VWFS Lease Cancelled Collections

ollie_05

Ive had a lease car with VWFS for the past few years, and as the agreement was approaching the end, I looked for another vehicle to replace it, and placed an order; I have since received the new vehicle and all is ok with that side.

 While waiting for the new vehicle I contacted VWFS for a settlement figure to end the contract early on the existing vehicle, and hand the car back. I paid the settlement figure in full, and then was given contact details for BCA for them to arrange inspection/collection of the vehicle. This was arranged for Weds 25th March 2020; the earliest appointment I could arrange, even though I paid the settlement on 09/03/2020.

 Due to the ongoing virus issues, I rang BCA on the 24th to confirm the collection was still going to go ahead, and they assured me it would, but would let me know if anything changed. I waited until midday on the 26th March as I still had not had any update, nor had anyone arrived to collect the vehicle.

 I rang BCA, and was told all collections are now cancelled for at least 3 weeks due to government restrictions. Obviously this is frustrating but I appreciate it’s a difficult time at the moment, but wanted to know where I stood in terms of insuring the vehicle.

 As ive paid the settlement in full, and arranged for its collection, I no longer have an active agreement in place with VWFS, but they are telling me it is my responsibility to insure the vehicle even though its been paid in full, and its not me that cancelled the collection.

My T&C's state the following regarding insurance; 5.1 While this agreement is in force you must keep the vehicle comprehensively insured, for its full value.

VWFS suggested if I continue to insure it, they MAY reimburse me for the insurance, but there would be no guarantee. Currently my existing policy means I receive £199 if I cancel it, so I cannot afford to insure 2 cars at the moment, especially based on a slim chance VWFS may reimburse me this £199 if I leave the policy running.

 They suggested reducing my existing cover from fully comp to Third Party Fire and Theft, or taking out a temp policy for a month. My existing insurer do not offer TPF&T cover on cars under 6 years and also don’t offer temporary cover either, so I checked online and the quote I received from DayInsure.com was £348!!

 On top of this, ive also noticed multiple customers on Audi/VW internet forums have received the following email from VWFS, but it has not been sent to me;

 Dear Customer,
At Audi Financial Services our priority is to keep people driving their cars. We know that the Government’s latest advice will be concerning and causing disruption to your usual lives, but we want to assure you that we are doing our utmost to support our customers.
We are regularly monitoring updates from the Government and working with the regulator to best understand how the current situation may impact individuals and businesses so that we can support you.
You have an appointment booked in for us to collect your vehicle, however due to COVID-19 and the recent enforcements made by the Government we are unable to carry out the original appointment.
Due to these exceptional circumstances, we want to help our customers by providing an additional option for you to extend your current finance agreement for up to 6 months. The contractual terms and monthly payment of your current agreement will remain the same.
To arrange this option please complete this form.
If you do not wish to extend your contract please be aware we will not be able to proceed with collection until the Government restrictions have been lifted. Until we are able to rearrange collection please follow the below important steps;
- The vehicle must not under any circumstance be driven*
- Keep the vehicle safe, locked, secure and where possible store the vehicle off the road and on private land
- Please remove all personal belongings, keys and keyless entry devices
- We will ensure the vehicle is taxed as appropriate throughout this period
- In the event the vehicle is stolen or damaged by fire, you must immediately notify us and the police and obtain a crime reference number

Please note, you will not be charged your monthly rental for the period between your contract end date and collection. Standard end of contract terms will still apply for damage and excess mileage once the vehicle is collected and inspected.
We’d ask you do not contact us at this stage unless it is urgent, we are providing a reduced telephony service and dealing with a much higher number of calls than usual. Once we are able to arrange collection of the vehicle our collection agents will contact you.
Thank you for your ongoing understanding and patience during this period.
If you have any further queries about your finance agreement please visit customer.vwfs.co.uk.

 *The vehicle will be uninsured and must not be driven; Under s143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to use (or permit to be used) a motor vehicle on a road or other public place when there is not in force in relation to the use of the vehicle such a policy of insurance in respect of third party risks as complies with the Road Traffic Act

 As you can see above, it clearly states the vehicle will be uninsured, which contradicts the information I have been given from VWFS so far; the communication has been very poor and has caused a lot of stress.

This email is still live on one of their marketing websites, but i cant post it as this is my first thread/post.

Also, ive seen on BMW and Jaguar websites, that they are specifically stating that people in my situation are to not drive the car, and it will be insured by them, not the customer;

BMW;

Do I need to keep my vehicle insured if my collection is delayed due to COVID-19?

If you want to drive the car you must keep it fully insured. You remain responsible for ensuring you have the right insurance in place to cover your usage of the vehicle. If your vehicle will remain unused while you await collection, we will insure the vehicle ourselves to protect our asset. You will not be able to drive the car during this time as you will not be insured to drive it. As you do not have our consent to drive the vehicle, it will not be covered by the terms of any other insurance policy. You must also give us your current mileage at this point and it will be checked again at the point when the vehicle is collected.

 Jaguar;

If you have already arranged for your vehicle to be collected, please note that due to Coronavirus restrictions, our vehicle collection services have been temporarily suspended. We will contact you as soon as service resumes to arrange collection.

