BMW dealership refusing to return deposit

Burnsdale

Hi all,

Please can you advise on the following:

I put a £200 deposit on an approved used vehicle at a BMW dealership over the weekend. Unfortunately due to not being able to secure the finances from my own sources I.e not the dealership I had to call them on Monday to advise that I can no longer proceeed with the purchase.

The response from the sales person was very unprofessional stating that his manager has advised that due to it being a cash transaction they will not be refunding my £200 deposit. Surely this is not correct. The deposit was not cash it was a debit card payment.

Please can you advise on me on my rights as a consumer. I will appreciate your guidance and a prompt response.

Many thanks

wgl2014

Do you have anything suggesting the deposit was refundable?

motorguy

Burnsdale wrote: »

Hi all,

Please can you advise on the following:

I put a £200 deposit on an approved used vehicle at a BMW dealership over the weekend. Unfortunately due to not being able to secure the finances from my own sources I.e not the dealership I had to call them on Monday to advise that I can no longer proceeed with the purchase.

The response from the sales person was very unprofessional stating that his manager has advised that due to it being a cash transaction they will not be refunding my £200 deposit. Surely this is not correct. The deposit was not cash it was a debit card payment.

Please can you advise on me on my rights as a consumer. I will appreciate your guidance and a prompt response.

Many thanks

Did they tell you the deposit was refundable?

loskie

yes you lose your deposit, what did you think it was for?

tacpot12

As a consumer you are bound by the terms you agreed to when you left the deposit. It doesn't matter how you paid the deposit, it is either refundable or not. I have not met a car dealer that will take a refundable deposit. In every case, they are always non-refundable. Sorry, but at least it has only cost you £200 to find out this valuable piece of knowledge. Others have lost a lot more to learn the same thing.

z1a

If it was refundable it would be pointless.

macman

A deposit is not an 'option to buy'. It's a legally binding contract to buy.

bobbymotors

z1a wrote: »

If it was refundable it would be pointless.

correct. all day long.

marlot

macman wrote: »

A deposit is not an 'option to buy'. It's a legally binding contract to buy.

Only on the part of the consumer. If the dealer changes their mind (eg. finds a buyer prepared to pay more) they can legally just refund the deposit. :-(


Strictly, the dealer is only allowed to keep enough of the depost to cover their costs of the aborted transaction - preparing the car, re-advertising etc. But it is easy for them to justify £200.


OP - they may be amenable to you moving the deposit to a different car in the used car lot.

motorguy

marlot wrote: »

Only on the part of the consumer. If the dealer changes their mind (eg. finds a buyer prepared to pay more) they can legally just refund the deposit. :-(


Strictly, the dealer is only allowed to keep enough of the depost to cover their costs of the aborted transaction - preparing the car, re-advertising etc. But it is easy for them to justify £200.


OP - they may be amenable to you moving the deposit to a different car in the used car lot.

Thats wholly it. I think in this case its unrefundable on the basis the dealer could easily justify £200 costs.

If the O/P had put down £2,000 he'd expect to get the bulk of that back.