How to Dispute Repair charges on a PCP vehicle handback

SophS

Hi.

Desperately need a bit advice. My apologies if this question has been asked and answered before, I have looked around on this site prior to try find the best answer.

Is there a template letter someone can point me to where I can respond to the Vehicle Condition Report sent to me by the manufacturer/dealer after they picked up my vehicle. I want to dispute the charges they have after a vehicle inspection. I did not sign any of the inspection reports done (two reports, one full one and a quick one on pick up day).

I would like to deny that the points they picked up on is damage but just fair wear and tear.
I didnt think a car bought on PCP had to be showroom worthy after three years of driving it.

My car was on a 4 year PCP and I voluntarily terminated the contract with 10 months left on it.
The car has never been in an accident, had less than 14k miles on it but did have a few wheel scuffs on the alloys and three to four chips on the bumper (under the number plate area) each less than 2mm.
For this they want me to pay up £261.00 but i would like to argue that these are acceptible deterioration of the vehicle. Am i right?
I cant imagine driving and completely avoiding gravel/stones in the road that cause chips or huge lorries that take up more than their share of the road forcing drivers toward the curb to avoid collisions.

Im reading up on the British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association guide on what constitutes fair wear and tear but is this the best thing to read as its written for its members, eg dealers and manufacturers...not consumers.

TIA

AdrianC

The BVRLA guide is absolutely intended for consumers, and is written and illustrated in a very clear way.

This is probably not your finance house, but the same guide applies to all BVRLA member finance houses:

https://www.hitachicapitalvehiclesolutions.co.uk/personal-leasing/fair-wear-tear

You agreed to abide by it when you took out the PCP. It also describes the procedure for disputing charges.

How is the £261 broken down? If it would have been cheaper for you to get the marks fixed yourself, than for the finance house to recharge you, then the time to do that was before the car went back.

BoGoF

There is also an argument that these charges are not enforceable when VTing but whether you want to test that theory is up to you.

Cornucopia

I went through some of this when I VT'd my car a few months ago.

Upon investigating, I was advised by a local bodyshop that alloy refurbs were best left to the Finance Company, and that their rate would be c. £60 per wheel, compared to £85 on the open market. This turned out to be true (I was charged £165, which I believe was the cost of refurbishing 3 wheels).

The collection agent told me that minor scuffs to the edge of the wheels were accepted as fair wear and tear (on a 4YO car), but marks on the spokes were not.

I had no bodywork issues, and this was reflected on both the report and subsequent charges.

AndyMc.....

SophS wrote: »

Hi.

Desperately need a bit advice. My apologies if this question has been asked and answered before, I have looked around on this site prior to try find the best answer.

Is there a template letter someone can point me to where I can respond to the Vehicle Condition Report sent to me by the manufacturer/dealer after they picked up my vehicle. I want to dispute the charges they have after a vehicle inspection. I did not sign any of the inspection reports done (two reports, one full one and a quick one on pick up day).

I would like to deny that the points they picked up on is damage but just fair wear and tear.
I didnt think a car bought on PCP had to be showroom worthy after three years of driving it.

My car was on a 4 year PCP and I voluntarily terminated the contract with 10 months left on it.
The car has never been in an accident, had less than 14k miles on it but did have a few wheel scuffs on the alloys and three to four chips on the bumper (under the number plate area) each less than 2mm.
For this they want me to pay up £261.00 but i would like to argue that these are acceptible deterioration of the vehicle. Am i right?
I cant imagine driving and completely avoiding gravel/stones in the road that cause chips or huge lorries that take up more than their share of the road forcing drivers toward the curb to avoid collisions.

Im reading up on the British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association guide on what constitutes fair wear and tear but is this the best thing to read as its written for its members, eg dealers and manufacturers...not consumers.

TIA

Stone chips are wear and tear kerb damage to wheels aren’t.

AdrianC

BoGoF wrote: »

There is also an argument that these charges are not enforceable when VTing but whether you want to test that theory is up to you.

