Car Schemes opting out

ohrammer

There has been a lot of discussion on this subject but none seem to match my enquiry......
So I am (up until 13/10/20) part of a COS (Car ownership scheme) in which the company leases a car on my behalf and I get to pay the running cost via BIK and money out of my salary. I have done this for a number of years as there was always a suitable car for my family ( I have children and 2 large dog as well as need to tow trailers) so a bigish car. I currently driver a Volvo XC60 diesel which fits my personal needs as well as business needs. 
Looking at the new vehicles available to me there is no vehicle which is either large enough or suitable for my private needs so am looking to opt out, the company does have a Cash alternative but this is also restrictive as I MUST have a certain aged, style and type of car (no Ferrari for me) so i would have purchase a newish car which I can not afford as I would need to pay a very big deposit etc 
so have asked to opt completely.
The problem comes as I am a Operational Manager which means I do need to go out and about on business (not a lot but some) so do need a vehicle for this which i would assume the business need to ensure there is a suitable vehicle to use but im note sure why i have to pay for this.
I accept that I must get myself to my place of work and that I can get there by any means I see fit (Planes, trains or walk) but surely the business should provide me with a vehicle to do their bidding. they don't ask me to lease the laptop they provide yet I use it for personal research (Tax man please ignore last sentence)
I feel I'm being forced to have a car which is no used to me in my private life or spend a lot of money buying a suitable car to meet the cash alternative criteria
What are my legal options and what can my employer force me to do?    

Ditzy_Mitzy

Nobody has a 'right' to a company car, it's just a nice perk for those in higher level positions.  Some employers, for instance, don't operate a scheme at all and instead run a motor pool with employees having to get to the starting point under their own steam.  Legally I suspect this is a non-starter; the only regulations I am aware of that apply to company cars are tax related.  
Your need to tow trailers and so on in your own time is not the employer's business, ergo he isn't obliged to provide you with a car capable of doing so.  He chooses, because he is nice, to provide you with a car suitable for the activity required of it by the job.  If, for argument's sake, you were required to tow heavy trailers during work hours, your point might stand.  You are not, however, required to do this.
Your employer has offered you a car which he believes to be suitable, you can either take it or leave it.  Leaving it would be expensive.  Why not take the car and buy an old four by four or pickup truck for cheap then use the car for work and the heavy vehicle for towing trailers?

Comms69

Basically it's up to you to sort out. Your employer is not obliged to provide a vehicle. 

Sandtree

ohrammer said:

 they don't ask me to lease the laptop they provide yet I use it for personal research (Tax man please ignore last sentence)
 

I'd be surprised that their IT policy allows for you to use it for personal use which is the notable difference to the company car (which is why you have BIK to pay). Plus if they want they can see everything you are searching for, passwords etc which you may or may not really want them to know.

Is the BIK + salary actually worthwhile to have the car via the scheme? Ok, I was looking at petrol cars where BIK is more painful but I know when I checked I could do a personal lease from net salary for less than getting it as a company car. If you lease a car the "deposit" is 2 months rent (plus you pay the first month rent up front) and so a notable sum of money but not the £5k or such that a PCP/HP dealer would be wanting to give a reasonable price.

JReacher1

Your employer is providing a vehicle. It just doesn’t fit your personal circumstances which isn’t really your employers fault. 

Why don’t you opt out, take the cash and lease your own car that does fit your requirements? It will cost you some money but seems the cheapest option. 

I don’t really understand why you would want to opt out to not get either a car or the money. It’s seems unusual as you do need a car. 

Dox

Have you actually raised the point with your employer and asked if a compromise is possible?