Diesel emissions claim - lawyers chasing 7 December 2022 at 2:43PM in Motoring 19 replies 808 views

KenDFish

My dad used to have a diesel car (it was sold years ago). Whilst watching telly one afternoon, he saw an advert for some PPI-style no-win-no-fee lawyers claiming they could get 000's back in compensation due to the diesel "mis-selling scandal" that kicked off a few years ago.

I don't know the exact details - I'm only finding this out now - but he contacted them somehow. They're now hounding him by email, asking him to provide (more?) documentation; he's just ignored these so far, but they're now sending increasingly scary emails about him being liable for their costs if he doesn't proceed (with the implication they'll pass it to a DCA etc). He's well into his 80's, not in the best of health, and this now has him extremely distressed.

I'm fairly sure (but not 100%) that he hasn't passed them any documentation about the car - this would have inevitably have lead to a phone call to me asking how to scan documents, upload them etc. As far as I know, the only contact was the initial enquiry - but neither he nor I are certain of that.

After ignoring their emails for weeks, he's now responded to them today with a simple "don't want to proceed" email. Is there anything more that we should be doing; how far can this company take things, and is there any real risk that they'll try to claw back fees for "time spent"?

Goudy

Has he been sent any forms and signed them?
If so he has entered into an agreement with this law firm and can, within 14 days withdraw, penalty free.

If he hasn't, it may be a case of trying to strong arm him into signing up.
Due to his age, it's not a good look for the firm and you might have to make them aware of that, if it got out!

KenDFish

I'm fairly certain that he hasn't physically signed anything; I can't be 100% on this because he isn't 100% either. I know that sending any documents etc would usually involve me being asked to make copies, which I haven't done - so I'm hoping it went no further than just a phone call and/or email exchange.

Goudy

Well I think your next step would be to phone them and find out.

I would be tempted to vent a smidge of anger at them pestering such a mature gentleman even if he has signed up and perhaps request they drop it and stop contact, as it appears to anyone that reads their correspondence on the matter to be pretty brutal and as his GP will contest, it's effecting his health.

Mutton_Geoff

Martin's email this week discusses just this topic - https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/diesel-emissions-group-legal-claims/

[Deleted User]

Nobody lost money because of this
Nobody in the UK bought a car because of NOx emissions which are not declared in the advertising, therefore no-one was miss-sold on the basis of higher NOx emissions

diystarter7

Deleted_User said:

Nobody lost money because of this
Nobody in the UK bought a car because of NOx emissions which are not declared in the advertising, therefore no-one was miss-sold on the basis of higher NOx emissions

Hi

I agree with the highlighted bit. However, people are claiming as is one of my family about the car Nox or whatever is called being adjusted to meet standards and they are getting less mpg and the engines does not sound as smooth and they are not alone, just look it up on the net.

I've just read the MSE link as posted by someone else here, it is very informative.

Thanks

Ebe_Scrooge

diystarter7 said:

Deleted_User said:

Nobody lost money because of this
Nobody in the UK bought a car because of NOx emissions which are not declared in the advertising, therefore no-one was miss-sold on the basis of higher NOx emissions

they are getting less mpg

Less than what?  It's nigh-on impossible to achieve the laboratory-conditions fuel consumption figures that are advertised by manufacturers anyway - they are simply a set of figures measured under controlled conditions to allow you to compare the relative consumption of one car against another.

the engines does not sound as smooth

Well that's definitely a justifiable reason to claim compo!

diystarter7 said:

 they are not alone, just look it up on the net

You do realise that 90% of what you read online needs to be taken with an extremely large pinch of salt?

The bottom line is that consumers suffered no financial loss as a result of this, ergo there is no claim for compensation.

Grey_Critic

diystarter7 said:

. However, people are claiming as is one of my family about the car Nox or whatever is called being adjusted to meet standards and they are getting less mpg and the engines does not sound as smooth

I personally think they are wasting their time. IF the Government decides that engines are *De-tuned or whatever you like to call it the car manufacturer is not responsible.

It is just the same as switching to E10 from E5 - Government directive nothing to do with the vehicle manufacturer - there are a lot of complaints abiout poor MPG since the change. Who would you sue.

As said here

Deleted_User said:

Nobody lost money because of this
Nobody in the UK bought a car because of NOx emissions which are not declared in the advertising, therefore no-one was miss-sold on the basis of higher NOx emissions

diystarter7

Ebe_Scrooge said:

Less than what?  It's nigh-on impossible to achieve the laboratory-conditions fuel consumption figures that are advertised by manufacturers anyway - they are simply a set of figures measured under controlled conditions to allow you to co

You do realise that 90% of what you read online needs to be taken with an extremely large pinch of salt?

The bottom line is that consumers suffered no financial loss as a result of this, ergo there is no claim for compensation.

Yep mate, I was referring to the 10% as like you i have the capacity to decipher the 90% just like you..

Btw, are you saying VW is silly by paying out possibly tens of millions? 

FYI, I've not made a claim as I did not have a qualifying car.

Thanks

Ebe_Scrooge

diystarter7 said:

Yep mate,

Please, this is a pet hate of mine.  I am not your "mate", I don't even know you.

diystarter7 said:

Btw, are you saying VW is silly by paying out possibly tens of millions? 

Not silly - it's a commercial decision.  Yes, they were wrong to try and cheat the tests in the first place, I'm not arguing with that.  But a few tens of millions is actually small potatoes for the likes of VW, and if it "closes the case", so to speak, it's a cheap resolution.

What irks me is the number of people who jump on the bandwagon in cases such as this, just for the promise of some free money to which they have no legitimate claim - fed largely, I'll admit, by bottom-feeding law firms who likewise see the chance to make a quick buck.  I actually feel for people like the OP's father who get suckered into such things - I'm having to keep a close eye on my father-in-law to stop him falling victim to such scams.

(Oh, and the latest one I've seen advertised - time-shares.  Now that PPI has dried up, and they're running out of steam on diesel, lets' see if we can make an easy killing on mis-sold timeshares).