- This topic has 20 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 1 year, 2 months ago by
.
- Topic
We were recently accepted for a AP grant but I feel the guy dealing with the case isn’t listening and has his own agenda to push/fulfill. We have a vw transporter at the moment which weve had for 5 years. We were given a list of what he deemed as suitable. Going through the list and checking the spec most dont fit my wifes fixed wheelchair in and we do not want electric because we have no where to charge. I pointed out the flaws but he is still adamant that his list is suitable. We were after the renault which is perfect and can accomodate a fixed chair and an electric chair if my wife feels capable of a bit freedom. I said she would benefit from having a portable toilet and with a bit cutomisation its possible in the renault. He said the nappies/pads she uses are adequate. I said we take her mother with us who also uses a chair. We went ahead and booked the renault but has sent a snotty email and cancelled our grant. All because the AP is greater than the grant. We have borrowed the extra from mother to do this. It seems we will have to find the full £5k ap if we still want it.
Has anyone ever made a formal complaint. I notice its very hard to get contact information, you end up going around in circles.
- Replies
I was told that the Grants team which is called now Motability Foundation has changed there policy and is not as flexible as it was a few years ago when I fought for a top of the range Citroen Picasso and when I applied a year ago I had all sort of problems with them as they seemed to have their own agenda on suitable cars but the strange thing was they never ever suggested a car or a list of cars.
Five of his recommendations cant even fit our chair through the boot, I explained this and he said just pick the chair up turn on its side to fit in. He said hes checked my area and there is a car charger 3miles away at a garage, so I can go and sit their for an hr to charge it. He seemed to think that the car should only be suitable for short journeys to doctors. When you read the site it keeps on mentioning you get what is suitable not what you want. Surely the people using it know what is the most suitable. I cant put a portable loo in boot of a vw touran.
When you say:
‘We went ahead and booked the renault’
do you mean that you ordered this car, while in the middle of an application for a Grant?
We were recently accepted for a AP grant but I feel the guy dealing with the case isn’t listening and has his own agenda to push/fulfill. We have a vw transporter at the moment which weve had for 5 years. We were given a list of what he deemed as suitable. Going through the list and checking the spec most dont fit my wifes fixed wheelchair in and we do not want electric because we have no where to charge. I pointed out the flaws but he is still adamant that his list is suitable. We were after the renault which is perfect and can accomodate a fixed chair and an electric chair if my wife feels capable of a bit freedom. I said she would benefit from having a portable toilet and with a bit cutomisation its possible in the renault. He said the nappies/pads she uses are adequate. I said we take her mother with us who also uses a chair. We went ahead and booked the renault but has sent a snotty email and cancelled our grant. All because the AP is greater than the grant. We have borrowed the extra from mother to do this. It seems we will have to find the full £5k ap if we still want it. Has anyone ever made a formal complaint. I notice its very hard to get contact information, you end up going around in circles.
Grants/Motability foundation has changed earlier this year.
if you really want the Renault then you need to find something unique that only this has, the ability for the toilet is an example, does your wife have anyone who can support the case for the toilet other than constantly wearing nappies/pads, could you get a letter from a GP/ hospital consultant or OH to say its not possible for consistently wear these all the time, ( for example they cause skin breakdown or rash etc)
If you had a long regular journey this would help support the toilet request etc.
Im afraid they won’t take into consideration your wife’s mother and she’s not the customer, and they will just say if she needs a portable loo she can stay at home, they only take into consideration the person the vehicle is for.
I’m afraid you have got there back up by ordering a vehicle without them saying yes,
Clearly you guys have clear mobility issue with your wife being wheelchair bound, you have to argue its really for the benefit of your wife’s mental health that you guys are able to get out etc.
The grants team changed some of the policy criteria as year due to amount of people requesting help, partially due to the cost of living which has affected a lot of their customers which is understandable.
They will always choose the cheapest option to give you as any money they save off your grant will help someone else.
I would have a good think about this and think/see what evidence you could get as mentioned above, don’t get these back up they are here to help you
Renault is not a premium brand so it’s clear you’re not just trying to get a fancy vehicle funded by them.
You cannot order a vehicle prior to them agreeing
Wish you guys well
The grant was accepted for a 7 seater car/suv with a maximum AP of £3500, the renault is a 9 seater and £5k AP, I placed the order with the dealer and it all went through, they were happy for me to pay the shortfall for the AP. The grants policy states you can only contribute 50% of the grant or £750 whichever is lower and because you get £750 back when you dehire, you cannot contribute anything else. Like you say I’m not after a sporty number, just a base model vehicle that ticks the boxes to make life better for my wife.
