Fight for compensation after courier damaged bike

A man says he is "appalled" how he was treated by a delivery firm he paid to deliver a new motorcycle to him.

Peter Horgan, from Plymouth, booked the delivery from Rochdale with Proovia in November 2025. But when the BMW arrived it was manhandled off a delivery vehicle and damaged.

He said: "I could see all sorts of damage. Before the van went, I was on the phone to the company, who didn't seem to care less and told me to complete an online form."

He applied for compensation but said he received nothing for four months. It was only after being contacted by the BBC that Proovia admitted causing about £2,000 worth of damage to the vehicle.

Horgan said the men who delivered the motorcycle "laughed" when he pointed out the damage caused.

He took the bike to a BMW showroom in Plymouth where staff said it would cost £1,835 to repair.

He said: "It is totally unacceptable for a company to keep people waiting so long over something they have done.

"You can't contact the claims department by phone, everything is done via email.

"Their working practice is they will get back to you in five to 10 working days. I sent emails only to have a reply of: 'Thank you for your patience.'"

Horgan said the company had still not apologised for the damage caused.

"All the way through this ordeal no-one has apologised for the damage caused or for the persons who laughed at me when I pointed out the damage to them," he said.

"The only thing they have apologised for is the delay."

Proovia said it was dealing with the matter through its insurance company.

It said: "We take incidents of this nature seriously and remain committed to resolving the claim fairly and in line with the insurer's assessment process.

"We fully acknowledge that this delay has been frustrating."

It added: "Unfortunately, the motorcycle sustained damage during transportation. This was reported promptly, and we worked with Mr Horgan to gather all required documentation, including photographs and repair estimates, in order to progress the matter correctly."

Proovia has now provided compensation.

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