Lease car return cancelled

justsomeguy2020

Hi,

The lease on my car is up and was due to be collected today, but just got a text from Lex Autolease / BCA saying "due to government guidelines announced last night" they can't collect it.
Rang Lex and they say they have no idea when it will be collected and I need to keep paying for it and insuring it until they do!
Told them that car rental companies are exempt from the coronavirus restrictions, then they said it was BCA's decision not to do collections, so it's not down to them.
This could be months. If my contract is over surely I can't be forced to keep paying for it?

Any advice welcome

marlot

Car auctions were told to close - I guess BCA have extended that to include collections.
If they continued collections, I guess they'd run out of space to store the cars.
I'd read your contract to see if you think they have a case for further payments.

Nodding_Donkey

Sounds like Lex are trying to dodge the issue by blaming BCA but your contract is with Lex. Who they get to collect the car is their problem I would have thought.

justsomeguy2020

Some Googling about BCA turn up this... www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/fleet-industry-news/2020/03/22/coronavirus-bca-vehicle-auctions-go-online-only
Apparently they're still going, but online only - except obviously people can still physically go and collect their car, or apparently "BCA can also organise delivery for customers, with online booking available."
Will ring them next to see what they have to say.

neilmcl

justsomeguy2020 said:

Hi,

The lease on my car is up and was due to be collected today, but just got a text from Lex Autolease / BCA saying "due to government guidelines announced last night" they can't collect it.
Rang Lex and they say they have no idea when it will be collected and I need to keep paying for it and insuring it until they do!
Told them that car rental companies are exempt from the coronavirus restrictions, then they said it was BCA's decision not to do collections, so it's not down to them.
This could be months. If my contract is over surely I can't be forced to keep paying for it?

Any advice welcome

Simply tell the lease company that once the contract ends the car is their responsibility and you will not be continuing to pay for it. Make sure you end the direct debit for it.

[Deleted User]

Yeah, you don't have to pay for it, your contract has ended. Don't pay, cancel your insurance on it. If you don't cancel your insurance and it gets hit your insurance will have to pay out so make sure you do it. Don't renew the tax either, tell them it's on the road and where to collect it and it's up to then to SORN it or pay the tax.

They are just blagging you, trying to make you pay their costs.

neilmcl

[DELETED USER] said:

Yeah, you don't have to pay for it, your contract has ended. Don't pay, cancel your insurance on it. If you don't cancel your insurance and it gets hit your insurance will have to pay out so make sure you do it. Don't renew the tax either, tell them it's on the road and where to collect it and it's up to then to SORN it or pay the tax.

They are just blagging you, trying to make you pay their costs.

A little caution about cancelling tax/insurance etc. As long as the vehicle, as any other goods for that matter, are in your possession, you have a duty of care, and if your are the registered keeper then you have a duty to have it taxed and insured if it's on the road.

Herzlos

Can you return it to them?

DoaM

neilmcl said:
A little caution about cancelling tax/insurance etc. As long as the vehicle, as any other goods for that matter, are in your possession, you have a duty of care, and if your are the registered keeper then you have a duty to have it taxed and insured if it's on the road.

Good advice, especially the bold bit.

MSC1981

Same situation here, have a car on lease from Arval that ends tommorrow and obviously they  carnt collect.  , the insurance is ending at the same time.
Surely i dont gave to insure again, as the lease contract is officially over ? and they are registerd keeper.

DoaM

If it's a lease and they are the RK then yes, they are responsible for the vehicle's legal status. But check carefully your lease T&Cs.