Vauxhall Leasing Saga

[equallytempered]

I wonder if anyone has any practical advice on this situation we’ve found ourselves in.

We took out a lease on a Vauxhall Astra EV Estate in September 2024, a two year deal ending in September 2026. The lease is through our LTD company, and thus is what’s known as an unregulated lease.

In August of 2025, the air con ceased to work. We booked it in and took it to our nearest franchised dealer and collected the courtesy car.

After a few days of not hearing anything from the garage, we phoned them and we were told that a software update went wrong, and that they ‘bricked’ the car.

We’ve had almost no communication from the garage, in spite of almost weekly promises of updates, everything we’ve garnered from the situation has been from us requesting updates.

They had said there was a long delay with parts, and the specific parts they required had to be coded to the car at the point of manufacture. This part, we believe, arrived with them before Christmas 2025.

As of January 2026, they called to say the car needed a test drive and a wash, then it’ll be ready. A day after that, they requested we drop off the 2nd car key to them as they were unable to start the car. We’ve had no update since.

Given that we’ve been without the car we’re paying for, for almost 6 months (25% of the lease agreement), is there any particular route of recourse that might yield success?

We still have their courtesy car - however, it’s not an EV so much more costly to run, and it’s a hatchback (not an estate).

I’m not 100% unappreciative of having the courtesy car, but at the same time it doesn’t seem unreasonable to have access to the size and spec of vehicle we’re paying for.

Vauxhall UK are aware of the situation, as is the leasing company. The leasing company have said, even though we can legally return the car early with a penalty, they can’t accept it back if it’s not functioning.

Any advice would be highly appreciated.

[paul_c123]

You've got a courtesy car. Plenty of people have similar issues and don't get a courtesy car, so I don't think any claim has legs.

[Sheepshanks]

I'd have expected this is down to the leasing company to sort out - they've supplied a car which isn't of satisfactory quality and isn't fit for purpose. Consumer law doesn't apply, but the Supply of Goods and Services Act should.

Vauxhall UK should be compensating you (via the dealer) for the additional fuel cost.

[-Cappo-]

Good luck with getting any joy with Vauxhall customer service. My experience of them, at Luton, when trying to resolve an issue on a nearly-new car with <5k miles was basically “you’ve bought a car, now f*** off”. I’d never entertain another Vauxhall no matter what the deal.

[ADJimbo]

In terms of the steps you’ve already taken, you’ve done everything you can do in bringing the LeaseCo and Vauxhall UK into the picture.

The quickest escalation route would be within Vauxhall UK so I’d be minded to email Steve Catlin - their UK MD - on [e-mail] where it’ll be picked up from on high at their end.

One suggestion maybe to get Vauxhall to send in one of their Master Technicians from the factory into the Dealer to have a look at the vehicle from their perspective. I’ve recommended this to clients in the past, and it has delivered better than expected outcomes.

[Ted Maul]

paul_c123 said:

You've got a courtesy car. Plenty of people have similar issues and don't get a courtesy car, so I don't think any claim has legs.

PH delivers as usual.

[Sheepshanks]

-Cappo- said:

Good luck with getting any joy with Vauxhall customer service. My experience of them, at Luton, when trying to resolve an issue on a nearly-new car with <5k miles was basically you ve bought a car, now f*** off . I d never entertain another Vauxhall no matter what the deal.

Have you interacted with other marques and had a positive response? Years ago they’d step in and give the dealer a kicking but my experiences over the last 15 yrs or so is none of them I’ve contacted give a toss, often now you’re talking to a 3rd party call centre.

[paul_c123]

Ted Maul said:

PH delivers as usual.

I didn't want to get the OP's hopes up. Vauxhall are now an economy brand. They do this by having a "bare bones" aftercare support system and a shortish warranty compared to others. There is a legal minimum requirement of 6 months (CRA2015) for satisfactory quality, which means in that timeframe they must try to fix things (or refund). Part of that is they don't get multiple goes - just the one try. Yes they've taken longer than a reasonable time, but they've supplied a courtesy car. Nowhere written into law is the requirement to supply an EQUIVALENT courtesy car.

Its obviously worth a try but it would be counterproductive to put enormous amounts of emotional energy and time towards this, if you are met with a brick wall.

[geeks]

Ted Maul said:

PH delivers as usual.

And your helpful advice was what exactly? Poster is correct many people have stories on here of other brands and similar issues with no courtesy car.

The OP does need to pursue the additional fuel costs with Vaux or the dealer. Also needs to go down to see dealer in person to see what is going on with the car but as its leased through a LTD company then it is likely they aren't going to get very far

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Id interrogate the T&Cs on the leasing doc. Thats who your agreement/contract is with.

