OR call yesterday - car being taken

wildheart83

Yes it'll cost more in getting bits repaired but don't forget that you can probably add an extra 20 quid or so a month (possibly more) in car maintenance specifically because it's an older car. Plus if you do get a biggish bill you can then go back to the OR and ask for the IPA to be reduced (if you have one) or stopped for a month. I'm sorry I can't remember if you have an IPA or not OP.
Have you made the OR an offer for your current car?

Ineedaname

The OP's husband does not have exemption for the car so therefore no allowance for car use. The OP at the moment also probably does not have an allowance for car use as the car is not legally hers.

So even if they manage to either buy back the BI in the existing car or let it go and purchase a banger, there's no guarantee they would be able to negotiate an allowance. Although obviously it's hoped that the OP would be able to gain an allowance to use the car to get to work and back.

Singingsister - can you confirm about car use allowances please and if you currently have none, whether you think you'll get one if you can find a way to keep the car?

alastairq

there are some counter arguments regarding buying a cheapo car.....

the low initial cost..and if buying sensibly, lower VED and insurance, may well be offset by the need to fork out for repairs at some point..but equally, may not!

Equally, buying a nearly-new car can be just as fraught with unforeseen costs.

When buying cheaply, select a car which will be cheap to repair....rather than allowing oneself to be suckered into buying something which may have all the bells and whistles....but equally, costs a lot more to right simple wrongs.

But above all else, help yourselves to reduce the 'chance' factor when buying a cheapo motor....find out how to diagnose basic faults, and correct them yourselves......the biggest bugbears with cheapo motors, and costs, IMHO centre on [1] technology, and righting it when it goes pop, and [2] labour charges.

like cooking really...you save money by making it yourself, rather than buying in M&S......but first, it helps to find out how to cook, eh?

Ineedaname

The trouble is, certain bells and whistles are becoming standard now and so difficult to avoid when buying a banger. For instance, I always used to avoid electric windows and central locking, the former due to cost of repair and the latter due to security (as a lone female driver I like to keep all doors locked except the driver's door - standard central locking general allows only all locked or all unlocked, meaning anyone could open a door at the lights/junction, meaning I need to sit on my purse or lock it in the boot - or would the boot be unlocked too? - If you drive with all doors locked then nobody can open any door if you're involved in an accident!)

Grrrrrr, sorry, soapbox moment.

alastairq

Absolutely... as a cheapo re-cycling [about the closest I get to push-biking] motorist, I try to follow simple rules if chosing my next cheapo mount.....as you say, no central locking, windy-up windows, no air-con, preferably no power steering [in a small car? What's the world coming to? Power steering in a small car often means the pump is attached to the alternator...alternator fails, as they all will do at some point...and the whole unit is mega bucks to renew..... a simple alternator is relatively cheap to replace]....I avoid diesels...simply due to their costs...and prefer under 1500cc's...no need for big engines for family use....simply improve driver skills instead...I avoid alloy wheels, and expensive look-at-me tyres....and I hate cam belts...

so it's all about spotting base models, those without tricks if poss [know your market]...maybe looking for those which are hard to sell..[booted Astras once fell into this segment..Belmonts or something they were called]....

sorry to side-track off topic..or is it off topic?

System

>> " If you drive with all doors locked then nobody can open any door if you're involved in an accident!"

Isn't it industry standard that CL automatically gives up when the car is involved in a collision? The car's computer knows! Maybe not the case on older models.

Either way the chances of some chav scumbag trying to get into your car at the light is far higher. CL on for me!

makeyourdaddyproud

My confusion is why would anyone or another business you owe money to force you into bankruptcy knowing that once you're discharged, you owe them nothing? In the OP's case, the OR seems to have put the family into an impossible situation to such an extent that employment is likely to be given up. This defeats the purpose of bankruptcy, since the OP (and others like her) would be claiming benefits and would in fact be better off.

I know you can appeal an OR decision, but if they cannot see the mere exclusion of the car for creditor purposes makes everyone happier, then the whole system needs overhauling.

JCS1

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

My confusion is why would anyone or another business you owe money to force you into bankruptcy knowing that once you're discharged, you owe them nothing? In the OP's case, the OR seems to have put the family into an impossible situation to such an extent that employment is likely to be given up. This defeats the purpose of bankruptcy, since the OP (and others like her) would be claiming benefits and would in fact be better off.

I know you can appeal an OR decision, but if they cannot see the mere exclusion of the car for creditor purposes makes everyone happier, then the whole system needs overhauling.

The issue here is that the car is listed as an asset on the OP's parnter's BR, and as the car is not her asset it cannot be exempted as part of her BR.

The best thing to do, as already posted, is to gather evidence that the HP was paid for using pooled matrimonal funds and then appeal to the Assistant Official Receiver/Official Receiver.

Ineedaname

alastairq wrote: »

so it's all about spotting base models, those without tricks if poss [know your market]...maybe looking for those which are hard to sell..[booted Astras once fell into this segment..Belmonts or something they were called]....

sorry to side-track off topic..or is it off topic?

LMAO - My last car was an Astra Belmont! Cost £100 and went straight to the breakers for a replacement wing mirror and front grill, bought one new tyre too. Lasted me a full 12 months including flying an MOT half way through, then it became uneconomical to repair a failure that occured and I got £25 for it from the breakers yard.:T

Off topic was partly my fault I think, sorry OP.

singingsister

My hubby rang the OR and said we can appeal based on the fact that the monies for paying the car came out of our joint account but the basis lies with the fact that the car is in HIS name.

We got a long winded letter explaining why we couldn't keep the car and I know they've a job to do but there reasoning is heartless. They say me needing it to get to work and for my daughter to go to nursery is convinience NOT necessity as there are bus route. It's irrelevant that it would take about 1 hour and a half each way for me to get to work (probably longer when my daughter goes to nursery as its yet another bus ride to nursery from my work) and basically tough.

So is there any point appealing? When we had our initial phone call with the OR, the OR spoke to his boss (head of the department) to see if the decision regarding our car could be overturned and they said there was nothing they could do.

Also, we've managed to club together some money to buy the car (thanks dad). We have £1000 but the OR won't accept less than £1200!! They value the car at £1600 (although they've not seen the car or anything!) but we just can't find anymore money. But at the same time, we are completely stuffed and screwed without the car.

What's niggling even more is that we have a good friend who owns a motor shop and he put in our car details on his valuation system and it came up (including mileage and rough condition) at £3000!!! He said the £1600 valuation is very low and we shouldnt look a gift horse in the mouth so to speak. So if we start disputing this £1600 valuation and they offer to send someone out to value it, if they actually value it as more than the £1600 we are really really really really screwed.

So I'm really not sure what we should do. I'm really not happy to go and buy a "cheap banger". I dont see why I should have to when I have a car that I like and has all the bells and whistles I want. Also, the cars number plates ends in SZZ - my nickname is SAZ so even though it isn't - I've always considered it "personalised". We didn't buy the car on that basis and it's not a personalised numberplate but stupid though it may sound - it's another reason I don't want to lose it.

Our letter says we have until 5th January to even give the car back :-( or get it paid for. And happy christmas and new year to the OR team too!

Sarah