Car Leasing Cancellation Help

slaterminn

I have been trying to get a new car for a while looking into all the finance alternatives, finally settling on a personal lease.

I found a good price on a C-Class with a lease broker that detailed it was a cancelled order and 'In Stock', inferring it would have a quick turn around. As I had sold my car already I went with then over Nationwide.

So on the 18th April 2012 I was sent an order form through to sign and gave them details to check finance with Mercedes being told the car was waiting and ready to go once everything comes back. I waited for about a week but didn't hear anything, I then phoned them being told there was a 'glitch' in the Mercedes UK's system. For the rest of this week I have been told the same thing each time I call. Even though salesperson has promised to keep me updated I have still had to chase him.

Yesterday I was getting annoyed with the situation as I am stuck at home and can't get to workplaces as I am self-employed, then came across a post on this forum regarding the extortionate de-lease costs from Mercedes Finance. These horror stories have made me think twice about the order and would therefore like to cancel.

So I checked the order form that I signed, without looking at the small print (stupidly) to be greeted by the following:

In the event of I/We cancelling this order for any reason
other than stated, or failing to take delivery within the specified time, then I/We shall be liable to pay a cancellation fee of 3
times the monthly payment plus VAT to *****. Any costs incurred by debt collection agents in the course of collection of
this sum will also be payable.

So apparently I would be liable for paying £792 to them even though I haven't even signed any finance documentation yet, simply just an order form. This has left me feeling sick and I cannot talk to them until monday.

My partner then found that we are apparently allowed a 14 day cooling period for credit arrangements by distance found but I am unsure about whether this would apply. This is taken from the What Consumer website:

For contracts which fall under (2) and (3), you benefit from a 14 day cooling off period. Unlike the cooling off period for goods bought under the Distance Selling Regulations (DSRs), the creditor may make a reasonable charge for any service (such as insurance cover) which was operating during this time.

Any help anyone can give me on this would be brilliant. Am I within my rights to cancel this order and not pay anything to these lot?

slaterminn

Any help with this would be much appreciated.

The owner is adamant I will have to pay the full cancellation charge of 3 months.