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I caught up yesterday with someone I know who works at Motability Operations. It seems that all is not well there and many of the staff are concerned about their future prospects. The CEO has been having meetings with staff discussing many of the issues, which include;
– Concerns at the number of customers leaving the scheme, and the issues that it is presenting. One dealer alone is dealing with 70 vehicle ‘hand backs’ (as they call them)!
– The recent re-introduction of lease extensions is in response to this, as they are trying to slow / stretch out the flow of hand backs to make it more manageable.
– They are inundated with irate customers complaining about the removal of premium brands and the other adverse changes to the scheme, such as excess mileage charges etc
– They feel that “the government has it in for them” and is forcing them down a route where the scheme is becoming less and less attractive.
There were other things, but I wouldn’t want to add comments that may expose my contact. However, the upshot of all of this is that morale is very low and many of them think that Motability Operations could end up in severe difficulty within 5 years. They are aware that their pay and benefits, especially their very generous pension and bonus schemes, are way above other comparable businesses, so this adds to their worries should their jobs become at risk.
Without mentioning this forum, I told them that I don’t think that the future is quite as bleak for them, as there are more than enough people who are unwilling or unable to look at alternative ways of sourcing a car, insist on a brand new car (even if their financial situation makes this a highly questionable decision) and fail to properly consider the real cost of a Motability car (including the sacrificed benefits). There is also a fear amongst many people of sourcing a car privately, and the perceived “peace of mind” that Motability offers results in many people sticking with the scheme, regardless of the ever increasing costs. The scheme thrived with significantly less than half the number of customers that it has now, and will do so again in the future.
What I didn’t say to them, because it wouldn’t have helped the situation, was that the biggest risks for Motability Operations are yet to happen. The Timms review, and / or a change of government, may result in the scheme reverting to its original intended purpose – serving those with physical disabilities only, and if Motability Operations lose their block VAT exemption (as the Tories are proposing) then in one fell swoop they lose their USP and other operators will enter the market. These operators won’t pay their staff the gold plated salaries and benefits that Motability Operations do, so their costs will be lower and they could easily undercut Motability Operations prices.
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I have done a lot of work over the years with different leasing companies, one of them being Motability. Approx 12 years ago Motability had 6 sales people that went to the different auctions to sell their cars.
One day they were all called to a meeting and were told we need some of you to take voluntary redundancy they were all offered a really good package to leave. They were given a few days to think about the offer. All 6 came back and took the offer and left Motability. Back then it must not have been a great place to work.
Happy to have an offline chat about it, especially on those 70 plus vehicles returning – I think it is a great new business opportunity and I know who would take them all, giving back to the disabled motorists.
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Apologies for briefness and spelling mistakes.Motability Skoda Enyaq SportLine 85x April 2024 - September 2026 (won my case with Ombudsman)
Motability Mazda CX-60 PHEV July 2023 (early termination on mechanical grounds)
Motability VW Touran Family Pack May 2019@belfast4 I don’t believe that it’s a happy place. Whilst they know that they have an unbeatable salary and benefits package, the culture isn’t great. When I said that this surprised me, as whenever I have called I have encountered nothing but polite and cheerful staff, I was told that all calls are recorded and monitored and they come down very heavily on people. Where this is particularly unfair is that they get a lot of calls from customers who are very rude and/or struggle to grasp the issues.
@kdwolf The 70 cars was just an example of one individual dealership. They are dealing with tens of thousands of cars a month in total as routine, but the number has increased due to high levels of people leaving the scheme – hence the reintroduction of lease extensions, as they are trying to slow the exodus. I thought that if the dealer processing the return didn’t want the car it went into auction, but apparently they have a re-marketing team who work to dispose of the better cars through relationships with dealerships, and only the tattier cars, or those that they cannot shift through other means, end up in auction.@BIYT I’ve never written any letters to Motability. I did manage to get them to change their position when they refused me an extension, but that was over the phone.
Very interesting read and it comes as no surprise.
I had my car in for a service last month and the salesman that deals with motability customers thinks, in his opinion that the government will take over motability within 5 years. Again, that was his opinion.
As for extensions I hope I get offered one next year because if I don’t then I’ll have no choice but to leave the scheme due to the crazy AP.
@kdwolf The 70 cars was just an example of one individual dealership. They are dealing with tens of thousands of cars a month in total as routine, but the number has increased due to high levels of people leaving the scheme – hence the reintroduction of lease extensions, as they are trying to slow the exodus. I thought that if the dealer processing the return didn’t want the car it went into auction, but apparently they have a re-marketing team who work to dispose of the better cars through relationships with dealerships, and only the tattier cars, or those that they cannot shift through other means, end up in auction.
@Glos-Guy
I will rephrase my point then for any former or current Motability employee with relevant expertise 🙂 I have a former Lehman Brothers managing director of one of its territories, keen to invest – 70, 700 or 7,000 vehicles per annum is not an issue.Sent from a mobile device.
