VT HP

[Confuzzled18]

I've requested information on VT my Fiat 500 that is three months over the half way point on a HP agreement. They've replied and I have a few questions that I'm hoping someone more experienced can help with.

• The finance company emailed me with some documentation about the VT. On the email, they say I owe around £170 for "value added products". I've questioned this as I don't have any documentation saying anything about it either in the original pack or via email. I've asked for more info but am concerned it may end up being their word vs mine. Any ideas on where I stand with this?
• This is a little cheeky but, as I've made four payments passed the half way point, am I entitled to say they should use that money for any repairs? I do have a few scratches on the front left (from the Beast from the East) that I know they will pull me up on. The contract says "You have a right to end this agreement. To do so, you should write to the person you make payments to. They will then be entitled to the return of the goods and to half the total amount payable under this agreement that is £X. If you have already paid at least this amount plus any overdue installments and have taken reasonable care of the goods, you will not have to pay anymore". I can't find anything about over payments. I'm guessing that's because they don't count for squat but thought I'd ask.
• Speaking of scratches - am I best to try and get those repaired myself? Wondering if they will over price the cost of any repairs.
• What will happen with payments for this car? I've just made a payment on the 15th, will I have to carry on making payments until all parties are happy or do I stop the day I confirm the VT?
• Do I need to tell them about the repairs I've had the car? The Fiat is not a reliable car. In the last six month alone it's had the back two suspension arms changed, a piece of coolant pipe replaced (it literally crumbled as the AA guy touched it) and the back box replaced. Oh, and the drive's side door handle fell off. I wish I was joking. This is actually why I want to do the VT. My partner has bought a new car and said I can have his old Ford. It's not the coolest car but at least I wont be paying for something that falls apart all the time.

I'm sure I will have other questions but any advice would be seriously welcome. Oh, except to tell me I shouldn't have bought a Fiat

[Confuzzled18]

One more question!

If there are any charges, how long after the car being returned can I expect to receive them? Is it ever possible to spread the charges out too?

[ostell]

There is a template for a VT letter within the forum. Use that one rather than the one the company will send you. Their letter may commit to payments that are not normally enforceable

If there are scratches etc can they show that they were not there when you bought the car?

Once you have sent the VT notice and it is received then there is no contract in existence and therefore no further payments are due. The VT is not conditional upon parties being "happy".

[Confuzzled18]

Thanks for your reply.

I heard back from the finance company on Saturday about the random £170. They replied:

In this regard it is showing on our system as "other insurance amount". In this regard the dealership have not provided us with the full details of this product.

You would need to contact the dealer in which you received the vehicle from and confirm what the product is.

All well and good, except the dealer closed down. I've responded with this and hope to receive a reply today. This has been part of the issue the whole way through. The dealers shut within a few months of me buying the car so I've had no point of contact when the thing kept breaking down.

I guess the dealers being closed probably means I'm in a better position about the scratches too - I just really hate telling fibs

[Confuzzled18]

The finance company has provided what appears to be a scan of a document named "Dealer Invoice Barcode page". It has all my/the agreement details in but also has listed £299 for "Tyre and Alloy Insurance."

I have no recollection of taking anything out (the sales guy was trying to push all sorts of extras on me, I don't remember anything for tyres). Given the doc has signature boxes for me and the seller that are blank, I think the seller was pulling a fast one.

[R0b]

Go back to them and tell them you don't recall accepting any insurance for tyres and the fact that there is no signature in those boxes, they need to prove that you agreed to have that insurance.

[Confuzzled18]

It turns out that whilst I haven't signed that document, my contract has a box that says £299 and that is for that charge (yes, I know I am an idiot for not noticing). Because I've signed my contract they're saying I knew about the tyres thing. Not sure how to argue the point that no, I didn't have a bloody clue about that. I'm also not sure if I should be arguing it via email or wait to get some sort of settlement letter?

The email was also quite threatening - telling me it will affect my credit if I don't accept responsibility for the charge. It went on to ask me if I still wanted to VT when I was under the impression that the moment they received my letter (attached to email) the VT was in affect.