Mercedes Benz VT Process

[shaunbent]

Hello,

I moved from the UK to Sweden about 7 months ago. I still have a Mercedes on PCP in the UK, its currently sat in a garage doing nothing but costing me a lot each month for both the finance and insurance. I've been reading the posts on this forum for sometime now ahead of me starting the VT process to try and familiarise myself with the process and what to expect.

I am ready to start begin the VT process ASAP but have a few questions. Sorry if these questions are super obvious I just don't want to mess this process up and end up having to pay Mercedes any more than I need to.

As I live in Sweden doing this process via post is going to be way to slow, it can often take over a week for letters to get her from the UK. Does anyone know if finance companies (Mercedes in this case) are willing to deal with the VT process via email? I'm hoping I can just inform them of my situation and that I would prefer all communication via email.

My second question is that I am not yet at the 50% mark, I estimate that I'm around ~£1,500 short of the half way mark. Should I acknowledge this when I initially contact Mercedes or do I just wait for them to tell me I owe them some money.

Cheers for any help in advanced.

Shaun

[R0b]

Re: Mercedes Benz VT Process

Hi Shaun,

The legal requirement is to provide notice to Mercedes but it must be in writing. Therefore email can be a form of notice and I would suggest that if you do send by email, you perhaps send it to a customer services email address or maybe there is an email set out in your agreement. You might also want to mention that you are currently living in Sweden and the appropriate method of communication is by email.

You will also want to consider someone acting on your behalf if possible to hand over the car to Mercedes, and if you already know this person then you can mention the person's name in there though if you do, you should explicitly specify that the only authority the person has is to hand the car over (and not to sign any documentation).

Nothing wrong if you know how much it is outstanding but as a double check you might want to call them and see if they can confirm how much has been paid to date and see if your maths matches theirs - it might be less than you think is outstanding. Either way, if you can afford to pay it you can pay by direct bank transfer or arrange for a cheque to be sent.

If you are not able to pay for the outstanding amount in one go then again you could mention it in your notice and suggest a reasonable repayment plan.

[shaunbent]

Re: Mercedes Benz VT Process

Thanks for getting back to me [MENTION=71570]R0b[/MENTION] - the email with your template letter attached when off this morning.

Lets see what they say.

[shaunbent]

Re: Mercedes Benz VT Process

Hello,

So Mercedes got back to me via email relatively quickly (there is about a day daily in between emails). They replied saying they're going to generate some documents to send to me for me to sign. I assume this is the paperwork which is often discussed on this forum as the stuff I don't need to and shouldn't sign.

It has now been over a week and I've still not received this documentation which I won't be signing anyway.

I'm wondering if its worth sending them another email to state that they've used 7 of the 14 days I gave them to collect the car, that I consider the agreement to be terminated etc. What are peoples thoughts? Should I wait for the documents which I'm not going to sign or should I give them a little nudge?!?

[R0b]

Re: Mercedes Benz VT Process

Just because they send you something doesn't mean your required to sign it, nothing to sign from them your not legally obliged. If you wan't the car removed, then yes you could give them a nudge and say there's no need to send documents as you've already terminated and that you need them to collect it.

[shaunbent]

Re: Mercedes Benz VT Process

I've have today received the documents that Mercedes wanted to send me. They look to me to be pretty generic documents and seem to be designed to get me to sign away liability as has been suggested elsewhere on the forums.

I think I will go back to Mercedes to say I won't be signing any documents, come and collect your car. Just wanted to check that is the right thing to do?!?

I've attached the documents below, just wonder if someone could have a quick look over them to check that I don't actually need to sign this.

Thanks for your help.

[shaunbent]

Re: Mercedes Benz VT Process

[MENTION=71570]R0b[/MENTION] would you be able to have a quick look over this please.

[xs2man]

Re: Mercedes Benz VT Process

You are correct. You are not required to sign anything more, so signing that is just Mercedes getting you to confirm you will pay mileage and damage charges. I would respond telling them when to collect the car personally, and failure to do so in time will result in either storage charges, or the vehicle being left, un-taxed and uninsured, on the street.

[shaunbent]

Re: Mercedes Benz VT Process

Thanks [MENTION=89744]xs2man[/MENTION] - I will use the letter you shared in your post as a basis, seems pretty solid. Thanks for your advice.

[shaunbent]

Re: Mercedes Benz VT Process

Just a little update for anyone following along who might find this thread useful.

I responded to Mercedes with the following email, based of a letter that [MENTION=89744]xs2man[/MENTION] posted on this forum:

Hi Mark,

Thank you for getting back to me with these documents, however, will not be signing it because I have already given notice on the agreement in my letter dated the 26th June 2017, and I consider the agreement as being already terminated, under Section 99 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

As the agreement has already been terminated, I would appreciate if the vehicle could be removed from my property on or before the 12th July 2017, after which date I shall be cancelling the insurance on the vehicle, the tax, and will notify the DVLA of the change of registered keeper, such that any future liabilities for the vehicle will lie upon yourselves, once confirmation has been received by the DVLA.

As mentioned in my original request for Voluntary Termination the vehicle is currently in the possession of [REMOVED] who is authorised to hand over the vehicle. Collection of the vehicle should be arranged with her directly, her telephone number is [REMOVED]. Again, please note the only authority given to [REMOVED] is to hand over the vehicle and not to sign any paperwork on my behalf.

If you require any further details, please respond via email as my preferred method of contact.

Regards

I sent that response via email 6 days ago and have not received a response from Mercedes.

Yesterday I rang them to pay the shortfall in my agreement and was asked if I had signed and returned the forms to which I told them I would not be doing so. They seemed ok with this and proceeded to take the payment for which I now have a receipt. I was then told someone would contact the person I listed as being in possession of the vehicle in the next few days.

I'll update this thread again once I know what happens next.

[shaunbent]

Re: Mercedes Benz VT Process

Another update someone is coming to collect the car tomorrow.

From what I understand there will two separate people calling tomorrow, the first to inspect the vehicle and a second to collect.

If I am asked to sign something around the inspection should I be refusing to sign it?!?

[R0b]

Re: Mercedes Benz VT Process

There no need to sign anything but it is up to you really, if you do then they will hold it against you at a later stage.

[shaunbent]

Re: Mercedes Benz VT Process

Thanks for getting back to me [MENTION=71570]R0b[/MENTION] - they have just collected the car and I signed the report as I'd not seen your reply.

The report I've been given details £600 worth of work. £260 for damage to the rear bumper, £260 feels a little expensive for what damage there is and £340 for all the alloys. This one is fine, I had the alloys refurbished but it turns out the people who did the work have done a really crap job, they have not put a lacquer coating on them and left the aluminium exposed which has now oxidised and made a right mess of them. I can't argue that one with Mercedes but I am going to go back and speak to the people who did the work refurbishment originally.

[R0b]

Re: Mercedes Benz VT Process

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner - well you should seek to recover the £340 from the business that did the alloys, as for the damage to the bumper that's a subjective one and only you can determine whether it is reasonable and worth paying. if you feel its on the high side, providing you've taken some photos you could look for a few quotes and then perhaps haggle down to an acceptable price.

Or if you really feel you shouldn't pay at all because it is wear and tear, then you can also do that but it might be expected that Mercedes would look to put a default on your credit report if you do so, which you would more than likely need to take them to court over.