Can my company make me use my personal car for work?

[Yachtworker]

oyster said:

No, it sounds like the OP is trouble. As a manager, I would look elsewhere for promotion candidates.

Most people I know use their own cars for work and don't moan about it. It's what mileage allowance is for.

Got any other management tips for us, that one's a beaut.

Op, I used to voluntarily use my car for work and now would avoid as it can create issues with levels of expectation and wear and tear that were not covered by the allowance.
Luckily the firm I work for now is dead against it and will provide a hire vehicle fit for whatever purpose we require. It is not a massive company yet it still makes economic sense to operate that way, one thing can be said whether it relates or not, they certainly put people first.

[AdeTuono]

RevolveR said:

I would refuse because your insurance policy won't cover you for business miles. Plus there is the wear & tear on your vehicle.

I don't think anyone else has mentioned this. Many thanks.

[EDLT]

PAULJ5555 said:

Face for Radio said:

They had a caveat in the company car policy, that anybody needing the use of a vehicle when a pool car wasn't available, is eligible to requisition the company car from it's user for business use.

I would check to see if they have a similar clause in your company car policy and fire that one back at them. Someone used that nugget on a senior manager and he went spare, can hardly do anything about it though as a quick phone call to HR would confirm it and he'd have to give up his keys anyway.

This, but you will P people off.

By not giving in immediately the OP has already pissed people off, he might as well stick with it.




Nice to see the "You're lucky I gave you a job" management style is alive and well on PH.

[CraigyMc]

EDLT said:

Nice to see the "You're lucky I gave you a job" management style is alive and well on PH.

I've never understood that. As far as I'm concerned, the company I work for is lucky to have me.

Are people really afraid for their jobs?

C

[anonymous-user]

CraigyMc said:

I've never understood that. As far as I'm concerned, the company I work for is lucky to have me.

Are people really afraid for their jobs?

C

Personally no, but sure some people are and some companies are on the edge I am sure

For me its a basic as if I have person A and person B in my team. I ask them to do something slightly out of the norm and I get 2 reactions

Person A, just gets on with it, maybe mentions its not ideal but cracks on and gets the job done

Person B, pisses and moans fights like hell and comes and quotes loads of regulations at me and statistics

Assuming all other performance metrics are equal, which one am I going to look more favourably on in future with regard to opportunities, promotions etc...

[the stigs dad]

[redacted]

[BliarOut]

the stigs dad said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I concur. The op comes accross as a jobsworth and moaner.

What is your company policy WRT requiring employees to drive uninsured vehicles in the course of their work?

[eldar]

DaveEssex said:

"DaveEssex said:


I joined this Forum intending to offer a lifetime of experience in the Automotive Industry to those here who might benefit from it, but with people like this on board, the ship can sail without me.
Goodbye.

Edited by DaveEssex on Thursday 1st November 10:05

And then pontificated magnificently about public transport, so I assume your lifetime of automotive industry experience is driving buses.

Cool.

[astirling]

the stigs dad said:

Get a grip ffs. Ask them for a tank of petrol/diesel and do whats reqd of you.

This.

I don't have a company car or car alloawance, and need to use my car for work a couple of times a month. I use it and claim back mileage when I do. What's the big deal? Having business use on my policy costs about £5. Can't believe this has generated 4 pages of replies.

Edited to add - 5 pages of replies!

Edited by astirling on Thursday 1st November 17:21

[aw51 121565]

BliarOut said:

What is your company policy WRT requiring employees to drive uninsured vehicles in the course of their work?

(S)he who is prepared to put work before the legal niceties will go far! perhaps??? Or We need people who will play fast and loose with the law in this organisation; they will succeed with us. as an alternative??

I have business cover (I get it free) on my cars - I used to run a few errands when I worked as a GP receptionist, or sometimes travelled between surgeries, and occasionally covered at a different surgery to the usual two. The management didn't give two hoots; they just asked - expected - us to drive to the post office or wherever in our cars as needed...

I was on a 'medical terminology' course where the facilitator strongly urged us to get business cover for this kind of thing, and to send the bill to the employer if it wasn't free. I'd sussed this already, but probably a majority of the other attendees hadn't .

[GC8]

oyster said:

No, it sounds like the OP is trouble. As a manager, I would look elsewhere for promotion candidates.

Most people I know use their own cars for work and don't moan about it. It's what mileage allowance is for.

This doesn't show you in a very good light. You sound like more of a "can't-manager". Do you see what I did there?

[dudleybloke]

if the trip is that important then they should hire a car or let you take one of the management cars, after all, they are supposed to be for business use.

[anonymous-user]

OP

I am confused

You made this statement when you got caught speeding 'If it helps, I need my car for work as I do around 20k miles a year, possibly could use this to try and hold onto my licence also?'