Apologies for briefness and spelling mistakes.Motability Skoda Enyaq SportLine 85x April 2024 - September 2026 (won my case with Ombudsman)
Motability Mazda CX-60 PHEV July 2023 (early termination on mechanical grounds)
Motability VW Touran Family Pack May 2019The general public (especially with all the misinformation they are being feed), would be more than happy if the scheme failed, there are individuals who have abused the scheme. If the Government takes the scheme in-house it will end up as one of their usual disasters.
Unfortunately I have suffered a brain injury and occasionally I get confused and often say the wrong thing.
All that is going on only goes to prove that it is us, the disabled people in the scheme who have to adapt to the Governments policies & Motability Operations subsequent actions, and not them adapt to what the disabled people want or need to make their life easier & more fulfilled. This can’t go on like that!
Going backwards is not the way forwards!
Changing the pensions triple lock is another example of weakness that we will have to adapt to. I paid 50 years NI contributions for my pension, that is not a benefit they are giving me, it’s earned!
Attacking the vulnerable to satisfy the press & scheme critics is weakness. It has to stop!😡
Skoda Enyaq Coupe 85x Sportline Plus Adanced, Heat Pump & 21" Supernova Wheels In Moon White Metallic - Ordered 27th December 2023 - Confirmed 31st January 2024 - Build Week 16 (W/C April 15th) Estimated Delivery 26th May. Build Week moved back to week 23 W/C 3rd June) Build Week moved again to week 32 (W/C 5th August) Brought forward to week 27 (W/C 1st July 24) Advised Week 31 That car us built & in Transit to UK. August 22nd, car arrived at dealership but wrong spec. Collected the car 18/9/2024. Ver
@kdwolf No harm in your friend approaching the CEO of Motability with a business proposition, but if he / she has any sense (which I’m sure, given their background, they have), the last thing I’d be looking to invest in is depreciating assets such as used ‘run of the mill’ cars.
The best way to make big money out of cars (if that’s their passion) is to buy limited run super cars. There are countless examples of cars that were once circa £200k that are now £500k-£1m, and cars that were circa £1m that are now £5-10m. There are many businesses that provide long term climate controlled secure storage for such cars and those with serious money may own 50-100 plus of such cars. The best thing is that the gain in value of cars is exempt from Capital Gains Tax. If I had tens of millions that I was looking to invest I would be seriously investigating this market.
@kdwolf No harm in your friend approaching the CEO of Motability with a business proposition.
G-d forbit. He is happy to support brand new initiative to establish Motability competition in EV sector.
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Apologies for briefness and spelling mistakes.Motability Skoda Enyaq SportLine 85x April 2024 - September 2026 (won my case with Ombudsman)
Motability Mazda CX-60 PHEV July 2023 (early termination on mechanical grounds)
Motability VW Touran Family Pack May 2019G-d forbit. He is happy to support brand new initiative to establish Motability competition in EV sector.
Ah, I see. That makes much more sense (apart from the EV aspect 😉). If the Tories and / or Reform get in next time, and Motability lose their block VAT exemption as threatened, then the scheme becomes pointless for anyone who doesn’t qualify for VAT exemption so, by default, the market opens right up. However, established leasing companies, which already have scale, would then become the competition, and as they won’t have the overheads that Motability Operations have, that will be a much tougher nut to crack for a new entrant.
I fear that anyone thinking of the government taking control needs to look at which government could be next.
With no intent of being political:
Reform are still spouting the full blue invacar nonsense. I can’t see them wanting Motability to continue at all, with a possible solution for WAVS. Then there’s their plans for PIP which could see a problem with actually receiving the funding for a vehicle.
The Conservatives aren’t significantly more optimistic towards both PIP and the Scheme. Taking control would only be to disband the whole concept.
Labour are waiting for the results of the Timms report and might be in a position to allow the Scheme to continue.
Anyone to the left of Labour may reverse the VAT but could also bankrupt the country.
Given the potential for a more right leaning government, I’d not be hoping for much in 5 years time.
I'm Autistic, if I say something you find offensive, please let me know, I can guarantee it was unintentional.
I'll try to give my honest opinion but am always open to learning.Mark
G-d forbit. He is happy to support brand new initiative to establish Motability competition in EV sector.
Ah, I see. That makes much more sense (apart from the EV aspect
). If the Tories and / or Reform get in next time, and Motability lose their block VAT exemption as threatened, then the scheme becomes pointless for anyone who doesn’t qualify for VAT exemption so, by default, the market opens right up. However, established leasing companies, which already have scale, would then become the competition, and as they won’t have the overheads that Motability Operations have, that will be a much tougher nut to crack for a new entrant.I think smart thing is to act now. I have a very detailed business plan we discussed, which was approved by him, and to immediatly start the PoC of up to 150 vehicles, he wants me to bring someone with fleet management experience of at least 500 vehicles. Preferably from Motability, but not mandatory.
I have security clearance in the UK, FBI’s CJIS in the US alas, I have no experience in managing fleets, so I am looking this month for one.
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Apologies for briefness and spelling mistakes.Motability Skoda Enyaq SportLine 85x April 2024 - September 2026 (won my case with Ombudsman)
Motability Mazda CX-60 PHEV July 2023 (early termination on mechanical grounds)
Motability VW Touran Family Pack May 2019@kdwolf Sounds interesting. Good luck.