We understand you may have some questions about what this means for you in the meantime, so we have provided more information below:

• If you have not already done so, please cancel your direct debit to ensure no further payments are made to us. Your agreement will be placed on hold pending collection of the vehicle. You will not incur any late payment fees and we will ensure that no adverse information is recorded on your credit file due to the delay in collecting the vehicle.
• You must stop using the vehicle with effect from your end of contract date. This is the original due date of your optional final payment. You will find this in the reminder letters that we have sent you advising that your contract is coming to an end.
• Once your end of contract date has passed, you can cancel your motor insurance policy as we will arrange alternative cover for the vehicle.
• You will need to keep the vehicle safe and in your possession until we collect it.
• You will still have to pay any excess mileage charges that may be due if you have exceeded the mileage allowance. We explained these to you before we arranged collection of the vehicle. We will contact you about payment of any additional charges AFTER the vehicle has been collected.

Im hoping VWFS take the same stance, but nothing forthcoming at the moment; they just refer you to their website, which literally hasn't been updated for this situation in a week, and still shows the following;

My Vehicle collection has been cancelled, what should i do?

Due to the Government guidelines we are now unable to collect your vehicle when planned. We will be in touch soon to discuss your individual situation. We thank you for your patience at this time.

Also to add, ive contacted Trading Standards & CAB who both cant see how they can expect me to insure it when the contract has been terminated and the asset is theirs.

Anyone able to help at all?

NotSure10

Your contract is over so you are not responsible for insuring the vehicle.
This is the VWFS correspondence you should be following. I suggest you follow the steps and send them an email with pictures of the car condition and details of where it is parked. Then also send a letter confirming what you have done.

Dear Customer,

At Volkswagen Financial Services our priority is to keep people driving their cars. We know that the Government’s latest advice will be concerning and causing disruption to your usual lives, but we want to assure you that we are doing our utmost to support our customers.

We are regularly monitoring updates from the Government and working with the regulator to best understand how the current situation may impact individuals and businesses so that we can support you.

You have an appointment booked in for us to collect your vehicle, however due to COVID-19 and the recent enforcements made by the Government we are unable to carry out the original appointment.

Due to these exceptional circumstances, we want to help our customers by providing an additional option for you to extend your current finance agreement for up to 6 months. The contractual terms and monthly payment of your current agreement will remain the same.

To arrange this option please complete this form.

If you do not wish to extend your contract please be aware we will not be able to proceed with collection until the Government restrictions have been lifted. Until we are able to rearrange collection please follow the below important steps;

- The vehicle must not under any circumstance be driven*
- Keep the vehicle safe, locked, secure and where possible store the vehicle off the road and on private land
- Please remove all personal belongings, keys and keyless entry devices
- We will ensure the vehicle is taxed as appropriate throughout this period
- In the event the vehicle is stolen or damaged by fire, you must immediately notify us and the police and obtain a crime reference number

Please note, you will not be charged your monthly rental for the period between your contract end date and collection. Standard end of contract terms will still apply for damage and excess mileage once the vehicle is collected and inspected.

We’d ask you do not contact us at this stage unless it is urgent, we are providing a reduced telephony service and dealing with a much higher number of calls than usual. Once we are able to arrange collection of the vehicle our collection agents will contact you.

Thank you for your ongoing understanding and patience during this period.

If you have any further queries about your finance agreement please visit customer.vwfs.co.uk.

This is a service message.

• The vehicle will be uninsured and must not be driven; Under s143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to use (or permit to be used) a motor vehicle on a road or other public place when there is not in force in relation to the use of the vehicle such a policy of insurance in respect of third party risks as complies with the Road Traffic Act

neilmcl

NotSure10 said:

Your contract is over so you are not responsible for insuring the vehicle.
This is the VWFS correspondence you should be following. I suggest you follow the steps and send them an email with pictures of the car condition and details of where it is parked. Then also send a letter confirming what you have done.

Dear Customer,

At Volkswagen Financial Services our priority is to keep people driving their cars. We know that the Government’s latest advice will be concerning and causing disruption to your usual lives, but we want to assure you that we are doing our utmost to support our customers.

We are regularly monitoring updates from the Government and working with the regulator to best understand how the current situation may impact individuals and businesses so that we can support you.

You have an appointment booked in for us to collect your vehicle, however due to COVID-19 and the recent enforcements made by the Government we are unable to carry out the original appointment.

Due to these exceptional circumstances, we want to help our customers by providing an additional option for you to extend your current finance agreement for up to 6 months. The contractual terms and monthly payment of your current agreement will remain the same.

To arrange this option please complete this form.

If you do not wish to extend your contract please be aware we will not be able to proceed with collection until the Government restrictions have been lifted. Until we are able to rearrange collection please follow the below important steps;

- The vehicle must not under any circumstance be driven*
- Keep the vehicle safe, locked, secure and where possible store the vehicle off the road and on private land
- Please remove all personal belongings, keys and keyless entry devices
- We will ensure the vehicle is taxed as appropriate throughout this period
- In the event the vehicle is stolen or damaged by fire, you must immediately notify us and the police and obtain a crime reference number

Please note, you will not be charged your monthly rental for the period between your contract end date and collection. Standard end of contract terms will still apply for damage and excess mileage once the vehicle is collected and inspected.

