Voluntary Termination

sam_1985_2

I have recently VT'd my car with Santander. They came and did a damage report (a couple of scuffs on paintwork and scuffs to left alloy wheel). The car is 8 yars old and done 102 thou miles and the scuff to the alloy was there when i bought the car and I have dated photos to prove this. Yesterday I received a letter from Santander to say I owe them £175. 45 for the alloy wheel and 130 for full rear bumper respray. There was a slight scuff of paint off of the corner of rear bumper yet no reason for full respray and also the photos they show on auction site show a large scratch (which was not there when they took the car and not on the damage report) in the middle of the rear bumper and also they show the alloy scuffed so they have not even repaired what they are charging me for. I have phoned the auction place as an "interested buyer" and they informed me that the marks are very minor, nothing needed repairing and the car is in excellent condition for its age and they expect it to get cap clean price. I then phoned Santander who said that it does not matter that the alloy was already scuffed as i accepted the car in that condition and now I have to pay for the repair. I then asked whether they would actually carry out a small repair like that on a car that age and he went very quiet and then said that is irrelevant, it will knock value off the car and I am liable for it. I subsequently hung up and have now drafted a letter enclosing the photos and saying that I have spoken to the auction house and they said I would be looking at cap clean to buy the car so they have not repaired any damage and they do not envisage it making a difference to the sale price and I am not going to pay for it. The car is being auctioned next Tuesday. Am i doing the right thing and shall i wait until Monday to send the letter so that they will have then sold the car?

Sorry for rambling.....

Garage_Flower

Santander are right I'm afraid. Any damage on the car they feel may affect the amount they receive at auction can be charged to the customer. There should be something mentioning this in your terms and conditions and should have been explained when you applied for the VT.

By approaching the auctioneers as a potential buyer you may have altered their report on the damage. They profit from the sale of the vehicle they are more likely to play down the damage to the car than overstate it to drive up interest in it.

bigadaj

The damage has to be put into the contet of the age of the car. If it could come under normal wear and tear then they shouldn't be charging extra. There are guidelines which should be downloadable from the net, under bvrla, check against your car and see if the damage is considered significant.

poppasmurf_bewdley

That amount of damage on an eight year old car with more than 100k miles is insignificant, and Santander are trying it on. Tell them to do one.

1289rs

That's more than acceptable on a 2004 car with 102k

I have seen 2009/10s with more damage than you are describing there

An alloy wheel refurb from most places at most is only £75 a wheel and £130 would be right for the bumper

But no one buying a car of this age/mileage is going to bother with these very minor defects

Out of interest what car was it? As you can also expect more wear and tear from the likes of 4x4s/mpvs etc


I am in the motor trade

sam_1985_2

Hi all. thank you for your replies. Been busy at work so only just looked back!

Why would they alter their damage report for me ringing? I literally said I was interested and wondered about the damage as its not all that clear on the photos (car is silver) and I only did this yesterday morning.

Uhh the scrape on the back bumper was right on the corner. Im not sure if someone caught it whilst it was parked at work or something but I never noticed it until the collection guy arrived. It was a scrape about 5p in size maybe? not very big at all.

Garage Flower, my point is the VT says something like "any significant damage more than wear and tear commensurate with a vehicle of its age" and, apart from those 3 marks the car is clean as!

I have looked at the BRVLA guidelines and maybe the one scrape on the alloy is unreasonable damage as far as that is concerned but not the scrape on the bumper and certainly does not justify a full bumper respray.

The way I see it is that they have not done the repair. For loss of value on a car of that age and mileage it really would not make a difference at all. other than that the car is completely clean and spotless.

1289rs the car is a diesel corsa. The guy who collected it had just picked up a 2010 ford of some sort and he said that had miles more damage than mine did and the mileage was about a fifth of what mine had done.

Letters all written now and just to send it off over the weekend. Poppasmurf the gist of it is to do one.

sam_1985_2

If i tell them to do one though, how likely are they to pursue it? I did a lot of research into it before i went ahead and a lot of people say that they are trying it on and bank on people just paying and dont worry about those who dont after receiving a strongly worded letter back.

sam_1985_2

I have today received a letter back from Santander to say that they do not believe the photos i have of the car were taken on the date i say so they are discounting them and saying i made the scuffs on the alloy wheel. I have phoned them and they said that the auction place would have carried out the repairs they said they are charging me for. I checked with him and he said it is for damage repairs not loss of value. I have copies of the photos and info from the auction website which show the damage on the car to the alloy and a small scratch on the rear bumper. I said this to the guy from Santander who said that that does not mean they did not carry out the work. Surely though, they would not show damage on the auction website if they have repaired it? defeats the object of showing off the car. That and i spoke to a guy from auction place (without him knowing i did own the car) and he said that is how the car is being sold. However, i have no evidence of this phone call apart from the number being on a phone bill and my scribbled notes so apparently Santander will not take this conversation as evidence.

I have spoken to the financial ombudsmen who are sending me out a form. I have also spoken to the car dealer (who knows me well as i have had cars from the same guy there for 8 years) and he said they have condition reports of cars they get in on part ex so will look the one out for my car.

My question again, is a slight scratch about 1 inch (not gone through paint) and a scuff to an alloy UNREASONABLE damage to an 8 year old car that has done 102 thousand miles. I only got the letter from santander with their final decision today at lunch as i had to take my sick mum to hospital and yet i have had 4 missed calls from their debt people already today. Really fed up now

poppasmurf_bewdley

I repeat. Santander are trying it on. Tell them to do one!

They know they have got you worried and are playing on that fact.

forgotmyname

If they say the auction house repair the cars then a quick phone call to them recorded will prove that to be false.

So adding to your dispute.

sam_1985_2

forgotmyname wrote: »

If they say the auction house repair the cars then a quick phone call to them recorded will prove that to be false.

So adding to your dispute.

I phoned the auction house who advised they are unable to comment unless they receive a request from Santander. Am composing a letter now telling them they will receive absolutely nothing until THEY prove to ME with photographic evidence that the repairs have been carried out (which they cannot do as the lady at the auction place did say that they do not take photos except the initial ones when the car comes in) and I did give the guy a proper going at on the phone earlier.

The only thing is i have already had the debt people on the phone so now its been passed on, presumably im fooked?