Quality Cars and Commercials Ltd - faulty vehicle and unfair deductions

[BankFodder]

The email address for the SAR is [email protected]

[BankFodder]

I have been looking back over this. It's clear that by not getting the evidence of the faults before you let the car go back to the dealer you have given yourself a major problem.

I see that last Monday you posted up a message from him which you have received before returning the car to him and in which he told you that when you return the car he would carry out an investigation.
Has he given you the results of that investigation?

Also I see that you apparently bought 9 L of oil in the space of four weeks. Clearly that is a huge amount. Who put the oil into the engine? Was it done by you or is it done by some garage?

Do you have the receipts for that oil?

[Biltong3]

I've just spoken to my partner and he says Halfords has refunded the money as he accepted it when they called.... this completely messes things up.

Is there any point in sending them the SAR?

[BankFodder]

Yes - send it.

 

Please can you address the other questions I have asked

It seems to me that it might be helpful if your partner and you could get on to the same page

[Biltong3]

Ok will send it. I've tried the link and can't find the template for SAR.

The dealer didn't send a result of the investigation. He only emailed to say he had received the car.

My partner bought and filled the oil. He has receipts. 

 

[BankFodder]

are you saying that the link to subject access request does not work?

 

 

 

[BankFodder]

I suggest that you end the following message to the dealer:

 

  

Quote

dear xxx

 You indicated that after we returned the car, you would have it it investigated and assessed to discover the cause of the the smoke problem and the oil problem.

 

As you know the car started producing a great deal of white smoke within days of s taking possession of it and then also so it started using an enormous amount of oil and in fact we we put in about nine litres over a period of four weeks.

 

When the car was checked, it was discovered that apparently the cylinder was burnt out and this was why there was such a dramatic consumption of oil. 

 

As you know we are not mechanics and we have no mechanical experience so we don't really understand what that diagnosis meant.  You told us that when the car was returned to you that you would carry out your own investigation.  You have since told us the issue was caused by wear and tear and the fact that we drove it when we should not have done. 

 

We would be grateful if you would tell us what was actually wrong with the car and what was the result of your investigation.

 

Although you have kindly agreed to give us a partial refund, we would be pleased to know how much it would cost simply to carry out the necessary repair work.

 

 

Thank you

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

 

@Biltong3

[BankFodder]

Did you manage to get these off?

[Biltong3]

Hi apologies for the delayed response.

Halfords complaint and SAR sent, both done by email and post. SAR was signed, scanned and a copy emailed. Both posted out today.

Im prepping the email to dealer now, thank you for the wording.

 

[BankFodder]

Please don't add anything to the wording. The message needs to be sent as it is and we will see what the reaction is all responses are before we go on to proceed with the request for the refund

[Biltong3]

Hi

I've chased Halfords twice now, again today. Is there anything else I can do? I've asked for regional management direct email today.

 

Dear XXXX

Thanks for your reply.

I have chased this up with them for you now as it has been forwarded to their Regional Managers. They will be in touch with you at the earliest opportunity.

Kind regards,

Melyssa Vaughan

--------------- Original Message ---------------
From: XXXXX
Sent: 24/08/2021 07:49
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: Halfords Autocentres - Case 14112533    [ ]

Hi Melyssa,

Thank you for forwarding my complaint.

It's seems its been forwarded twice yet I have not received any response about it.

Please can you follow up on this?

[BankFodder]

Please will you monitor this thread for a reply later but probably tomorrow.

Have you had any response to the sar? When is the return date for the SAR?

 

[Biltong3]

Hi no response to SAR, was sent 16th Aug.

[BankFodder]

Have they acknowledged receipt of it at all?

[BankFodder]

We are going to help you get the rest of your money back.

I think you have a very strong chance of success but of course the dealer will try to say that you accepted a cash payment in full and final settlement of all possible claims and that you have now given up any rights.

I think we can produce arguments to counter that. I'm quite sure that you will have to begin a County Court action but I think your chances of success are good – better than 80%/85%.

As we go through this maybe I will form a more optimistic – or maybe a more pessimistic view but we will see how it goes.

Also it is quite clear that you were badly let down by Halford's and so I see a basis of a legal action against them if you are up for it and although it won't be for very much money I can imagine there could be a hundred quid in it.

