Just spoken to Magistrate friend of mine.
He says if they have not shown a reasonable duty of care to look after your property then they are liable, they can put up any number of exclusion notices they want.
If the property was heavily defended and lots of security measures were in place, then they have tried to look after your property, if they left it out on a road/forcourt then they have not.

thanks guys.

The car was left in their car park (along with the cars that they sell) which has a fairly high fence all the way around the perimeter and a locked gate. The thieves climbed over the fence, stole the hardtop and passed it over the fence.

The garage deals exclusively in my type of car and they know that the hard tops are targetted by thieves. There is a workshop that my car could have been left in overnight if they had wanted to but I have no idea whether it was full of other cars or not.

Would that constitute reasonable duty of care? Who decides whether it is or not?

My mate says if it was left in a position where it could be stolen etc then they have not shown due care, if they know hard tops are desirable and they leave it in a position to be knicked then they have not shown due care, if yours was a fixed roof would it have been targetted, if it was in doors would it have been safer?

It's for them to proove they have taken reasonable steps to protect you goods, clearly they have not. It is not for you to proove it.

Chi,

Do a Google search for RMI or SMMT.

They're the 'bodies' that cover most of the garages in the UK

done a quick search for you ut you may find more help with a more detailed sift thru the SMMT site

http://www.smmt.co.uk/consumeraffair...N=57734660#254

In my view they're liable but as already stated you need a consumer specialised brief to look at it for you or go to the Citizens Advice as that free.

it seems you were very unfortunate in that the thieves selected yours and not one of the others there on display.

How do you want them sorted out Chi?

:D I'm sure there are people available who encourage people to do things for a living :D

Financially - bruises heal too quickly!

You've just described my job down to a T!