Cazoo administration has left me without a car

whattosay001

So I purchased my car from cazoo last June, and the moment I drove it away a engine light came on, long story short it’s been going back and forth with Cazoo’s repair shop to get it fixed but with no luck!! After a lot of complaining and calls a my case got assigned to someone who actually did help!! But the problem I am now faced with is my car went into jaguar to have the work done on the 30th of April but it couldn’t get done straight away as parts needed to be ordered, cazoo agreed for the work to be carried out and then on the 21st of may they went into administration and I have now had a call today (3/6/24) saying my car is ready to be collected but cazoo won’t pay as they are in administration and if I want it I will have to pay the invoice!!! I don’t have the money to cover this and i don’t know what I am meant to to do!! As I didn’t authorise the work personally and I wouldn’t of if I knew I was going to pay this bill as my husband is a mechanic so I always get things done via him but obviously didn’t as this is a problem that occurred when I first purchased the car so it was under warranty and not only that I have a extended warranty on this car that is useless as cazoo didn’t do it through the extended warranty they have done it via themselves and are now gone!! I can’t speak to anyone at cazoo as it’s all automated voice recordings and I just don’t know where to turn next so please any help would be appreciated 

cw8825

not an expert, but I would have thought the garage need to return the car to you then be added to the list of creditors for the administrators
This is assuming that Cazoo is the name on any agreement not yours

MeteredOut

whattosay001 said:

So I purchased my car from cazoo last June, and the moment I drove it away a engine light came on, long story short it’s been going back and forth with Cazoo’s repair shop to get it fixed but with no luck!! After a lot of complaining and calls a my case got assigned to someone who actually did help!! But the problem I am now faced with is my car went into jaguar to have the work done on the 30th of April but it couldn’t get done straight away as parts needed to be ordered, cazoo agreed for the work to be carried out and then on the 21st of may they went into administration and I have now had a call today (3/6/24) saying my car is ready to be collected but cazoo won’t pay as they are in administration and if I want it I will have to pay the invoice!!! I don’t have the money to cover this and i don’t know what I am meant to to do!! As I didn’t authorise the work personally and I wouldn’t of if I knew I was going to pay this bill as my husband is a mechanic so I always get things done via him but obviously didn’t as this is a problem that occurred when I first purchased the car so it was under warranty and not only that I have a extended warranty on this car that is useless as cazoo didn’t do it through the extended warranty they have done it via themselves and are now gone!! I can’t speak to anyone at cazoo as it’s all automated voice recordings and I just don’t know where to turn next so please any help would be appreciated 

This is the point i'd be reiterating to the garage and, as above, tell them to contact the administrators for payment.

I'd potentially throw in that if they don't return your car, you'll be getting a hire-car and they can expect a bill (even if I wasn't going to do that).

Neil49

This article doesn't sound too promising. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3gg520np4xo

whattosay001

I have a copy of the invoice which clearly states cazoo name on it not mine and I also have a email thread that cazoo have sent lookers/jaguar employee that I am dealing with saying…

Unfortunately, since our approval of the works, Cazoo has entered in to administration. This means we're unable to raise a payment for the approved works. Instead, I'll need to provide you an email address where you can register to become a creditor of Cazoo and our Administrators. We're very sorry. Please see below: 

 

Please contact the Joint Administrators at 

CazooCreditors@teneo.com.

So surly it would mean they give me my car back and file to recover the payment via Cazoo’s  administrators not personally through me ??? 

Car_54

whattosay001 said:

So surly it would mean they give me my car back and file to recover the payment via Cazoo’s  administrators not personally through me ??? 

But that's not the choice the garage are looking at. If the bill is (say) £1,000, they'd rather have £1,000 today from you than maybe £50 from the admin, probably in 2 years time.

Having said that, you were not party to the repair contract, so I don't think they can legally hold on to your property. Worth getting legal advice if they prove obstinate.

MeteredOut

Neil49 said:

This article doesn't sound too promising. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3gg520np4xo

That's different. That car has a fault but the Cazoo warranty won't cover it so she has to get the work done herself.  In the OPs case, it was Cazoo who authorised the work.

And the OP might not claimed have under warranty, but due to it having a fault at time of purchase.

I suggest the garage is trying it on.

Of course, getting the car back could be the challenge. OP, is the garage part of a chain, or an authorised dealer?

EDIT: I see you mention Lookers - I'd be contacting head office.

photome

If Cazoo authorised the payment , could the garage sell the car to cover that payment ?

Could the garage undo the work they have done and return to the OP ?

I really have no clue ,just thinking aloud

saajan_12

Would a mechanic's lien apply here?
Whereby if the garage did the work, they can hold onto the car until the cost is paid [by whoever] and if payment is not forthcoming then eventually sell the car to recoup. My knowledge is limited in this and I don't know how that works where the client is not the same as the car owner. 

Wonder if you can demand return of your car, via a civil standby / police but if not, then what are the relative values of the car vs repair cost? Might be better to pay and get back the car at least. 

Nobbie1967

photome said:

If Cazoo authorised the payment , could the garage sell the car to cover that payment ?

Could the garage undo the work they have done and return to the OP ?

I really have no clue ,just thinking aloud

I don’t think they can legally do that and I expect they’ve thrown out the faulty parts. This is a clear dispute between Cazoo and the garage. I don’t see what legal right they have to retain the car as the OP doesn’t owe them any money. If they threaten to remove parts I suspect it would constitute criminal damage.

If I was the Op, I’d tell them I was coming to pick up the car and for them to have it ready for a certain time. Turn up with the spare key and if the car is in sight, explain that the dispute is with Cazoo and ask for the key they hold. If they refuse, use the spare to drive the car away and follow up with a letter before action for the return of the key.

Bigphil1474

OP, might it be worth considering a good will payment towards the bill so that they get more than they would waiting for admin to be sorted out, but you don't have to foot the entire bill?