Car hand back...Peugeot.

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renault12ts

MB Club Veteran
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2005 W215 CL500.
My daughter recently handed back her Peugeot 208 in as perfect a condition as you'd expect of a 30 month old car with only 9057 miles on it.

Today she received a demand for £176 for unacceptable damage:

1. Scratch to the front bumper.
2. Two scratched rear wheels.
3. Dent to the osr quarter panel.

As you'dd expect I was the person tasked with preparing the car for return and can state:

1. I didn't see a scratch worth mentioning on the front bumper.
2. The lacquer had lifted on the spokes of both rear wheels, this car had never seen a kerb let alone touch one.
3. There was no dent in the panel.

I took many detailed photos on the day it left us (with a proper camera) just in case they tried it on. What is "unacceptable" damage?

They also enclosed a letter intended for another customer who had also handed back a car, demanding money for excess mileage...I might use this breach of privacy and Data Protection if I need to .

What do we think?
 
Tell 'em to get stuffed and see what happens. Get your daughter to cancell any direct debit so they can't just take the money.

Usually the cars are inspected with you present and you agree (or disagree) a condition report with the inspector.
 
Tell 'em to get stuffed and see what happens. Get your daughter to cancell any direct debit so they can't just take the money.

Usually the cars are inspected with you present and you agree (or disagree) a condition report with the inspector.

She's left the country to join one of the big 4 accountancy firms overseas. So cancelled her UK accounts.

The car was inspected on the day...though I wasn't there. He did say the car was wet and it was dark (at midday last Wednesday!). But he didn't see anything and he left a report to that effect.
 
She's left the country to join one of the big 4 accountancy firms overseas. So cancelled her UK accounts.

The car was inspected on the day...though I wasn't there. He did say the car was wet and it was dark (at midday last Wednesday!). But he didn't see anything and he left a report to that effect.

I have handed back 3 lease cars now. First one vw wanted six or seven hundred quid to fix bits but never took the money (as it was under miles maybe it did better than they thought at auction). The other two having learnt my lesson i have spent the last month of the contract getting the car perfect so I have control over the cost of making it perfect. And I mean perfect to within the bvrla guidelines.

Twenty or thirty high res photos are then your best friend.

I hand it back having controlled the costs to fix. Some of these guys are seriously finicky, using paint depth meters to check for damage etc. Not the work of two minutes to check the car is acceptable to a lease company.
 
She's left the country to join one of the big 4 accountancy firms overseas. So cancelled her UK accounts.



On a separate note, great to hear about her career move was the best thing I did. Loved working in that industry, really accelerates your capability, confidence, credibility and makes you highly sellable in the open market.
 
She is working for a large accountancy firm overseas and disputing £176--- right or wrong I would pay up-- life's too short. She could end up on some bad debtors database even if in the right? One of life's lessons is to pick your battles.
 
She is working for a large accountancy firm overseas and disputing £176--- right or wrong I would pay up-- life's too short. She could end up on some bad debtors database even if in the right? One of life's lessons is to pick your battles.



You are actually right and in client vetting (if in defence, public or FS) she could be slightly embarrassing .
 
She is working for a large accountancy firm overseas and disputing £176--- right or wrong I would pay up-- life's too short. She could end up on some bad debtors database even if in the right? One of life's lessons is to pick your battles.

Firstly, I'm the one is annoyed...she probably hasn't opened my email about it yet.

Secondly...absolutely not the money, but the principle. That car was perfect.
 
Totally agree with this ^^^

I'm guessing lease company's will alway try to get a few quid at the end of the lease. I'm assuming they're just 'trying it on' and once challenged will back down.

Unless the defects were identified and signed for on return handover (which was not the case) I really don't think they've a leg to stand on.

I think you're right to be annoyed.

Ant.
 
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She is working for a large accountancy firm overseas and disputing £176--- right or wrong I would pay up-- life's too short. She could end up on some bad debtors database even if in the right? One of life's lessons is to pick your battles.

Exactly the reason they try it on!
 
She is working for a large accountancy firm overseas and disputing £176--- right or wrong I would pay up-- life's too short. She could end up on some bad debtors database even if in the right? One of life's lessons is to pick your battles.

^ Exactly this £176 is a good result
 
'Unacceptable' probably means out of standard ie chargeable.

Some of these cars go to closed 'clean' auctions where they get top money for no damage, especially at that mileage.

The wheels are a warranty issue. The scratch on front bumper would be light but would machine polish.

It all depends on what the T&C's state, they must have a return standard somewhere for you to see
 
Totally agree with this ^^^

I'm guessing lease company's will alway try to get a few quid at the end of the lease. I'm assuming they're just 'trying it on' and once challenged will back down.
Going back a few years I only found out the company I worked for routinely paid £500-£750 charges when lease cars went when I got promoted and started to see the charges. They'd paid out on my last car which was absolutely unmarked when it went back.

The company regarded it as part of the deal and had never queried the charge, even with the vehicles' users. They just paid it.

T
Unless the defects were identified and signed for on return handover (which was not the case) I really don't think they've a leg to stand on.

It's often a weird process where the car is inspected but then not collected until a few days later. The lease companies reserve the right to make charges for damage picked up when they get the car back to base - which seems to make the system very open to abuse.
 
On a separate note, great to hear about her career move was the best thing I did. Loved working in that industry, really accelerates your capability, confidence, credibility and makes you highly sellable in the open market.


Mmmmmmmm, glad to hear it worked for you. In my personal opinion it's the dullest move anyone could make, and no doubt blunts the capability of many a fine graduate. If corporate mediocrity is your bag then go ahead. :)

P.S. To the OP - No disrespect to your daughter, as she may have other reasons etc. for her choice. Just responding to above post.
 
Mmmmmmmm, glad to hear it worked for you. In my personal opinion it's the dullest move anyone could make, and no doubt blunts the capability of many a fine graduate. If corporate mediocrity is your bag then go ahead. :)



P.S. To the OP - No disrespect to your daughter, as she may have other reasons etc. for her choice. Just responding to above post.



Corporate mediocrity??? Wtf are you on?? I've worked across some of the biggest deals in FS, defense and 'other' ;)

Now in a nice position where I work flexibly from home 3-4 days a week so I get to spend time with my kid most mornings and evenings.. Keep getting tapped up for director->partner roles.

I know more millionaires in that space than all other areas put together.

And on top of if I love my career.
 
When she handed the car back, did she sign an appraisal form filled in by the person handling the handback, detailing the damage to the car?
If she did then she has accepted there would be a charge. If there was no damage marked on the form then she can claim the damage occured after the car was no longer her responsibility. :thumb:
 
Funny business this. If I lent my car to someone for c. 10,000 miles, I would actually EXPECT a mark or two when it came back. So long as the front bumper wasn't hanging off or the window smashed, its to be expected.

As for 'its only' £xxx, I wouldn't care if it was £10, personally, its absolutely the principle. Tell them to do one! (In a polite firm but fair manner obviously ha)
 
When she handed the car back, did she sign an appraisal form filled in by the person handling the handback, detailing the damage to the car?
If she did then she has accepted there would be a charge. If there was no damage marked on the form then she can claim the damage occured after the car was no longer her responsibility. :thumb:

I'd go with this approach - no damage when handed over so damage must have occurred in their possession therefore no charge to pay.
 
Well worth questioning it then. Good result indeed. I'm sure you're daughter will give you the £156 that you saved her. :D
 

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