You do 20k miles a year in a pool car then?

ETA

In that same thread you state you are an accountant. Yet last night you state you have been offered a job as a car salesman, slightly strange move but regardless, surely this is a non issue if you are leaving

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 1st November 22:03

[sparkyhx]

when you say you don't have acompany car, is that cos you take cash in lieu?

If so then its usuall that the 'in lieu' vehicle has to be available for company journeys, where I worked it also meant people from thge company could also drive the cars as with company cars.

[Deva Link]

aw51 121565 said:

(S)he who is prepared to put work before the legal niceties will go far! perhaps??? Or We need people who will play fast and loose with the law in this organisation; they will succeed with us. as an alternative??

I have business cover (I get it free) on my cars - I used to run a few errands when I worked as a GP receptionist, or sometimes travelled between surgeries, and occasionally covered at a different surgery to the usual two. The management didn't give two hoots; they just asked - expected - us to drive to the post office or wherever in our cars as needed...

I was on a 'medical terminology' course where the facilitator strongly urged us to get business cover for this kind of thing, and to send the bill to the employer if it wasn't free. I'd sussed this already, but probably a majority of the other attendees hadn't .

A traffic police friend of ours says that often if he stops people during the working day and asks where they're going they'll say things like "I'm just going to our other branch", or "the warehouse", or "I'm picking something up for the boss". They pretty well never have business cover and have most have no idea they need it.

[valiant]

In my last place of work this raised its head after someone crashed their own car while on company business and the driver had problems with their insurance as they weren't going to or from their normal place of work.

A work around was reached where we gave our car details to the company who put them on their company insurance policy that would normally cover their fleet vehicles which would come into force when on business.

Worked out ok when it had to be used and there was little increased cost (mainly as there was a large fleet to begin with - 250+ vehicles).

Mileage rates were also paid to cover fuel and wear and tear and in the larger scheme of things it saved a lot of money as the company didn't have to pay out for hire/company cars for what was not an everyday occurance.

[H_Kan]

CraigyMc said:

EDLT said:

Nice to see the "You're lucky I gave you a job" management style is alive and well on PH.

I've never understood that. As far as I'm concerned, the company I work for is lucky to have me.

Are people really afraid for their jobs?

C

In the current climate, yes I think some people are.

A lot of companies are looking at cuts, if there are two people are both capable in terms of their work however one is flexible etc whilst the other isn't then it's not rocket science to work out who may be out the door first.

The OP posted on a thread about being offered a job as a car salesman after an assessment day, which suggests he is probably quite low down in terms of seniority and progress along his career path... which also means that he is probably easier to replace. If you are further along the career path and harder to replace then you can take a firmer stance with less consequences.

[WojaWabbit]

I do this every week! It benefits me to drive from work to a client's premises for a weekly meeting, as I get to go straight home afterwards, rather than spending an hour driving back to work to drop off a pool car, then another hour driving my own car back home to 5 mins away from the clients.

I get round the "not covered buy SDP&C policy" argument by saying I am commuting back home, dropping the car off and walking to the clients :-)

Flame suit at the ready....

[oyster]

Mastodon2 said:

897sma said:

oyster said:

No, it sounds like the OP is trouble. As a manager, I would look elsewhere for promotion candidates.

Most people I know use their own cars for work and don't moan about it. It's what mileage allowance is for.

+1 why such a big deal for the op? Mileage allowance will cover fuel plus extra for wear & tear etc.

If his policy does not specifically state that he has "Business" use on his car, which is not covered on a regular Social, Domestic, Commuting and Pleasure cover plan, he will be driving without insurance while using his car for company duties.

Thankfully, my company are understanding about this sort of thing, if the pool cars are out it's either get a taxi booked and the company foots the bill, or someone will be sent out in the pool car to chauffeur people around.

God, is this site full of nappy-wearer who need their hand to be held by their employer all the time.

The mileage allowance is paid for fuel, wear/tear and other costs to use your private car for work INCLUDING getting insurance coverage for business use.

Seriously, this is elementary stuff - why are people struggling with this?

[oyster]

CraigyMc said:

EDLT said:

Nice to see the "You're lucky I gave you a job" management style is alive and well on PH.

I've never understood that. As far as I'm concerned, the company I work for is lucky to have me.

Are people really afraid for their jobs?

C

Nothing to do with it.

I expect people to put in a bit extra who work for me. Being a pain about small things like whether they use their own car or not means they are likely to be a bigger pain over more important issues.

It's not like we're tight - all air travel is club class, UK rail travel first class, hire cars can be used if they make sense. And the mileage allowance is generous. In that environment, if an employee tells me they don't want to use their own car for work occasionally then they are a pain.