We’d ask you do not contact us at this stage unless it is urgent, we are providing a reduced telephony service and dealing with a much higher number of calls than usual. Once we are able to arrange collection of the vehicle our collection agents will contact you.

Thank you for your ongoing understanding and patience during this period.

If you have any further queries about your finance agreement please visit customer.vwfs.co.uk.

This is a service message.

• The vehicle will be uninsured and must not be driven; Under s143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to use (or permit to be used) a motor vehicle on a road or other public place when there is not in force in relation to the use of the vehicle such a policy of insurance in respect of third party risks as complies with the Road Traffic Act

Why just repeat what the OP has already posted.

NotSure10

neilmcl said:

NotSure10 said:

Your contract is over so you are not responsible for insuring the vehicle.
This is the VWFS correspondence you should be following. I suggest you follow the steps and send them an email with pictures of the car condition and details of where it is parked. Then also send a letter confirming what you have done.

Dear Customer,

At Volkswagen Financial Services our priority is to keep people driving their cars. We know that the Government’s latest advice will be concerning and causing disruption to your usual lives, but we want to assure you that we are doing our utmost to support our customers.

We are regularly monitoring updates from the Government and working with the regulator to best understand how the current situation may impact individuals and businesses so that we can support you.

You have an appointment booked in for us to collect your vehicle, however due to COVID-19 and the recent enforcements made by the Government we are unable to carry out the original appointment.

Due to these exceptional circumstances, we want to help our customers by providing an additional option for you to extend your current finance agreement for up to 6 months. The contractual terms and monthly payment of your current agreement will remain the same.

To arrange this option please complete this form.

If you do not wish to extend your contract please be aware we will not be able to proceed with collection until the Government restrictions have been lifted. Until we are able to rearrange collection please follow the below important steps;

- The vehicle must not under any circumstance be driven*
- Keep the vehicle safe, locked, secure and where possible store the vehicle off the road and on private land
- Please remove all personal belongings, keys and keyless entry devices
- We will ensure the vehicle is taxed as appropriate throughout this period
- In the event the vehicle is stolen or damaged by fire, you must immediately notify us and the police and obtain a crime reference number

Please note, you will not be charged your monthly rental for the period between your contract end date and collection. Standard end of contract terms will still apply for damage and excess mileage once the vehicle is collected and inspected.

We’d ask you do not contact us at this stage unless it is urgent, we are providing a reduced telephony service and dealing with a much higher number of calls than usual. Once we are able to arrange collection of the vehicle our collection agents will contact you.

Thank you for your ongoing understanding and patience during this period.

If you have any further queries about your finance agreement please visit customer.vwfs.co.uk.

This is a service message.

• The vehicle will be uninsured and must not be driven; Under s143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to use (or permit to be used) a motor vehicle on a road or other public place when there is not in force in relation to the use of the vehicle such a policy of insurance in respect of third party risks as complies with the Road Traffic Act

Why just repeat what the OP has already posted.

Because that is the correct course of action. It details what process to follow. What are your thoughts on it?

ollie_05

yes, thats obviously what i want to go with, im just concerned that if the insurance is cancelled, then for whatever reason it is damaged, stolen or randomly set fire to(?!) i could potentially be left with VWFS saying im liable for a large amount of money which obviously i wouldnt have...

NotSure10

ollie_05 said:

yes, thats obviously what i want to go with, im just concerned that if the insurance is cancelled, then for whatever reason it is damaged, stolen or randomly set fire to(?!) i could potentially be left with VWFS saying im liable for a large amount of money which obviously i wouldnt have...

Legally they would have a very difficult time doing that. If you make communication to tell them that is what you have done, that it won't be driven and it is now their responsibility you are fine. I guess you have fallen through the gaps because that letter to those that had collections booked, but you were in limbo between settling the contract and trying to arrange a collection.

ollie_05

ive contacted them numerous times but their responses are very poor, generally avoiding confirmation or an explanation of what im asking when they do bother to respond, and ive come from over on the Pistonheads forum where this or similar seems to be happening to a lot of customers, so not so much a one off, more a complete lack of competency and procedures on the VWFS side.

The_Rainmaker

Where is it parked?  Make sure it is in as safe a place as possible/  Make sure you have plenty of good quality photos of the car showing the condition of the vehicle at end of lease (or now if you haven't done so already.  I suspect they will be quite anal about pre-existing damage when it comes to sorting this all out.

ollie_05

yes ive took photos and sent them over, again no response. 
painful company to deal with.

NotSure10

ollie_05 said:

yes ive took photos and sent them over, again no response. 
painful company to deal with.

You're over worrying about it. They are very likely swamped with inquiries + having to deal with making sure all their call center staff can work remotely. Just do what has been suggested and wait to hear back, very likely you won't hear much until they want to arrange collection

born_again

One thing.
Taxed but no insured..... Who send out bills to owners when that happens?

I would make sure it is parked OFF road and secure.