HOW TO HIRE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT

How to hire a vehicle recovery operator in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

Agree the price before the truck sets off. Here is what to ask and what to check.

  • Search and compare — no account needed
  • Nearest to you first
  • One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews

THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a vehicle recovery operator in five steps

  1. Get safe firstOff the carriageway and away from traffic.
  2. Give exact detailsLocation, vehicle, fault, passengers.
  3. Agree the price on the phoneCall-out, tow, distance and any extras.
  4. Agree the destinationYour garage, home or their yard — and storage charges.
  5. Get a receiptWith the business name and the agreed price.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

No licence or register applies to vehicle recovery operators as a service in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires the service to be carried out with reasonable care and skill, and if no price was agreed you need only pay a reasonable one.

Agree the price, the destination and any storage charge before the truck sets off. citizensadvice.org.uk →

Insurance

There is no compulsory insurance for a vehicle recovery operator. A professional carries cover for customers' cars and public liability, and will name the insurer if asked.

Ask to see the insurance certificate before the first booking.

Trader status and a written price

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 protects you when you deal with a trader: the vehicle recovery operator must work with reasonable care and skill, and you can ask for poor work to be redone or the price reduced. Agree what is included in writing.

Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile and keep the quote message. legislation.gov.uk →

VAT

Recovery and towing are standard-rated at 20%. Among vehicle recovery operators, any with taxable turnover above £90,000 must be registered, add the VAT and show it apart from the net figure.

Ask the recovery firm for its VAT number and whether the price includes the 20%. gov.uk →

“What is the total price for the vehicle recovery?”

A good answer: Call-out and tow in one figure, before setting off.

“Where will you take the car?”

A good answer: Your chosen destination, not their yard by default.

“Is there a storage charge if it goes to your yard?”

A good answer: Stated per day.

“Can you carry passengers?”

A good answer: How many, so nobody is stranded.

“Will the recovery operator try a roadside fix first?”

A good answer: If possible, with the price.

“Is the vehicle insured while on your truck?”

A good answer: Yes, with goods in transit cover.

“How long until the recovery truck arrives?”

A good answer: An honest estimate.

Getting the quote right

  • Call-out and tow price
  • Destination and distance
  • Storage charges
  • The recovery firm's VAT number, with VAT under tow and storage
  • Passengers carried
  • Who actually attends with the truck, and whether the driver is employed or subcontracted

Walk away if

  • No price until the car is on the truck
  • The car taken to their yard against your wishes
  • Daily storage charges not mentioned
  • Cash only, no receipt
LOW
£40
TYPICAL
£137
HIGH
£300

What a vehicle recovery operator costs: £40–£300 per callout

Vehicle recovery is priced per call-out — distance, time of day and vehicle size — with storage at the yard charged separately. Vehicle Recovery & Breakdown price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Vehicle recovery operators near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. CallLocation and price agreed.
  2. ArriveScene made safe.
  3. AssessRoadside fix tried if possible.
  4. LoadCar secured on the truck.
  5. DeliverTaken to the agreed destination; receipt given.

Flatbed
A truck that carries the whole car on its bed.
Spec lift
Towing with the front or rear wheels lifted.
Roadside repair
A fix at the scene to get you moving.
Storage
Daily charge for keeping the car at the yard.
Goods in transit cover
Insurance for the vehicle while carried.
Call-out fee
The charge for attending.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the receiptBusiness name, price and destination.
Check the car on arrivalNote any damage from loading.
Collect promptlyTo avoid storage charges.
Tell others how it wentA short, specific review is the most useful kind. If it went wrong, the make-it-right step comes first.

STEP 1Tell the operator, in writingDescribe the problem — damage, overcharging, delay — and what you want. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the service must be done with reasonable care and skill.
STEP 2Make-it-right, then reviewA rating below four stars for this vehicle recovery operator opens the make-it-right step: you choose whether the operator hears about it first, we chase it, and the review follows.
STEP 3The Motor Ombudsman or Trading StandardsIf the operator is accredited to The Motor Ombudsman, it can decide the dispute once the business has had eight weeks to reply. If not, take the vehicle recovery operator complaint to the consumer helpline, which can pass it to Trading Standards: Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, and Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4The court, as a last stepFor a vehicle recovery operator dispute that will not settle, the small claims route covers up to £10,000 in England and Wales, up to £5,000 in Scotland and up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland; the court fee depends on the amount claimed.

Hiring a vehicle recovery operator: questions people ask

No licence applies to providing recovery as a service in any UK nation. Agree the price before the truck sets off.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you need pay only a reasonable price.

A receipt with the business name, price and destination.

Most people pay between £40 and £300 per callout; £137 is the typical figure. The vehicle recovery & breakdown price guide shows what changes it, and a search above lists vehicle recovery operators nearby.

Only if you agree. Say where it goes and ask about storage.

Note it, photograph it and tell the operator in writing. The service must be done with reasonable care and skill.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in vehicles & transport

How to hire: Mobile MechanicHow to hire: Mobile Tyre FittingHow to hire: Tyre RepairHow to hire: Car Battery ReplacementHow to hire: Car DiagnosticsHow to hire: Engine RepairHow to hire: Car ServicingHow to hire: Airport TransferAll 701 hiring guides →

Vehicle recovery operators near you

Vehicle recovery operators in LondonVehicle recovery operators in ManchesterVehicle recovery operators in BirminghamVehicle recovery operators in GlasgowVehicle recovery operators in BelfastAll vehicle recovery operators on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Citizens Advice — problems with a car repair
  2. The Motor Ombudsman — Garage Finder
  3. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  4. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  5. mygov.scot — make a court claim for money
  6. nidirect — small claims process
  7. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  8. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register