Missing Voluntary Termination letter - Mini/BMW Finance

devon_lad

I wanted to terminate my Mini PCP around a year ago to get a bigger car.  I was near the point where I could walk away and not make any further payments.  However, I wanted confirmation of the date at which I could return it without incurring any further charges.  I'd received a settlement figure a couple of months previously and it appeared to me that by March I would be clear.
I emailed customer services in Feb to ask for confirmation.  Didn't get a response - so called them towards end of March (during first lockdown).  Was told on phone that there wasn't anything needing to pay - I just need to email a specific address asking for voluntary termination.  I did this and received an email back saying that the VT request was received and no further payments were necessary - they advised it might be some time before the car was picked up.  All good so far.
In the middle of April I purchased a new car through Cazoo on finance.  Then at the end of April I received a letter from Mini telling me I owed them £1100 for the shortfall on the vehicle.  No issue with the state of the vehicle or mileage - just that I hadn't made the minimum payments.
Needless to say I was a bit surprised by this.  It took a fair bit of time to get any further information out of Mini due to the covid circumstances - but essentially their line was that they sent me a VT letter informing me of the outstanding balance at the time of termination.
I never received such a letter - only the email saying no further payments were necessary.  I'd had a car from them before and having searched my emails I did find VT letter from a previous agreement.  So I have received them before when they have been sent.
I raised a formal complaint - the final outcome from that was that they had sent me a VT letter, case closed.
If I had indeed received a VT letter I would have just held onto the Mini for a couple more months before getting another car.
I have asked them multiple times for proof that the VT letter was sent - but they are no longer responding - just get a letter from them every 2 weeks asking for payment.
Anybody been in similar position?  I'm wondering whether I just pay them and get them off my back - but it annoys be that their disinformation has caused the whole situation.

[Deleted User]

Letters are deemed delivered 2 days after posting if sent first class, they don't need to provide you with proof of postage.
If you owe 2-3 months payments to get over the 50% then you'd have had to pay them anyway so it's much of a muchness now, pay the balance if their figures show you owe it, it's unlikely they would risk the wrath of the regulators by lying about you owing more.