How Booking Works
Snap arranges car recovery through independent operators. You send one request, we check prices and availability, and you get one quote before you decide. This page sets out each step, from your request to paying the operator, and what happens if plans change.
- 1.Send your request. Your reg, where the car is, where it needs to go, and what's happened.
- 2.We check prices and availability. We assess the job and ask suitable operators covering the area.
- 3.You get one quote. The total for the job, with our booking fee and the operator's charge shown separately.
- 4.Accept, then pay the booking fee. By bank transfer, using the details on your tracking page.
- 5.We assign the operator. You get their details and an estimated arrival time by SMS or WhatsApp, and you pay the operator when the job is done.
Asking for a quote does not book the job.
Send a request 24/7; requests are handled round the clock. Or call 078 3333 9309, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.
If anyone is hurt, there's a fire, or you're in danger, call 999 first. Snap is not an emergency service. On a motorway, move to the left if you can, get out on the side away from traffic if it's safe, and get behind the barrier. If you can't get out safely, stay in the car with your seatbelt and hazard lights on, and call 999.
Booking recovery, step by step
1. Send your request
Enter your registration and we pull the vehicle details from the DVLA. Check they're for the right car, because your quote is built on the vehicle you tell us about. Then tell us:
- what has happened, and when you need the car moved: as soon as possible, on or by a specific date, or "I'm flexible"
- where the car is now, and where it needs to go
- how many passengers are with it
- the car's condition: whether it won't start or won't roll, the wheels or steering are locked, the handbrake is stuck, it's an automatic, it's in a car park or underground, or the keys aren't available
- photos, if you can take them, and any notes
- your name, your mobile number, and whether you'd like messages by SMS or WhatsApp
You can request a quote for towing and recovery, breakdown assistance, accident recovery or a jump start. If you only want to know what a job would cost, choose "Just checking the cost".
2. We check prices and availability
We assess what the job needs: the vehicle, its condition, access, and the distance to the drop-off. Then we contact suitable operators covering your area and get their prices and availability. Your tracking page shows that we're still finding an operator while we work on it.
3. You get one quote
You get one quote: the total for the job, with our booking fee and the operator's charge shown separately.
Sending a request isn't a booking, and it commits neither you nor us. Nothing is booked until you accept. With the quote in front of you, you can accept it, turn it down at no cost, or ask us to go back and look for another. A quote is valid for a limited period, and it depends on an operator still being available when you accept.
4. Accept, then pay the booking fee
Once you accept, you pay our booking fee by bank transfer, using the bank details on your tracking page. You get a receipt for your booking fee.
5. We assign the operator
When an operator is assigned, you get their details and an estimated arrival time by SMS or WhatsApp, and your tracking page shows that the job has an operator. The arrival time is an estimate given in good faith, not a guarantee: traffic, weather and demand can change it.
An independent operator carries out the recovery, and your contract for that work is with them. When the job is done, you pay the operator's charge directly, by whatever method they accept. We keep you updated until the job is finished. When operators join, they confirm their licensing and insurance, and we check their insurance cover, including cover for your car while they have it. You can read what we check, and what to check when they arrive.
What your quote includes, and when it can change
| Part of the quote | What it pays for | Who you pay, and when |
|---|---|---|
| Booking fee | Our charge for arranging the job | Snap, by bank transfer, after you accept |
| Operator's charge | The recovery itself | The operator, directly, when the job is done |
Your quote depends on the pickup and drop-off, the car's condition, access and operator availability. You see the total for your job before you accept.
The total you're shown is the total you pay, with no hidden charges, unless the job turns out different from the details you gave us. Then the price may change, or the operator may not be able to do the job. The reasons are:
- a different vehicle from the one in the request
- a place the truck can't get to
- a car that won't roll or steer, when the request didn't say so
- extra weight, or a load on board
For indicative ranges and the things that affect them, see our guide to car recovery costs.
Paying the booking fee by bank transfer
It's sensible to be careful about paying someone new by bank transfer. Here is what you're agreeing to before any money moves:
- Asking for a quote costs nothing.
- You don't pay for the whole job up front. You pay our booking fee after you've seen and accepted your quote. The operator is paid when the job is done, and we don't hold that money.
- You get a receipt for the booking fee you pay.
- Talk to us first if you want to. Call 078 3333 9309, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.
We don't take card payments on this website and we don't ask for your card details. If anyone claiming to be from Snap asks you for card or PIN details, don't give them, and report it to us.