The grant terms state that family can be taken into account when choosing
The grant was accepted for a 7 seater car/suv with a maximum AP of £3500, the renault is a 9 seater and £5k AP, I placed the order with the dealer and it all went through, they were happy for me to pay the shortfall for the AP. The grants policy states you can only contribute 50% of the grant or £750 whichever is lower and because you get £750 back when you dehire, you cannot contribute anything else. Like you say I’m not after a sporty number, just a base model vehicle that ticks the boxes to make life better for my wife. The grant terms state that family can be taken into account when choosing
you used to be able to put 50% top up, but I’m sure thats limited to £500 now (despite the paperwork saying, but if the paperwork says your could argue this point), so this could be your barrier too
hopefully others can offer you more advice,
‘The grant terms state that family can be taken into account when choosing’
Only under 18’s in my experience of assisting people with Grants access.
I have thankfully just about managed to avoid the grants system over the years I’ve been with MB but this case, not being the first of it’s kind I’ve seen here, sounds like MB are getting more and more like the DWP as the years go by and we’re supposed be thankful for the help they give should they offer any help at all.
I have thankfully just about managed to avoid the grants system over the years I’ve been with MB but this case, not being the first of it’s kind I’ve seen here, sounds like MB are getting more and more like the DWP as the years go by and we’re supposed be thankful for the help they give should they offer any help at all.
You have seen the light brother.
Not permanent but cannot walk far.
Bizarrely I probably help and do more for people in the most cost affective manor. Mother inlaw has cancer and emphasema, sister has scholiosis, sarcoid, heart failure in addition to a couple of autistics to livin it all up. We all live in a row, I take everyone to where they need to be. In theory they could probably get grants by themselves. I’ve been to hospitals everyday for the last 17days
Not permanent but cannot walk far. Bizarrely I probably help and do more for people in the most cost affective manor. Mother inlaw has cancer and emphasema, sister has scholiosis, sarcoid, heart failure in addition to a couple of autistics to livin it all up. We all live in a row, I take everyone to where they need to be. In theory they could probably get grants by themselves. I’ve been to hospitals everyday for the last 17days
This is exactly the information you need to give them, and anything to support their conditions, you also have to tell them it would make life easier for you, being the main carer etc
You have to have vehicle that meets all of your needs and can make life which is clearly difficult easier mobility wise for all of you.
I really wish you well
This is exactly the information you need to give them, and anything to support their conditions, you also have to tell them it would make life easier for you, being the main carer etc You have to have vehicle that meets all of your needs and can make life which is clearly difficult easier mobility wise for all of you.
The grant will take into consideration other immediate familiy in the same household under the age of 18!
Motability foundations grant team have got a lot Worse all on the sixth floor, a block of flats, but most the cars they offered me Where electric And the other two were too small it seems they just pushing electric electric electric and not really looking at the problems for the people
Your big mistake was ordering a car, until a grant is fully approved and finalised (which it is not when you got sent this list) the grant becomes null and void.
you should of appealed, wrote to motability and been patient you might have had a argument with him expecting you to charge away from home with the argument who is going to look after my wife why I do this and are motability paying for these costly charging away from home which in some cases is more than fuel.
The grant was fully finalised, I had the letter to give to the dealer. I agree I was too eager, but I thought any problems could be ironed out. We’ve had our car for a 2 year extension plus a 7month one and I really didnt want to wait around. The dealer was fine with me paying the shortfall of £750. I did feel he was more bothered about pushing the electric theme saying we all have to make sacrifices and it wont be long before all vehicles are electric.
Its all very petty with a person with probably very little experience telling someone who lives with all the crap what and how best things work. I felt as if he had a pre scripted comeback for everything I said. It does say all decisions are final. In future I know an application has to be planned and specific as a pip application.
@mark there is a complaints procedure you can follow if your not happy with the decision.
You need to take your case to motability CEO, your MP and a relevant disabled charity.
Good luck with that one I tried that and they told me I was complaining too much lol
You need to take your case to motability CEO, your MP and a relevant disabled charity.
Great advice
It worked for me,just ensure that the standard complaint procedure has first been completed/exhausted
That advice and adherance to procedure applies across the board in most walks of life
Keeeping to the rules and doing things correctly and in good order from the off will of course only help to strengthen a case
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.