DPD apology after delivery van hits man's car

Delivery firm DPD has apologised after a man's car was struck by a delivery van which reversed into his parked car in front of his house.

Joshua Durant, from Rainworth in Nottinghamshire, said he had been unable to make an insurance claim because he could not see the van's number plate in a neighbour's doorbell footage.

"I've got a massive dent above the wheel arch, and then my door has got massive dents, loads of scrapes... I'm pretty sure it's going to write off my car," he said.

In response, DPD said it apologised "wholeheartedly" for the inconvenience and delay in resolving the issue, adding the driver was from an external courier company that had taken on some of its deliveries.

Mr Durant said he had contacted Nottinghamshire Police, but was told officers could not investigate the crash, on 16 November, as he did not have the van's number plate details.

The 22-year-old said he had purchased the black Seat Ibiza for £5,600, although added it had depreciated in value since then.

However - because of a recent house move and bills - he said he would not have the money to repurchase a car of similar value.

"It's my first car as well," he said. "Literally about a couple of weeks ago I was saying to my partner how I don't want to get rid of it because I love it."

Mr Durant said he was confused by how the crash happened.

"When I saw where he started reversing, he was so far away from my car," he said.

"I think if you had your eye closed and did it, I don't think you'd be able to recreate it, that's how far away my car was."

He said it had been frustrating trying to get it sorted with DPD, which he added took days to reply to his initial complaint, submitted a day after on 17 November.

"What I'd want is just for them to do the right thing, to tell me the number plate, and then just go through the proper way," he said.

"Just like you would if the driver had knocked on my door, apologised, and said 'sorry, here's my insurance details'.

"I think it's appalling. I'm sat in the dark waiting for DPD with a broken car."

Mr Durant added: "I don't have a spare £5,600 lying around. I should definitely have had an answer by now."

A DPD spokesperson said on the day, its regular DPD driver and van were not on duty, and that the depot had outsourced a "small number of deliveries" to an external courier.

"As a result, they [the depot] weren't made aware of the incident at the time.

"However, we have been able to identify the vehicle and firm involved, and therefore the insurance claim can now be resolved.

"We apologise wholeheartedly to Mr Durant for the inconvenience caused by this incident and the subsequent delay in resolving the claim," the spokesperson added.

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