Cancelling car order and distance selling regs..
Cancelling car order and distance selling regs..
Author
Discussion

mercGLowner

Original Poster:

1,668 posts

213 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
Any legal experts in the house?

I ordered a new car back in the summer, paid £1000 deposit and signed a T&Cs form along with the order which said non refundable deposit. I dealt with the main dealer on line by email and the odd phone call. I have never stepped into the dealership (250 miles from me). The car is a standard car, just metallic paint added, 4 months waiting list and probably one of the most sought after cars in its class.

Wind forward, 3 months. My circumstances have changed, I will be moving on from my job in the new year, lots of uncertainty therefore I decide not to proceed with car purchase to avoid taking on additional debt and higher payments (compared with current car)

I email the dealer to cancel, four days later he emails back and says the they are cancelling the car and that I have lost my deposit.

So, do I have any recourse throught the distance selling regs, now called something slightly different,, same protection applies?

Please no judgemental replies, if I have lost a grand, so be it, but if I can legally claim it back, I want to.

ManiacGT

537 posts

204 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
I'm no legal expert but I do work in a field where this has come up in our company. I don't believe the distance selling regs help you here. You signed an agreement for a non refundable deposit new car purchase, therefore do not expect to get your money back, because you walked away. It wasn't as if they did something wrong. They are now likely lumbered with a car that will sit or they have to find a new buyer for, all of which can incur costs for them.

Distance selling regs have a short period of 'cooling off' from the moment of the initial order and also give you the right of rejection for a short period after receipt of goods. They are not designed to allow you to simply change your mind several months later.

Edited by ManiacGT on Friday 26th September 15:13

R6VED

1,491 posts

169 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
You are fked.

b19rak

403 posts

246 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
If you paid your deposit over the phone you might have some come back with distance selling. We were always told to refund a customer that paid over the phone and to recharge them back in person when they came in.

kambites

71,475 posts

250 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
I'm no legal expert, but common sense would certainly dictate that you can't get it back.

Dracoro

9,026 posts

274 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
I can't believe you just e-mailed to cancel! This sort of thing I would phone to explain the situation. An e-mail can come across as curt/abrupt so they just cancelled and kept deposit.

SSBB

698 posts

185 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
I am not a lawyer, but distance selling regs do apply, according to what I have read. However, there is a get-out for goods ordered to your specification; not sure if this covers car paint or trim etc.

Have they supplied you with all the information required under the regs?

oilslick

973 posts

215 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
Useful info here:

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/...

Cancellation has to be made within 14 days and doesn't apply to personalised items (which I'd assume a car in a specific colour would be).

bonus99

91 posts

264 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
Better to call in a situation like this and explain, is it too late for that?

Distance selling is about 14 days cool down I think, so that is no good for you.

You could try and see if the contract has been breached by them in the timescale to provide the car.

If you paid by credit card you may have some recourse or insurance for changes in circumstances?

Otherwise, it looks like you have lost your money.

Really need to see the termination clause

AngryPartsBloke

1,439 posts

180 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
oilslick said:
Useful info here:

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/...

Cancellation has to be made within 14 days and doesn't apply to personalised items (which I'd assume a car in a specific colour would be).
14 days AFTER you receive it. I'm curuios as to why you would post a link to information you haven't understoond?

To Answer your question, yes you can Get your deposit back under these regulations.

kambites

71,475 posts

250 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
AngryPartsBloke said:
To Answer your question, yes you can Get your deposit back under these regulations.
Surely that doesn't change the fact that it's "personalised goods" so the regs don't apply?

eybic

9,212 posts

203 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
When I was in sales we were always told that if no timescale was given by us for cancelling under DSR then they applied for something silly like 2 years.

Does the "contract" state a cooling off period?

