Former employer with holding money

[Just Trouble]

I will keep this brief. My son was employed through an agency as a gas engineer to cover breakdowns and servicing for a well known national social housing association. The job was not as described/presented during the interview and following weeks of extortionate working hours and chaotic workloads my son gave the appropriate notice and quit. He returned the works vehicle and was told that even though there was a scuff mark on the nearside this was incidental and was not worth bothering about. Since the vehicle has been returned he received verbal notification that the company wanted £5000 to cover the "damage". The company were informed that this was a completely unreasonable amount of money to cover such a small repair. Following notification he has since received an email stating that the company will be with holding £500 of his final weeks wages to cover the cost of repair. He took some pictures today of the damage stating that it is a scuff mark with no dent to the panel and will easily T-cut out. Some companies are utter aholes!

[Some Gump]

Just Trouble said:

I will keep this brief. . He took some pictures today of the damage stating that it is a scuff mark with no dent to the panel and will easily T-cut out. Some companies are utter aholes!

Then why didn't he T cut it out?

It's like when you see adverts saying "it'll only be 50 quid to fix" - get it fixed then, and there's no problem!

[cv01jw]

Do they have any evidence to suggest it was your son who caused the damage? Were photos taken when he was given the van?

[eybic]

Some Gump said:

Then why didn't he T cut it out?

It's like when you see adverts saying "it'll only be 50 quid to fix" - get it fixed then, and there's no problem!

This.

If he can still get access to the van (which by him taking a pic today, it seems he does) then perhaps it's worth his while getting some t-cut and doing it himself.

[FWIW]

Why should he even be responsible for paying for damage to a company vehicle? Surely that’s not normal.

[syl]

It would be an unlawful deduction of wages. He'll have 3 months (less a day) to bring it to tribunal, should they actually deduct it.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/problems-at...

[J2daG1990]

Surely work insurance would cover this?! No one should be expected to pay company car damages out of their own pocket.

[Just Trouble]

Thanks for everyone’s replies. He didn’t notice the scuff mark until it was pointed out to him when he returned the vehicle. I suggested just going around and T-cut out the scuff mark but he is hesitant due to the companies attitude towards him and that he may well end up in trouble for interfering with another company’s property. It wouldn’t be criminal damage but if challenged then what?

[eybic]

Just Trouble said:

Thanks for everyone’s replies. He didn’t notice the scuff mark until it was pointed out to him when he returned the vehicle. I suggested just going around and T-cut out the scuff mark but he is hesitant due to the companies attitude towards him and that he may well end up in trouble for interfering with another company’s property. It wouldn’t be criminal damage but if challenged then what?

"I'm trying to avoid being charged for this, I think it's just a scuff so am trying to t-cut it out" is I think how I would approach it if challenged.

[BrabusMog]

What did the vehicle policy he signed say?

[Just Trouble]

BrabusMog said:

What did the vehicle policy he signed say?

Sorry I don’t know. I have relayed part of the conversation I had with him today so I don’t have that info

[BrabusMog]

Just Trouble said:

BrabusMog said:

What did the vehicle policy he signed say?

Sorry I don’t know. I have relayed part of the conversation I had with him today so I don’t have that info

Worth a look - I got docked £300ish when I left my last job (saw the Chips Away quote, I wasn't stitched) and I was going to have a moan but when I read the policy it was clear that I was liable for any damages plus the insurance excess if I'd had a crash. This was in a bloody pool car as well, but I knew that someone dinged it with a trolley when I took it to get lunch, so I had no recourse.

[Jasandjules]

What does his contract say about such matters?

[Alucidnation]

Did he get the van brand new when he started?

How long was he working for them?

[Just Trouble]

Jasandjules said:

What does his contract say about such matters?

He is going to check the contract

[steve2]

Cthat went down from £5000 to £500, I would suggest to them it is more like £50 and how did they get to £5000 ?

[Just Trouble]

Alucidnation said:

Did he get the van brand new when he started?

How long was he working for them?

I believe the van was not brand new when he received it. He only worked for them for four weeks. They tried to with hold his third weeks pay too over a boiler survey which he completed. This was the final straw, hence he quit. They appear to be a highly vindictive outfit

[Just Trouble]

steve2 said:

Cthat went down from £5000 to £500, I would suggest to them it is more like £50 and how did they get to £5000 ?

God only knows. Just about sums up their attitude. Pluck any figure out of thin air then realise how dumb they have been. Heat of the moment rant, shame they didn’t put it in writing/email.

[Eddieslofart]

I recognise the company, they’re on the verge of skint anyway. Did he do a walk round when he took possesion with body marker sheet ? Same again when he handed it back ?

[magpie215]

Has he put any thought into hiring a mini digger to retrieve his money.