Any Legal Eagels On Here? I Need Help re Merc Finance
Discussion
Guys,
I had a Mercedes lease car that i returned in January of this year. I returned the vehile in accordance with the return standards sent to me when I signed the lease.
Shortly after the return, I received a £700 bill for a missing service and wheel scuffs. The car had been serviced, and after months of wrangling, they relented and credited the charge for the service.
However, they still want me to pay for the scuffs. The return standards clearly state that if the wheels can be specialist repaired, that is acceptable damage. They have successfully repaired them and sent me the bill…They are now saying that the standards changed during the lease and that new contractual wording had been sent to me. I have not received any revised wording.
Any idea where I stand on this? Any help would be greatly appreciated, as this is a becoming really frustrating…
Many thanks in advance.
I had a Mercedes lease car that i returned in January of this year. I returned the vehile in accordance with the return standards sent to me when I signed the lease.
Shortly after the return, I received a £700 bill for a missing service and wheel scuffs. The car had been serviced, and after months of wrangling, they relented and credited the charge for the service.
However, they still want me to pay for the scuffs. The return standards clearly state that if the wheels can be specialist repaired, that is acceptable damage. They have successfully repaired them and sent me the bill…They are now saying that the standards changed during the lease and that new contractual wording had been sent to me. I have not received any revised wording.
Any idea where I stand on this? Any help would be greatly appreciated, as this is a becoming really frustrating…
Many thanks in advance.
This is something that I trot out on here with alarming frequency.
When you return your leased car treat it as though you were selling it yourself. For example if you have scuffed wheels and can get them repaired for fifty quid - do it.
Leasing companies have lost plenty of money lately and will charge for absolutely everything.
Lots of us brokers are also closing as people try and get a 'better deal' from the manufacturer's finance company, the upshot is when something goes wrong you can be stuck dealing with a faceless call centre and simple things can take "months of wrangling".
Edited to add: OP if you drop me a PM I might be able to put you in touch with someone who can help, can't promise but might be worth a letter/phone call.
When you return your leased car treat it as though you were selling it yourself. For example if you have scuffed wheels and can get them repaired for fifty quid - do it.
Leasing companies have lost plenty of money lately and will charge for absolutely everything.
Lots of us brokers are also closing as people try and get a 'better deal' from the manufacturer's finance company, the upshot is when something goes wrong you can be stuck dealing with a faceless call centre and simple things can take "months of wrangling".
Edited to add: OP if you drop me a PM I might be able to put you in touch with someone who can help, can't promise but might be worth a letter/phone call.
Edited by mattviatura on Tuesday 15th June 10:35
I can't offer any advice but i have heard this happening before with Merc.
I hope you can get a good outcome, i've got a lease car going back in a couple of months that i have looked after as if it were my own but it has 1 scuff on a wheel.
Matt i have subscribed to your newsletter.
I hope you can get a good outcome, i've got a lease car going back in a couple of months that i have looked after as if it were my own but it has 1 scuff on a wheel.
Matt i have subscribed to your newsletter.
Edited by Ozone on Tuesday 15th June 10:56
132 said:
Yes, it noted that there were scuffs to the wheels.
I also note that the return standards booklet that I have does not say that it is subject to change.
Surely it doesn't matter if they did or did not change the wording, you have the terms on which the contract was formed and that does not stipulate that a change is allowed.I also note that the return standards booklet that I have does not say that it is subject to change.
Ozone, let me know via PM if you want a copy of the BVRLA fair wear and tear guide and I'll email it to you.
Hora, they don't expect cars to be "as new" but they expect care to have been taken. As I said before a good rule of thumb is to imagine the car is yours and you are preparing it for sale, you'd repair any damage to maximise it's value.
Hora, they don't expect cars to be "as new" but they expect care to have been taken. As I said before a good rule of thumb is to imagine the car is yours and you are preparing it for sale, you'd repair any damage to maximise it's value.
Sorry Matt, just seen this. I have a copy thanks, i requested one when i got the car - unless it has changed in the last couple of years?. The OH has a lease car too which has a lot of deep scratches on but she doesn't seem to be worried. I keep telling her to save up for the repairs.
OP any updates?
OP any updates?
132 said:
They are now saying that the standards changed during the lease and that new contractual wording had been sent to me.
That sounds an odd one to me. In a "one off" transaction like a car lease I'd expect all the terms to be fixed at the start. It's not like an ongoing series of transactions where the company notifies changes of terms and conditions which will apply for future activity.Read your original lease carefully and check what it says. I'll be surprised if they can unilaterally change the original contract to your detriment.
sday12 said:
Seems that Kelvin Mackenzie of The Sun has taken this up and is threatening to expose some other sharp practices they are using from information from a company mole.
Will update with link if I can find one.
This. He has been particularly active since they tried doing it to him when he returned his lease car, perhaps try searching for some of his articles online?Will update with link if I can find one.
They are still trying it on. I have the Trading Standards route, but they were not interested. The view they take is that if they can prove that the revised standards were posted to me i.e. part of a print run, even if the letter got lost, this is deemed delivered. They have also said that the change was reflected on their website. I am still unsure if ti is reasonable/ legal for them to change the standards during the agreement...
Ozzie Osmond said:
132 said:
They are now saying that the standards changed during the lease and that new contractual wording had been sent to me.
That sounds an odd one to me. In a "one off" transaction like a car lease I'd expect all the terms to be fixed at the start. It's not like an ongoing series of transactions where the company notifies changes of terms and conditions which will apply for future activity.Read your original lease carefully and check what it says. I'll be surprised if they can unilaterally change the original contract to your detriment.
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