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I read a lot regarding the voluntary termination process with Barclay Partner Finance regarding my car finance, and have read A LOT of negative experiences. Mine was not too dissimilar, but I thought I would share my experience to help you during your process with them.
I called Barclays to notify that I would be VT'ing my car finance with them. They mentioned I would have to send a dated and signed letter for them to be able to process this request. I sent the letter provided in this forum for next day delivery giving 2 weeks notice. I specified that they would have 14 working days from date on the letter to collect the vehicle. I didn't hear from them for a few days after I sent the letter, so I called to ensure they received it. During this call they notified me that they had received it but haven't opened it yet... however, the next day I received a standard delivery from them with the contract they request you sign for them to "accept" your VT request.
If you've read other posts into this contract they want you to sign, you'll know it essentially is to sign away your rights in regards to paying for "wear and tear" damage and any additional charges they can pluck out of thin air. **Please do not sign this contract!!** I called to notify that I have received the contract but will not be signing it and clarified that I am aware it will force me to have to pay additional charges - which legally I do not have to do if the car is in a reasonable state (can still pass an MOT essentially).
During this... interesting call, the lady I spoke to at Barclays (complaints department as the initial person I spoke with couldn't help) notified me that I "legally" have to sign the contract they provided. I mentioned that I don't and that I have cancelled my insurance on the car. In which she mentioned that I will am "legally responsible for the vehicle until [they] collect" - even after the date specified on my initial letter... I mentioned that following my notice date, I will be sending the vehicles v5 to state the vehicle is their property - again, the lady mentioned that I can't "legally" do this until I have signed the contract. During the call she was very forceful, and could tell they have been told to TRY and pressure you to cave in and agree to things by throwing the "legal responsibility" you have when you first signed your vehicle contract.
During the call I requested to submit a complaint because she was clearly telling lies regarding me having to legally sign their contract delivered for them to accept my VT request. I also requested they sign a copy of my car finance contract agreement. (I received this a few days later but had no signatures. I had a few more calls requesting they send me the copy of the contract I signed with my signature. At one point they mentioned that signatures are sometimes lost when sent from the dealership to Barclays, which I find hard to believe. Anyways, I had a few calls regarding the contract and wanting it with my signature on, but I this is merely a sub-conversation had).
Following this call I didn't hear anything for a few days, then I had the call that changed it all. I was at work and received a missed call from a man that was talking like he was channeling Ross Kemp from the Eastenders days
. It was a quite intimidating voicemail left, with no hello, please call back on... again, trying to use the intimidation tactic I experienced a number of times prior.
I called back and spoke with another gentleman. During the call he mentioned that "following review of [my] vehicle [I] have to pay for the wear and tear charges identified". I requested information as to when they reviewed my car, and he mentioned after it was collected............ however, the vehicle was still sitting on my drive. He had already dug himself into a hole he couldn't get out of, so when I let him know that the car was still at my house the intimidating voice and jargon quickly stopped. He then was stumbling over his words and said "oh... erm, it must have been when you requested it to be viewed at one of the auction houses". I let him know, that I haven't drove the car anywhere, and it has been sitting on my drive since I sent my initial letter.
He apologised and mentioned that he would look into this and someone will call me. I didn't hear back from him again.
The next day, I called and logged ANOTHER complaint regarding the call the previous day because they clearly had an internal muck up AND were just trying to get money... makes me question the validity of their "wear and tear" claims altogether.
I must admit, all calls after this point were relaxed and no longer did I hear what I "legally" have to do, or charges I have to pay or anything regarding the contract they sent (twice). They were accommodating to my requests. I mentioned that I haven't heard from anyone regarding my car being collected, the lady mentioned she will chase this and someone will be in touch. 2 or 3 days later I had a man call be from an auction house in Leeds (I live in Norfolk), requesting if he can collect it the next day. He sent me images of his ID, letters he received by Barclays as I requested confirmation before I leave the keys for him.
I read a lot regarding to these people collecting cars requesting you sign paperwork. However, not once was this mentioned and I said I would leave the key for the car under one of our bins - as I was at work. The car was collected and I natively thought that would be the end of it.
I didn't hear anything for well over a month. Then yesterday, I received a letter from Barclays for a bill of £114 that had ben escalated to CRS (Credit Resource Solutions). I called and spoke to their general call centre staff and as you can imagine I was annoyed as 1) This was the first I knew of this cost yet it had been escalated to sort a payment plan... 2) The letter did not specify what the payment was for and 3) I knew I didn't sign the contract they sent that would leave me vulnerable to additional charges.
The man then put me through to their UK call centre, where I must admit the gentleman I spoke to was the most helpful out of all the people I spoke with during this whole process. He had clearly been told by the guy before him that I was asking for proof that I agreed to these charges (which they knew they didn't have) and that I was a little annoyed. The guy apologised and mentioned that these charges were for collection and valet.. VALET?!?! He mentioned that their system "automatically add these costs on" and THEY'RE NOT AWARE UNTIL THE CUSTOMER CALLS TO QUESTION THEM..... This is beyond shocking practice for Barclays. Clearly if people aren't as forthcoming to discuss these, they may be open to paying this because CRS don't have control to know if you should/shouldn't pay, they are essentially baylifts.
The guy on the called wiped the charge. Apologised and as compensation put £50 in my account...
Please, please, PLEASE question everything with Barclays because they will clearly try and get cash from you any which way they can. The intimidating phone calls and them throwing around what you "legally" have to do is just a scare tactic to suppress you... Stay strong, know your rights and make sure you don't fall victim to their shocking tactics.