Cancelling and refunds
What happens to your booking fee depends on how far the job has got when you cancel.
| When you cancel | What happens to the booking fee |
|---|---|
| Within 15 minutes of confirming, or before an operator is assigned (whichever comes first) | Refunded in full. No reason needed |
| An operator is assigned but hasn't set off | Half is kept. The operator doesn't normally charge at this stage |
| The operator is on the way or has arrived | The full booking fee is kept. The operator may also charge a call-out fee under their own terms, and we tell you what it is before we process the cancellation |
How to cancel
Call 078 3333 9309 (recommended for an urgent job), reply to your booking message on WhatsApp or SMS, or email info@snapcarrecovery.co.uk. A cancellation counts from when we receive it, so tell us as soon as you know, including when the car starts again. We confirm the cancellation, and any charges, by phone or message.
Your tracking page shows whether we're still finding an operator or one has been assigned. If you're not sure which stage your job has reached, call before you cancel and we'll tell you.
Refunds
To ask for a refund, email info@snapcarrecovery.co.uk within 14 days of the date the job was booked for, with your reference number, the reason, and anything that supports it. We reply within 5 business days. Approved refunds go back by bank transfer to the account you paid from, within 7 to 10 business days, and we confirm once it's done.
If you're not there when the operator arrives
If you aren't at the agreed place and haven't cancelled, the booking fee is kept, and the operator may charge their full fee or a cancellation penalty. That applies even when the operator turned up but couldn't do the job because you weren't there.
If the operator cancels
Availability is checked before we send your quote. If an assigned operator later cancels, we try to find another straight away. If we can't, the booking fee is refunded in full.
If a replacement operator costs more, you're shown the new price first. You can accept it, decline it and get the booking fee refunded in full, or accept it and ask our team for a refund of the difference, which is handled by phone, WhatsApp or email.
Your statutory right to cancel, in plain words
Because you book online, by phone or by message rather than face to face, your booking is a distance contract. The law normally gives you 14 days to cancel a contract like that.
When you confirm a booking, you're asking us to start arranging your recovery straight away, inside those 14 days. That has two effects:
- once the recovery has been fully carried out, you can no longer cancel under those rules
- if you cancel before the recovery is finished, you still can, but we may charge for the work already done, using the stages in the cancellation table above
So the 14 days don't mean you can have the booking fee back at any point within them. If you don't want us to start arranging your recovery straight away, tell us before you confirm, and we'll arrange a date for it instead. Nothing here takes away your statutory rights, and the full wording is in our terms.
Booking a planned move for a later date
A recovery doesn't have to be today. If the car is at home or waiting for a garage slot, choose "On or by a specific date" in the quote form and pick the day from the calendar, or choose "I'm flexible" if the timing is open. Give the pickup and drop-off as you would for a same-day job, and check the destination can accept the car on that day.
Planned bookings have their own cancellation rules, set out in our terms.
If something goes wrong
Email info@snapcarrecovery.co.uk or call 078 3333 9309 with your reference number and what happened. We:
- acknowledge a complaint within 1 business day
- give a first response within 3 business days
- resolve it within 5 to 10 business days, depending on how complex it is
If the complaint is about the recovery work rather than how we arranged it, we'll help you raise it with the operator and mediate where we can. The claim itself is against the operator.
The operator's charge is paid to the operator, so a refund or dispute about that charge is between you and them. We'll help put you in touch, and operators run their own refund and cancellation policies. Our contact details are on the contact page.
Questions about booking, paying and cancelling
Can I pay by card?
No. We don't take card payments on this website. You pay the booking fee by bank transfer, using the details on your tracking page, and you pay the operator's charge to the operator when the job is done, by whatever method they accept.
Can I choose which operator does the job?
No. We contact suitable operators covering your area and send you one quote. If that quote doesn't suit you, say so, and we'll look for another.
Will I know who's coming?
Yes. Once an operator is assigned, you get their details and an estimated arrival time by SMS or WhatsApp. The arrival time is an estimate, not a guarantee.
Can I send a request at night or at the weekend?
Yes. Requests are handled 24/7, round the clock. The phone line is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm (UK time); outside those hours, send your request online or on WhatsApp. Your quote depends on an operator being available, which isn't guaranteed, particularly overnight, in remote areas or at busy times.
Do I need a membership?
No. There's no membership and nothing to join. You pay for the job you need, when you need it.
Tell us where the car is and where it needs to go
Send the pickup, the destination and what's happened, and we'll come back with one quote.
Request my recovery quoteAsking for a quote does not book the job.
Send a request 24/7; requests are handled round the clock. Or call 078 3333 9309, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.