AngryPartsBloke

1,439 posts

180 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
kambites said:
Surely that doesn't change the fact that it's "personalised goods" so the regs don't apply?
No, options you can choose on cars do not make the car an item "made to their personal specification"

oilslick

973 posts

215 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
AngryPartsBloke said:
14 days AFTER you receive it. I'm curuios as to why you would post a link to information you haven't understoond?

To Answer your question, yes you can Get your deposit back under these regulations.
Misread the first part, but I still fail to see how ordering a car in a particular colour wouldn't be personalised goods?

kambites

71,475 posts

250 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
AngryPartsBloke said:
kambites said:
Surely that doesn't change the fact that it's "personalised goods" so the regs don't apply?
No, options you can choose on cars do not make the car an item "made to their personal specification"
How odd. A car produced with a particular options set and colour seems to absolute epitomise "made to a personal specification" to me.

AngryPartsBloke

1,439 posts

180 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
oilslick said:
AngryPartsBloke said:
14 days AFTER you receive it. I'm curuios as to why you would post a link to information you haven't understoond?

To Answer your question, yes you can Get your deposit back under these regulations.
Misread the first part, but I still fail to see how ordering a car in a particular colour wouldn't be personalised goods?
Unless the car is bespoke desgined specifically for the customer, it does not count.

ManiacGT

537 posts

204 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
AngryPartsBloke said:
14 days AFTER you receive it. I'm curuios as to why you would post a link to information you haven't understoond?

To Answer your question, yes you can Get your deposit back under these regulations.
Its really not that clear cut I'm afraid.

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/aberdeen/FAQ.HT...

EXCERPT:

I agreed to buy a car from a local dealer last week and put down a deposit of £100. I have now decided to buy a different car from another dealer so can I have my deposit back?

When you agreed to buy the car you entered a legally binding contract and you will be in breach of this contract if you decide not to go ahead with the purchase.

The courts would probably allow the dealer to keep the deposit for holding the car for you and not selling it to anyone else.

The dealer could also claim compensation from you if he has incurred any reasonable losses above the amount you left as a deposit.

ecsrobin

18,665 posts

194 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
Isnt the point of a non-refundable deposit the fact that it's non refundable???

mercGLowner

Original Poster:

1,668 posts

213 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
Some useful replies thanks.

If this was a Ford Fiesta in pink with navigation and full leather I think they would be rightly pissed off as it would be impossible to sell. It is a large SUV , very popular, 4 months waiting list and they will sell this car in a heartbeat. Choosing paint doesn't personalise a car , it has to have paint!

I could actually take delivery of it, and return it two days later and say I don't like it, the dealer would be royally fked then as it becoms used and he would have to refund my money under the DSRs.

I emailed back to the dealer this morning, in a polite but firm manner.mthey have now yet had the courtesy to call me or email me back. As I say, if I am not legally able to have my money back, then so be it. But if legally I can, and the dealer would know, then I should get it back.

AngryPartsBloke

1,439 posts

180 months

Friday 26th September 2014
quotequote all
ManiacGT said:
AngryPartsBloke said:
14 days AFTER you receive it. I'm curuios as to why you would post a link to information you haven't understoond?

To Answer your question, yes you can Get your deposit back under these regulations.
Its really not that clear cut I'm afraid.

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/aberdeen/FAQ.HT...

EXCERPT:

I agreed to buy a car from a local dealer last week and put down a deposit of £100. I have now decided to buy a different car from another dealer so can I have my deposit back?

When you agreed to buy the car you entered a legally binding contract and you will be in breach of this contract if you decide not to go ahead with the purchase.

The courts would probably allow the dealer to keep the deposit for holding the car for you and not selling it to anyone else.

The dealer could also claim compensation from you if he has incurred any reasonable losses above the amount you left as a deposit.
No he can't. That only works if you pay in person. If you do it by phone or email without seeing the car/dealer in person you are protected by the distance selling regs.

Just read the reulations that apply, what you've linked does not apply.

Edited by AngryPartsBloke on Friday 26th September 15:58