Voluntary Termination question about driving

[Rennot]

Can anyone help please. I've just read the post by [MENTION=71570]R0b[/MENTION] on VT. Was wondering, can I drive the vehicle as normal between sending the initial letter to the finance company and waiting for their acknowledgement letter? Or will I have terminated my right to drive the vehicle as soon as I send that letter?
This is the first time using this forum so I hope I've posted this in the right place and apologies if I haven't!
Thanks

[R0b]

Re: Voluntary Termination question about driving

Hi Rennot,

It depends what it says in the contract under the termination clause. But I presume in most cases people still use the car until collected or until they drive it to a auction site chosen by the finance company. I've not known any finance company to take legal action for using the car after giving notice to terminate.

[Rennot]

Re: Voluntary Termination question about driving

Thanks for the quick reply [MENTION=71570]R0b[/MENTION] ! I can't find anything that doesn't say I can't drive it in the meantime. I'm using your templates and would like to say thank you. This would have been pretty complicated for me without them!

[R0b]

Re: Voluntary Termination question about driving

Generally there is no issue about it but you have to take the risks in that you could potentially cause further damage or more wear and tear on the vehicle which could possibly take it beyond the state of reasonable condition depending on how old the car is.

If you get stuck give me a shout

[Rennot]

Re: Voluntary Termination question about driving

No problem that makes sense. Actually I have one more thing. I leave the country in 14 days... as long as I respond to all of their letters (a family member will email them to me and print off and post any of my letters that I reply with) and I contact dvla etc (and my family will be available when they pick the car up) then is it ok to not be there in person ? As I wouldn't be signing anything else would I?

[R0b]

Re: Voluntary Termination question about driving

No you don't need to be there in person someone else can be there on your behalf. The reason why I suggest not to sign anything is because they are worded in a way to say you accept the damage reported and are liable to pay for it without question. Even if the agent does not record any damage, the letter might say it is subject to a second inspection and thats usually when the damage gets picked up.

I think its unreasonable to expect be charged on a second inspection but its safer to decline signing anything than go round the houses and argue otherwise at a later date. You should be even more cautious if you have someone there on your behalf and you should give them explicit instructions not to sign anything.

Agents sometimes say they can't take away the car unless something is signed but that is untrue, if they insist on that then whoever is acting on your behalf can say okay, you'll put the car on a public road without tax and insurance as its no longer your responsibility - they generally change their mind and take away the car at that point.

[Rennot]

Re: Voluntary Termination question about driving

Great! That's solved my worries! Thank you so much I appreciate the time you've taken to answer my questions! Have a good day