Hello all,
I apologise for the username which in all honesty I would never use normally but the recent events concerning Motability leave me wanting to really express my disgust at this organisation.
I came here hoping to find some input on these tracking devices and was interested to see other peoples experiences.
My mother was on the scheme. I was the only driver and when ordering the car we discussed my address, how long it takes me to get to my mothers and the fact that I am often there once, twice and even three times per day. The dealership could see the difficulty she had in even attending to put the order through and had ample opportunity, which was taken, to discuss her reliance on me to do pretty much everything. At that time she was on a walking frame but in good spirits and more than capable of making decisions. All the paperwork was agreed and signed.
After a lengthy delay and enquiries made we were told the delivery date was being pushed back due to Covid19 having an impact. We accepted this. In the interim my mother mentioned to me MB had called and advised it may install a tracking device. Given that I am 55 and do not routinely go on cross country runarounds I thought no more of it. I was actually comfortable with that if that was the inclination.
My mother had multiple diabilities from COPD and Spina Bifida Occulta to Lewy Body Dementia. The LBD took hold and was very aggressive rendering my mother iniotially housebound to completely immobile and dependent on others with ever increasing numbers of carers attending to help. She had frequent falls and was taken in to hospital quite regularly until May this year. She died on 24 July, at home, in her sleep.
I have been sorting through her papers, of which she had a lot. I came across the most upsetting and legalistic notices I’ve ever come across informing her she may be in default of the scheme and following that that she was in default. The reason given is that she was told a tracking device may be required and it had been supplied without one! To my mind, this equates to we’re holding you responsible for the failure of our nominated dealership failing to carry out something we may have wanted. Maybe I’m too close to this subject and its a bit raw for me at the moment – I don’t know. As an aside I’d love to know what a customer is meant to do to ensure the dealership has carried out all of the wishes of the scheme to ensure they do not get held responsible in this way? Should I have gone underneath to check for this device (which I haven’t got a clue about anyway), should i peer under the bonnet looking for it, still unable to identify it unless it was stamped TRACKING DEVICE?
Today I returned home from the funeral directors. Despite everything I was in reasonably good mood. Behind the door I found a card left after a home visit from some company called engage – advising me they had called to discuss the account or a sum owed. This is wonderful, not to mention incredible. No money can be owed as it is/was funded directly. Moreover the vehicle is actually in the MG garage being repaired after dying weeks ago so if they were looking to recover the vehicle, which they are welcome to, maybe they should join all the dots before doorstepping. They could even try contacting customers to discuss without trying to intimidate.
Following the MB complaint process I spent a lot of time emailing the dealership manager. I really do have much better things to be doing with my time, especially at this particular time. I followed the MB site store locator to the dealership and used the email address provided. I wasted my time. It was deemed undeliverable – incorrect address.
I haven’t spent this time venting. I suppose I have, but in reality I wanted everyone to get an understanding of how this clause in this scheme can be used, in my opinion, in ways that it shouldn’t be intended to and in a way that a customer has no control over.
I hope this informs others who might be wondering what’s the worst that can happen. I was happy to abide by this and the failure of others resulted in the above.
I hope this helps or informs someone in this process.
All the best