Company car question

[BS75]

As a field based technician, I currently run a private diesel car for work purposes, subsidised by the 45p/25p HMRC Fixed Profit Car Scheme.

Having checked my employment contract there is no section that mentions anything about vehicles at all. The arrangement was implemented by my former boss a few years ago, and in the interim the company has been sold. The new owners have not adjusted my contract or given me a new one.

However I have heard a rumour that as a 'tax-dodge' to the company's benefit, I will in the near future be forced to accept a new company provided hybrid instead.

This would cause a few problems for me.

Logistically, I simply have nowhere I can park it at home, while I own my current car.
Financially, I have commitments to a vehicle which was chosen specifically to fill the requirements of my job, with a view to running it indefinitely (or in the very least for another year before changing it).

Does anyone know where someone in my position stands with regard to this - do I have grounds to refuse an unwanted company car and continue with my current arrangement?

Advice gratefully received.

[BS75]

Yeah, that's what I'd like to avoid. Am I able to refuse it though, or do I simply have to take it when they chuck the keys at me?

[BS75]

Thanks Inkyfingers, that is a primary financial concern - I do enough travelling that my present car basically pays for itself and doesn't incur a BIK tax. Without even considering the finance/depreciation differential I would be significantly worse off, not to mention the trade down from a fairly nice car to a much smaller, slower and unpleasant hybrid.

XDA said:

Sell your own car and that'll solve your financial commitments and give you a parking space?

Yeah incase you missed the entire point of the question, I don't want to. My car rocks, the suggested replacement is st. And will cost me more.

Edited by BS75 on Tuesday 26th June 09:11

[BS75]

I am not going to post my personal matters in that level of detail, so imagine that someone has finance on their current car with a year left in a hire purchase contract, the early termination of which would see them having to fork out the remaining amount in a lump sum (which they may not even have) plus penalty charges, and then take a depreciation hit of a couple thousand more by selling the car much earlier than planned.
And then on top of that having to pay another £42 / month for a car they'd rather chew their own arms off than spend 8 hours a day in.

Where does that person stand, with reference to my actual question which I will remind you is the refusal of the new arrangement that they haven't been consulted on?

[BS75]

I haven't got any finance, I'm using an example - but the principle re: changing schemes is the same. There was no consultation, I've had no input into the choice of car, and making a change like this in this way COULD have huge ramifications for someone. How big they actually are to me now is irrelevant - the simple fact is it is a change that I don't want and I want to know if they can make me accept the changes and just arbitrarily give me a new contract that is full of terms I don't agree with.

[BS75]

Hmm, seems I'm just at the mercy of how reasonable the boss is then....which isn't very. Thanks for the input.

[BS75]

The situation was resolved by me leaving for a company that offered a much better package.

Edited by BS75 on Saturday 26th January 13:01