I understand that you have a very busy domestic situation at the moment so you will have to decide whether you feel that you can apply the time to this. I would suggest that you treat it as a kind of little project which will also help you to acquire some very helpful transferable skills so that you will feel much more confident about suing anybody else who gets in your way in the future.

If any of this interests you then you will need to start reading up on the steps involved bringing a small claim in the County Court and also you will have to clarify some of the facts.

If you could begin please by going back to your first post where you told us about the exchanges that you had with the dealer and how the dealer finally agreed to give you a refund but it was only after the car was collected that the dealer then started to levy deductions.

What I'd like to know is whether the exchanges between you which occurred before the actual collection of the car were recorded in writing – and if so how much of it is there because if there isn't too much I think we would like to see it in PDF format.

[Biltong3]

Hi apologies for the delayed response, been sorting out our living situation. 

Ok I've got some update from Halfords which I will post on the main forum. 

I'm hoping to have all my home stuff sorted by this weekend so I can focus on this.

 

Halfords responded about SAR on 6th September so now just awaiting it.

Regarding complaint they have ignored my emails and I've just called and chased up again.

All correspondence with dealership was on email, it's over months... I can put it all on a pdf or just the parts on the collection/deductions.

[BankFodder]

Although Helford's responded on 6 September, when did you actually send them the SAR?

Also, you should understand that any action against Halfords is completely separate to the action against the dealer. It's simply another way of recovering your losses – but also it would be much deserved by Helford's who have very badly let you down.

If you put up the email correspondence in PDF format, how many pages is it likely to run to?

[Biltong3]

Hi

After much chasing and calls, I've finally received a report today.

Also they called to say SAR will be sent by 16th September (I sent it on 16th Aug)

I'm putting together the emails on a pdf, will let you know number of pages ASAP.

1041757 email.docx

[BankFodder]

If they call you again then if I were you I would tell them not to call you but to put everything in writing. Point out to them that it is precisely this kind of slack attitude that they have which has led to the problem that you have now – which is that you don't have the report which you paid for and which is crucial to dealing with the difficulty that you have with this dealer

[BankFodder]

I've just had a look at the report. Although I don't physically understand it, this seems to be exactly what you need. I don't understand how they have it when previously they said that the employee who carry out the diagnosis hadn't made any record.

[Biltong3]

Oh I called about 20 times, and emailed too. Just kept getting ignored until finally I received a call from the person doing the SAR.  He was also handling the complaint. 

He sent an email stating nothing could be done then called me. I explained I had images of the equipment so surely they could use that, turned out that was all they needed. 

[BankFodder]

Great story. Well done.

I think that the information you obtained is going to be crucial. Let's see what the SAR produces

[stu007]

Halfords Group PLC (note from Director list below Mr Graham Barry Stapleton is the Chief Executive of Halfords Group PLC)

 

Registered Office: Icknield Street Drive, Washford West, Redditch, Worcestershire, B98 0DE

Company Number: 04457314

Company Status: Active

Company Type: Public Limited Company

Incorporated: 10th June 2002

Directors: Jill Caseberry (appointed 1st March 2019), Helen Victoria Jones (appointed 1st March 2014), Thomas Daniel Singer (appointed 16th September 2020), Graham Barry Stapleton (appointed 15th January 2018), Keith Williams (appointed 24th July 2018), Loraine Woodhouse (appointed 1st November 2018)

 

Companies House link:

HALFORDS GROUP PLC overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK

FIND-AND-UPDATE.COMPANY-INFORMATION.SERVICE.GOV.UK

---

HALFORDS GROUP PLC - Free company information from Companies House including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return...

 

 

Mr Graham Barry Stapleton (Chief Executive)
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 01527 513276

ceoemil:

Your visit to ceoemail.com

CEOEMAIL.COM

 

 

[Biltong3]

Hi, the deadline for SAR was 16th Sept, we have not received it and Ive chased yesterday.

[BankFodder]

Okay if they haven't responded with a complete disclosure by, say, Wednesday than on Thursday you can send them a letter of claim. We will help you draft it.

It will be a good learning exercise in bringing a County Court action