End of lease Mercedes Benz Finanacial Services (MBFS) complaint

ritfor

Hello,

I returned a leased van in September 2025. British Car Auctions (BCA) inspected it and sent me a bill for £454 on behalf of MBFS in October. This was for a tiny dent in the roof. I did not dispute that the dent was there but I disputed:

a) was it necessary to repair

b) the charge is excessive

c) justification of the cost

d) proof of completion.

I disputed this because the bill showed no parts / materials costs, only labour. I was informed it took less than 3 hours to complete the work. I then raised a complaint with MBFS.

I have now received an email from MBFS that states:

'As it has now taken over eight weeks to provide a final response to your complaint, you may now have the right to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) and you must do so within 6 months of the date of this email.'

I am unclear on why I must refer my complaint to the FOS within 6 months of this email, as it is not their final response letter? What is the benefit of doing this?

I had intended on referring my complaint to the FOS within 6 months of receipt of the final response letter in the eventuality that MBFS failed to provide a satisfactory resolution to my complaint, i.e., if MBFS continued to seek payment from me. 

So I'm unsure of what to do next:

• Wait until I receive a final response letter and escalate my complaint to the FOS within 6 months of receipt if I disagree with the outcome?
• Escalate to the FOS within 6 months of the date of the last email I received from MBFS - although this may be unnecessary depending on the result of the final response letter?
• Do nothing - what would happen if I do not receive a final response letter and don't escalate my complaint to the FOS?

The risk is escalating my complaint to the FOS now only for them to side with MBFS without having been given a final response letter. I may be increasing my chances of having to pay the bill unnecessarily. If I escalated my complaint to the FOS after receiving a dissatisfactory final response letter and they sided with MFBS, so be it.

Any advice and reccommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Car_54

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6653780/end-of-lease-mercedes-benz-finanacial-services-mbfs-complaint

The Letter you have received seems to me, by implication, to be their final response.

Whatever, as they advise, you now have the right to refer it to the FOS. I would do so.

HHarry

It may just be that they have a backlog of complaints and that they will eventually get to you, but you have the oppurtunity to escalate now. The ‘evidence’ that the FOS see’s isn’t going to be any different with or without a final response letter - thus I wouldn’t expect it to affect their decision.

I don’t think it’s unjustified or excessive.

paul_c123

There is no way to know the loss of value of the van in having a dent on the roof, because they can either fix it and sell it; or sell it as-is. Whichever they do, they would never know the value if they took the other path.

So, it comes down to how they calculated the potential loss (or cost to fix and sell fixed).

£454 seems reasonable for a dent. How big was the dent (area covered)? Was it over a body seam? Was there access behind it? Was there paint damage too? These are the questions to be asked when estimating dent repair.

born_again

I returned a leased van in September 2025. British Car Auctions (BCA) inspected it and sent me a bill for £454 on behalf of MBFS in October. This was for a tiny dent in the roof. I did not dispute that the dent was there but I disputed:

A Yes, they supplied you with a undamaged van & you returned it damaged. As per the agreement on the lease, they can charge for certain damage.

B. £100+ a hour is not uncommon labour rates, then materials. Add in admin.

C. Did you not get a quote to repair it before?

D. Look out for it at auction.

If you go to FOS, they will either agree it was a fair charge or not. You have nothing to lose going via FOS, just expect it to take months to sort out.

Arunmor

They won't repair the it will be an estimate of the loss in value. It will be up to the next buyer to repair or not as he sees fit.

sheramber

You can go to FOS if you are not happy with their final response
OR

after 8 weeks if they have not replied.

paul_c123

Put simply, they are legally required to inform you you can go to the FOS, and that if you leave it longer than 6 months it will "time out".

Keep_pedalling

Unfortunatly minor bodywork damage is not cheap to fix, so what you have been charged is probably a reasonable amount.

jimjames

It would have been a better option to either get it fixed or quote done before sending back so you could tell if it was fair or not. Getting a small dent out of a body panel cost me £180 but that had access and no paint damage

Mildly_Miffed

You say a "tiny dent", but this is the BVRLA Fair Wear And Tear guide to vans.

https://www.vanparisonleasing.co.uk/fair-wear-and-tear

P18 says that dents of up to 15mm diameter are not penalised, so long as the paint is unbroken. You agreed to this standard when you took the van.

P12 describes dispute resolution.