[Sheepshanks]

paul_c123 said:

I didn't want to get the OP's hopes up. Vauxhall are now an economy brand. They do this by having a "bare bones" aftercare support system and a shortish warranty compared to others. There is a legal minimum requirement of 6 months (CRA2015) for satisfactory quality, which means in that timeframe they must try to fix things (or refund). Part of that is they don't get multiple goes - just the one try. Yes they've taken longer than a reasonable time, but they've supplied a courtesy car. Nowhere written into law is the requirement to supply an EQUIVALENT courtesy car.

Its obviously worth a try but it would be counterproductive to put enormous amounts of emotional energy and time towards this, if you are met with a brick wall.

This is all nonsense - CRA doesn't apply and in the OPs case if he's going to start quoting the law at people then legal then that need to be with the leasing company.

If nothing else, it needs sorting before the car is due to be returned, although I can't imagine how this leasing company could refuse to take their car back due to it being off the road with a fault under warranty.

[paul_c123]

Sheepshanks said:

This is all nonsense - CRA doesn't apply and in the OPs case if he's going to start quoting the law at people then legal then that need to be with the leasing company.

If nothing else, it needs sorting before the car is due to be returned, although I can't imagine how this leasing company could refuse to take their car back due to it being off the road with a fault under warranty.

CRA applies to financed cars as well as purchased ones. 3 (2) (b). Its beyond 6 months though, meaning the OP would need to prove the fault were there at time of purchase; or make an argument that it was not sufficiently durable even though it occurred > 6 months.

You're right it doesn't apply to business leases, but the main thrust of my previous post was to manage expectations, not to assume you'll get a like-for-like courtesy car or your fuel paid for.

Edited by paul_c123 on Saturday 14th February 16:27

Edited by paul_c123 on Saturday 14th February 16:29

[123DWA]

paul_c123 said:

CRA applies to financed cars as well as purchased ones. 3 (2) (b). Its beyond 6 months though, meaning the OP would need to prove the fault were there at time of purchase; or make an argument that it was not sufficiently durable even though it occurred > 6 months.

Edited by paul_c123 on Saturday 14th February 16:27

CRA doesnt apply to a b2b purchase which is what this is.

[Sheepshanks]

paul_c123 said:

You're right it doesn't apply to business leases, but the main thrust of my previous post was to manage expectations, not to assume you'll get a like-for-like courtesy car or your fuel paid for.

Your expectations / assumptions are wrong. OP should be compensated for extra expense and the car should have already been replaced like for like months ago, either with a loaner or permanently.

[paul_c123]

Sheepshanks said:

Your expectations / assumptions are wrong. OP should be compensated for extra expense and the car should have already been replaced like for like months ago, either with a loaner or permanently.

Fair enough, we differ on our opinions. Is this expectation backed by law?

[Sheepshanks]

paul_c123 said:

Fair enough, we differ on our opinions. Is this expectation backed by law?

Yes. But I would also expect that it would never get that far.

Six months without the car, while at the same time paying a montly rental for it, is absurd - who would think any differently?

[Deerfoot]

equallytempered said:

The leasing company have said, even though we can legally return the car early with a penalty, they can t accept it back if it s not functioning.

I find this part especially baffling.

The leasing company own this Astra, isn't it their responsibility to battle this out with Vauxhall?

I'd be more than a little annoyed that I was paying X for car A but I'm getting the use of car B while the leasing company and Vauxhall are shrugging their shoulders..

[paul_c123]

Deerfoot said:

I find this part especially baffling.

The leasing company own this Astra, isn't it their responsibility to battle this out with Vauxhall?

I'd be more than a little annoyed that I was paying X for car A but I'm getting the use of car B while the leasing company and Vauxhall are shrugging their shoulders..

No because there's different kinds of leases. Some are fully maintained, some are unmaintained (the maintenance is the responsibility of the lessee) are are obviously cheaper.

[Ted Maul]

paul_c123 said:

Ted Maul said:

PH delivers as usual.

I didn't want to get the OP's hopes up. Vauxhall are now an economy brand. They do this by having a "bare bones" aftercare support system and a shortish warranty compared to others. There is a legal minimum requirement of 6 months (CRA2015) for satisfactory quality, which means in that timeframe they must try to fix things (or refund). Part of that is they don't get multiple goes - just the one try. Yes they've taken longer than a reasonable time, but they've supplied a courtesy car. Nowhere written into law is the requirement to supply an EQUIVALENT courtesy car.

Its obviously worth a try but it would be counterproductive to put enormous amounts of emotional energy and time towards this, if you are met with a brick wall.

Your original comment was completely illogical; lots of people get courtesy cars therefore your claim doesn't have legs. Totally unrelated and simply doesn't answer the OP's question which wasn't solely about getting an equivalent courtesy car.

I think he knows he's got a battle on his hands after six months, he's right in the middle of it already. He wants the car, or at least the capability that he bought it for, that he's spent the last six months paying for but hasn't had access to because of shoddy service. Not an unreasonable question.

[ACCYSTAN]

Can you stop paying the monthly direct debit? That will get the lease companies attention if they are ignoring you