Over the excess mileage is borderline enough, but there's no way you'll get away with claiming damage is outside.

SophS

Thats an intersting theory BoGoF, do you know where i can read more about it?

AdrianC definitely not gone over mileage with 13,800 in 3 years.

I guess its all down to what constitues fear wear and tear...which seems to be subjective and dependent on who is looking at it at the time.

I've now read the BVRLA docment, it goes into to specifics eg size of acceptible scratches, chips and scuffs etc.

The charges dont include the chips thankfully but do include scuffs on three wheels.
Interestingly the guide says "scuffs totalling up to 50mm on the entire circumfrance of the wheel trim ...is acceptible".
After looking at the pictures, this isnt applicable to all wheels in question (eg 3), only one maybe two at a push.

I wasnt advised how i could query the charges made when the inpection was being carried out, contrary to the BVRLA guidline, i didnt sign the inspection document to say i agreed with the results so i guess now what i want to explore is how to limit any payout in light of the above.

I dont agree that all wheels in question meet the "damaged" criteria, one definitly falls within fair wear and tear so if i can i want to reduce the charges.
If i dont pay, they take me to court yes? Has anyone been down this road? Do these things end up in court often?
I dont mind going down that road as ive been taken to court by a private parking company and won but i dont want to go there if I end up being forced to pay more than the orignal "damage" invoice".

System

SophS wrote: »

I cant imagine driving and completely avoiding gravel/stones in the road that cause chips or huge lorries that take up more than their share of the road forcing drivers toward the curb to avoid collisions.

All I'll say is I've owned my car for 7 years and done 100,000 miles in it. It is now on 139,000 miles with not a single scuff on any of the wheels. There weren't any on the previous car I did 75,000 miles in. No marks on the metal edges either. Personally I'd say any scuffing was damage.

You also admit yourself that only maybe 2 of the wheels come within acceptable limits of 50mm. Given that alloy wheels usually cost £150 or more per wheel then the fee you're being billed is quite reasonable.

Finally lorries do not force drivers towards the kerb to avoid collisions so stop blaming others for your poor driving which results in you damaging your wheels. Perhaps you need to go take some lessons if you're incapable of judging when to give way or stop driving if you lack the confidence to drive along a road when passing a lorry on the other side of the road without veering into the kerb.

DoaM

Well this thread certainly took a turn ... :eek:

AndyMc.....

SophS wrote: »

Thats an intersting theory BoGoF, do you know where i can read more about it?

AdrianC definitely not gone over mileage with 13,800 in 3 years.

I guess its all down to what constitues fear wear and tear...which seems to be subjective and dependent on who is looking at it at the time.

I've now read the BVRLA docment, it goes into to specifics eg size of acceptible scratches, chips and scuffs etc.

The charges dont include the chips thankfully but do include scuffs on three wheels.
Interestingly the guide says "scuffs totalling up to 50mm on the entire circumfrance of the wheel trim ...is acceptible".
After looking at the pictures, this isnt applicable to all wheels in question (eg 3), only one maybe two at a push.

I wasnt advised how i could query the charges made when the inpection was being carried out, contrary to the BVRLA guidline, i didnt sign the inspection document to say i agreed with the results so i guess now what i want to explore is how to limit any payout in light of the above.

I dont agree that all wheels in question meet the "damaged" criteria, one definitly falls within fair wear and tear so if i can i want to reduce the charges.
If i dont pay, they take me to court yes? Has anyone been down this road? Do these things end up in court often?
I dont mind going down that road as ive been taken to court by a private parking company and won but i dont want to go there if I end up being forced to pay more than the orignal "damage" invoice".

Does your car have alloy or steel wheels?

neilmcl

BoGoF wrote: »

There is also an argument that these charges are not enforceable when VTing but whether you want to test that theory is up to you.

Charges for damage is very much enforceable when VT'ing, you're confusing this with the excess mileage charges.