ALPS (Auto Legal Protection Services) is a Motor Breakdown scme similar to AA or RAC.
The emergency number is 0800 358 6090
I hope the nature of the business is clear why I would want to contact them.
I have done a search and found no alternative number.
Their address is:
ALPS Ltd
PO Box 115
Congleton
Cheshire
CW12 3FL
Tel 0844 848 1200

If anyone can help, I will be grateful. :)

Regards

Nick Bevan

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~ Edited by Dave: Thread title amended

Hi UkBev,

I have done a datebase search on their OLD number and it's come up with an unverified Geo number of: 01260 292574, have you tried that? It's based on: 08700 50 90 29

I have Googled the postal code and local area code, but cannot find any other number..

Sorry

:(

Hi Nick and welcome to SAYNOTO0870.COM.

As CJT-80 says, there is already an unverified entry with the 0870 050 9029 number alongside, which is still live to Auto Legal Protection.

Website is www.alpsltd.co.uk

The address you've given is a PO Box, so it's not the physical location of the ALPS office. The address of the office is on the contact page:

Sunnyside Mill
Highfield Road
Congleton
Cheshire
CW12 3AQ

Searching ALPS' website for 01260 returns three pages with telephone numbers 01260 292592 and 01260 292583 and fax number 01260 292582. This suggests that they have office numbers in the range 01260 2925xx (and possibly beyond) and is in the same range as the one in the database.

The ALPS website gives the 0844 number quoted in the OP for contact and the fax is the number after; 0844 848 1201. So this looks like a general switchboard number for all types of enquiries, including from customers.

The question is, which 01260 number does the 0844 one point to? Main switchboard numbers are often the first in the sequence. For example, it may be 292500. The numbers we have found are all 29257x and 29258x, so perhaps they only have 50 numbers starting at 292550.

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There's also the question of the breakdown number. Firstly, a word of warning. You should always carry the 0800 number with you just in case any unofficial alternative we find should fail to work. In an emergency, you wouldn't want to be stuck unable to make contact for the sake of the extra cost of calling the 0800 from your mobile. In any case, if you happen to break down near to a phone box, you could use that to ring the 0800 number for free.

The question is where are calls to the emergency breakdown number handled? Does someone at ALPS answer them 24 hours a day?

Referring to the page on the website on the UK breakdown service, there is a link to download the Keyfacts document which gives the 0800 358 6090 number for contact in the event of a breakdown. It also says that the insurer is Europ Assistance.

There are a number of entries in the database for Europ Assistance and they are in the range 01444 442xxx. I know alot of these alternatives we have listed are taken from policy documents where they are given for contacting from overseas. This ALPS UK Keyfacts document doesn't give an alternative (well it wouldn't because it's only for use in the UK!). However, ALPS does do a European policy, and sure enough the 0800 number given on its Keyfacts sheet is the same and there is an alternative given for calls from overseas: 01444 442418

As this is an alternative made available by the company, I am more confident that it will remain in service than any unpublished number found to work now. I have added it to the database.


Do let us know how you get on finding an alternative for the ALPS 0844 number.

One further point and that is that most mobile providers usually charge 0800/0808/0500 freephone numbers at a higher rate than 01/02/03 numbers. There are a number of services to get around this, one of which is 020 0222 0900. Dial the number, then when it answers, you input the destination number. This is useful where you don't have a 01/02/03 alternative for a freephone number.

Dave wrote on Feb 27^th, 2010 at 9:04pm:

One further point and that is that most mobile providers usually charge 0800/0808/0500 freephone numbers at a higher rate than 01/02/03 numbers. There are a number of services to get around this, one of which is 020 0222 0900. Dial the number, then when it answers, you input the destination number. This is useful where you don't have a 01/02/03 alternative for a freephone number.

I think we should call you SuperDave! You managed to find a lot more info than I did...  :P

I am still looking for 2 Dr's Surgery numbers but low and behold they are both connected to NEG lines..  :-[ :-[

CJT-80 wrote on Feb 27^th, 2010 at 9:18pm:

Dave wrote on Feb 27th, 2010 at 9:04pm: One further point and that is that most mobile providers usually charge 0800/0808/0500 freephone numbers at a higher rate than 01/02/03 numbers. There are a number of services to get around this, one of which is 020 0222 0900. Dial the number, then when it answers, you input the destination number. This is useful where you don't have a 01/02/03 alternative for a freephone number. I think we should call you SuperDave! You managed to find a lot more info than I did...  :P

Thanks. :)

I put the fax number I found (01260 292582) into Google and aside from this thread, the page I got it from, it gives a link to this page from Borough of Congleton Chamber of Commerce & Enterprise. It says:

Quote:

Tomlinson Riley 10 Park Bank , , , Congleton , Cheshire , CW12 3DH 01260 292572 01260 292582 www.sunnysidemill.co.uk Lee Riley Property Development

Sunnyside Mill website contact page gives the 292572 voice phone number for Tomlinson Riley and an e-mail address @alpsltd.co.uk.

The history page says that the Mill was built in 1845 and up to 2003 it was used for various industrial purposes. It was then converted into four office suites, layouts for which are on the website.


Perhaps the OP would like to make ALPS aware of the high cost of calling 0800 numbers from a mobile and that they might like to consider publishing the 01444 number alongside it for mobile users.

First of all let me say a huge thanks for the swift and comprehensive reply to my query.

I tried 01260 292574 as suggested by CJT-80, and although it is part of the organisation, it was something to do with legal help
which I didn't quite catch. I apologised and hung up.
I then tried the 01444 442418 number (prefixed with 141) as suggested by Dave and this came up trumps. It is one and the same as  0800 358 6090

As a coda, I took out this European rescue policy last July but was never given a number to ring outside UK (despite phoning and writing to my insurance broker - as I had no plans to drive to Europe this year, I gave up. Tonight, after 30 mins on this website, I  now have the breakdown emergency number outside UK:+44 1444 442418.

So Dave, a huge thankyou for all the spadework you have done on my behalf this evening - I hope this also helps someone else. I owe you a pint!

Best regards,

Nick Bevan