Cycle scheme bike gone wrong after barely 6 months advice needed

Alderbank

We said you have no consumer rights. That's because he didn't buy the bike directly with his own money. He used a voucher which his employer had paid for and handed to him.

The bike is a company-owned asset which is loaned to their employee. No different from a company car, works phone, van, electric drill, protective equipment, etc. If it's faulty you go to the relevant manager who sorts it out.

it must be ten years since I managed these schemes myself but they are still very much the same. I operated two schemes, one with Halfords and one with a local bike shop. The odd time that anyone had a problem (gears, brakes or whatever) I told them to go back to the shop, remind them it was cycle2work and to send the bill to us. Cost of bike parts are trivial by company standards, but I never actually received any bills. The bikes were relatively new, they were modest (the limit in those days was £1,000 so no Campagnolos etc.) and the dealers were keen to hold on to the extra business generated by the cycle schemes. The local shop even offered free annual servicing to users.

The schemes are deservedly popular because in spite of what the OP says they are money-saving and good value. You pay from gross salary before tax and NI taken out so at least 32% lower, more for some.

sheramber

Your husband needs to take it up with his employer. 

His employer owns the bike so his employer would need to contact the scheme organiser to sort it out.

Is there any paperwork for the scheme?

Aylesbury_Duck

teddybear154 said:

We are already throwing money away £200 a week in Taxis, getting a new bike is are only choice right now as our main concern is him beginning able to get to and from work. In the long run a new bike will be cheaper than taxis.  I don't see us having any other choice.

I'm sorry if I'm wrong or you think I'm misinterpreting the scheme, as far as I'm concerned, that's how I see it. I don't see any benefits to it. The tax benefits are not worth it and in the end it ends up more expensive than buying a bike out right.

Our local bike shop has some good electric bikes in the sale at a very good price right now. Even if wasn't in sale it would still work out way cheaper than buying through cycle scheme. Plus you don't even own bike after, once you finish paying installments you have to pay another amount if you want to own it, with the scheme.

It should be made clear that its basically a bike hire/rental scheme. So your paying out all that money on a bike that won't even be yours unless you pay out even more money.

What else would you call it apart from theft if employer is taking money from you pay each month for nothing as you don't have bike. It's theft plain and simple.

When I first asked this question, I asked if my husband had any rights and you all said no. He has no rights. Everything I've researched says he has no rights. Now your saying he does have rights.

You can't blame us for being confused it can't be both ways. Either he has rights or he doesn't. How can he exercise his rights if he has no rights?

Appologies if I'm coming across rude or if I have upset any we are just very frustrated with the situation.

Sorry for venting and thanks again for your replies, they are appreciated.

You do have another choice, and I'd urge your husband to speak to his employer rather than spending even more money on another bike.  Does he have a friendly colleague who can accompany and help him?

As Alderbank has pointed out, the benefits are worth it for many people and it absolutely doesn't work out more expensive than buying the same bike outright.  It may be possible to get a cheaper purchase deal at some point of course, but the tax benefit is substantial so a discount on an outright purchase would need to be sizeable.

It's not theft, and you know it.  If you really think it's theft, why haven't you reported the 'crime' to the police?  Your husband has voluntarily determined to continue paying for the bike, despite there being a right to speak to his employer and come to a resolution, e.g. pausing payments while the bike is unavailable.

I sense your frustration, but the solution appears to be available, it's just that you don't want to pursue it.  That doesn't make it theft or a bad scheme.  Maybe writing a letter and rehearsing the argument before Monday would help your husband approach his employer?  I'm sure one of us could suggest some text to start with.  I'm frustrated that you'd rather spend more money than try and tackle the problem!  It's not very moneysavingexpert 😃

Okell

teddybear154 said:

... When I first asked this question, I asked if my husband had any rights and you all said no. He has no rights. Everything I've researched says he has no rights. Now your saying he does have rights.

You can't blame us for being confused it can't be both ways. Either he has rights or he doesn't. How can he exercise his rights if he has no rights?...

Your husband has no consumer rights* against whoever sold the bike because your husband didn't buy it from them.

Your husband's employer bought the bike and is leasing it to your husband, and your husband is paying for that privilege.

Your husband's rights will be against his employer*.  The two of you need to carefully read the T&Cs of the scheme to see what liability your husband's employer has in the event that the bike is faulty.

There's no need for your husband to be apprehensive about approaching his employer - unless there's something else going on that would justify that apprehension.  


*I suppose it could be agrued that that your husband does have some sort of consumer rights against his employer based on the Cycle to Work hire contract that they both must have agreed to, but it's obviously complicated by the employer/employee relationship.

amanda1024

Separate to the consumer/employee rights question, have you looked at other options for him getting to work to save on taxis? Public transport? Temporarily working from home until he’s fully recovered (as a reasonable adjustment)? Or renting an electric bike as an interim measure rather than buying one outright?

sheramber

You wanted him to wait until he was finished with physio.

How was he going to get to work until then? 

Would he have been using taxis  so you would have had the same expense?