I called Barclays to notify that I would be VT'ing my car finance with them. They mentioned I would have to send a dated and signed letter for them to be able to process this request. I sent the letter provided in this forum for next day delivery giving 2 weeks notice. I specified that they would have 14 working days from date on the letter to collect the vehicle. I didn't hear from them for a few days after I sent the letter, so I called to ensure they received it. During this call they notified me that they had received it but haven't opened it yet... however, the next day I received a standard delivery from them with the contract they request you sign for them to "accept" your VT request.
If you've read other posts into this contract they want you to sign, you'll know it essentially is to sign away your rights in regards to paying for "wear and tear" damage and any additional charges they can pluck out of thin air. **Please do not sign this contract!!** I called to notify that I have received the contract but will not be signing it and clarified that I am aware it will force me to have to pay additional charges - which legally I do not have to do if the car is in a reasonable state (can still pass an MOT essentially).
During this... interesting call, the lady I spoke to at Barclays (complaints department as the initial person I spoke with couldn't help) notified me that I "legally" have to sign the contract they provided. I mentioned that I don't and that I have cancelled my insurance on the car. In which she mentioned that I will am "legally responsible for the vehicle until [they] collect" - even after the date specified on my initial letter... I mentioned that following my notice date, I will be sending the vehicles v5 to state the vehicle is their property - again, the lady mentioned that I can't "legally" do this until I have signed the contract. During the call she was very forceful, and could tell they have been told to TRY and pressure you to cave in and agree to things by throwing the "legal responsibility" you have when you first signed your vehicle contract.
During the call I requested to submit a complaint because she was clearly telling lies regarding me having to legally sign their contract delivered for them to accept my VT request. I also requested they sign a copy of my car finance contract agreement. (I received this a few days later but had no signatures. I had a few more calls requesting they send me the copy of the contract I signed with my signature. At one point they mentioned that signatures are sometimes lost when sent from the dealership to Barclays, which I find hard to believe. Anyways, I had a few calls regarding the contract and wanting it with my signature on, but I this is merely a sub-conversation had).
Following this call I didn't hear anything for a few days, then I had the call that changed it all. I was at work and received a missed call from a man that was talking like he was channeling Ross Kemp from the Eastenders days
. It was a quite intimidating voicemail left, with no hello, please call back on... again, trying to use the intimidation tactic I experienced a number of times prior.I called back and spoke with another gentleman. During the call he mentioned that "following review of [my] vehicle [I] have to pay for the wear and tear charges identified". I requested information as to when they reviewed my car, and he mentioned after it was collected............ however, the vehicle was still sitting on my drive. He had already dug himself into a hole he couldn't get out of, so when I let him know that the car was still at my house the intimidating voice and jargon quickly stopped. He then was stumbling over his words and said "oh... erm, it must have been when you requested it to be viewed at one of the auction houses". I let him know, that I haven't drove the car anywhere, and it has been sitting on my drive since I sent my initial letter.
He apologised and mentioned that he would look into this and someone will call me. I didn't hear back from him again.
The next day, I called and logged ANOTHER complaint regarding the call the previous day because they clearly had an internal muck up AND were just trying to get money... makes me question the validity of their "wear and tear" claims altogether.
I must admit, all calls after this point were relaxed and no longer did I hear what I "legally" have to do, or charges I have to pay or anything regarding the contract they sent (twice). They were accommodating to my requests. I mentioned that I haven't heard from anyone regarding my car being collected, the lady mentioned she will chase this and someone will be in touch. 2 or 3 days later I had a man call be from an auction house in Leeds (I live in Norfolk), requesting if he can collect it the next day. He sent me images of his ID, letters he received by Barclays as I requested confirmation before I leave the keys for him.
I read a lot regarding to these people collecting cars requesting you sign paperwork. However, not once was this mentioned and I said I would leave the key for the car under one of our bins - as I was at work. The car was collected and I natively thought that would be the end of it.
I didn't hear anything for well over a month. Then yesterday, I received a letter from Barclays for a bill of £114 that had ben escalated to CRS (Credit Resource Solutions). I called and spoke to their general call centre staff and as you can imagine I was annoyed as 1) This was the first I knew of this cost yet it had been escalated to sort a payment plan... 2) The letter did not specify what the payment was for and 3) I knew I didn't sign the contract they sent that would leave me vulnerable to additional charges.
The man then put me through to their UK call centre, where I must admit the gentleman I spoke to was the most helpful out of all the people I spoke with during this whole process. He had clearly been told by the guy before him that I was asking for proof that I agreed to these charges (which they knew they didn't have) and that I was a little annoyed. The guy apologised and mentioned that these charges were for collection and valet.. VALET?!?! He mentioned that their system "automatically add these costs on" and THEY'RE NOT AWARE UNTIL THE CUSTOMER CALLS TO QUESTION THEM..... This is beyond shocking practice for Barclays. Clearly if people aren't as forthcoming to discuss these, they may be open to paying this because CRS don't have control to know if you should/shouldn't pay, they are essentially baylifts.
The guy on the called wiped the charge. Apologised and as compensation put £50 in my account...
Please, please, PLEASE question everything with Barclays because they will clearly try and get cash from you any which way they can. The intimidating phone calls and them throwing around what you "legally" have to do is just a scare tactic to suppress you... Stay strong, know your rights and make sure you don't fall victim to their shocking tactics.
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