jump starts, tire changes……. In conversation, the person providing the jump start stated that the battery’s performance could be a result of the lower temperatures. There are numerous postings in our facility that we have mobile battery service available but at no time did anyone attempt to “sell a battery”.

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because:The technical reason is not as to why the car would not start is not valid. I can easily recreate the conditions when I collected the truck at the yard and start the truck with the battery leads loose. it is possible to open the hood of an f150 without getting inside the cab of the truck. I would expect someone who works in recovery to be aware of this.I also found an ECRB pen on the floor of my truck contradicting ECRB's statement that they never were inside the vehicle.

When you are dealing with a stressful situation such as an accident and towing of your vehicle it is difficult. When you have to deal with an unhappy and condescending person like Barbara, it is brutal. My interaction with her from beginning to end was frustrating to say the least. Rude treatment and terrible customer service skills. I eventually got Joe, the owner on the phone and got similar treatment. I could live with the fact that the driver hitched my vehicle on his truck the wrong way because it was a mistake and at least he was a nice guy.