@kdwolf The 70 cars was just an example of one individual dealership. They are dealing with tens of thousands of cars a month in total as routine, but the number has increased due to high levels of people leaving the scheme – hence the reintroduction of lease extensions, as they are trying to slow the exodus. I thought that if the dealer processing the return didn’t want the car it went into auction, but apparently they have a re-marketing team who work to dispose of the better cars through relationships with dealerships, and only the tattier cars, or those that they cannot shift through other means, end up in auction.
@Glos-Guy I will rephrase my point then for any former or current Motability employee with relevant expertise
I have a former Lehman Brothers managing director of one of its territories, keen to invest – 70, 700 or 7,000 vehicles per annum is not an issue.
@kdwolf I think Lehman Brothers Holdings Incorporating and its former director’s are a prime example of why the Motability Foundation and the Government should not be looking for a privately run alternative to Motability Operations. Our fellow MB customers are able to pay our benefit’s directly to a Banking Group who have the direct backing and security of the Government, with the knowledge that our cars will safely be secured to us for the duration of our contract.Although many of us are extremely unhappy with the huge and unjust increase in AP’s and the other new detrimental and unfair terms of any future contract, which is consciously designed as a deterrent, to customer’s who can use a financially viable alternative.
Never the less MB will still remain the best option for most of its future customers, as it has been for the last 48 years.
Although Government revisions by design, will force and encourage many to either not join the scheme or even to leave the scheme, there is no doubt that MB will continue to be to the benefit of many of its customer’s, for many years to come.
My above post was actually held back by the moderators for over 12 hours. My point is that it is worth fellow forum members, looking at the history of Lehman,s, to appreciate the pitfalls of going down the road of alternative independent alternatives to MB, first.
Anyone been to trust pilot about Motability treatment of disabled, there are some horrendous accounts of Motability customers stories and quite upsetting.
My above post was actually held back by the moderators for over 12 hours. My point is that it is worth fellow forum members, looking at the history of Lehman,s, to appreciate the pitfalls of going down the road of alternative independent alternatives to MB, first.
Can you help me understand what Lehman has to do with it, please? It is a private individual, who used to be Managing Director.
For your own benefit and good posture on this forum I will assume you misread my original message.
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Apologies for briefness and spelling mistakes.Motability Skoda Enyaq SportLine 85x April 2024 - September 2026 (won my case with Ombudsman)
Motability Mazda CX-60 PHEV July 2023 (early termination on mechanical grounds)
Motability VW Touran Family Pack May 2019I fear that anyone thinking of the government taking control needs to look at which government could be next. With no intent of being political: Reform are still spouting the full blue invacar nonsense. I can’t see them wanting Motability to continue at all, with a possible solution for WAVS. Then there’s their plans for PIP which could see a problem with actually receiving the funding for a vehicle. The Conservatives aren’t significantly more optimistic towards both PIP and the Scheme. Taking control would only be to disband the whole concept. Labour are waiting for the results of the Timms report and might be in a position to allow the Scheme to continue. Anyone to the left of Labour may reverse the VAT but could also bankrupt the country. Given the potential for a more right leaning government, I’d not be hoping for much in 5 years time.
I have been at LTN (Luton Airport) this morning. A humongous bloke with tattoos any Russian recidivist back in Soviet Union would envy to have, and a bit younger half naked pinky haired girlfriend next to him where queueing to get a disabled lanyard just to stroll away through Fast Track Security lane. I do believe the system must be thoroughly revisited. Modern AI tools are quite efficient to analyse the vast amounts of documents, scan the social networks and provide a detailed report if the person in question is truly disabled or perhaps 3 years of good old army service will sort them out.
As to the army and our veterans, I would totally separate the systems, ensuring they will get much better treatment and get paid much more for going out, ready to sacrifice their lives.
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Apologies for briefness and spelling mistakes.Motability Skoda Enyaq SportLine 85x April 2024 - September 2026 (won my case with Ombudsman)
Motability Mazda CX-60 PHEV July 2023 (early termination on mechanical grounds)
Motability VW Touran Family Pack May 2019I tend to agree with MFillingham on this.
Whicever hovernment comes in, invkuding Butnham with a reduced majority or coalition, PIP is going to still have some hajor changes, as Burnham has already pushed out to his press poodles some theoretical changes.
Not one of the political parties will do anything but “reform’ PIP.
Motability really needs a name change as well. Due to press attacks, the people have turned on it, they see ut as “free cars” and given to people with tennus elbow and shirkers. The scheme also will reduce again, as I belive future governments will remove PIP higher rate mobility from neurodiverse, ADHD etc alongside under 25s and over 50s.
I tend to agree with MFillingham on this. Whicever hovernment comes in, invkuding Butnham with a reduced majority or coalition, PIP is going to still have some hajor changes, as Burnham has already pushed out to his press poodles some theoretical changes. Not one of the political parties will do anything but “reform’ PIP. Motability really needs a name change as well. Due to press attacks, the people have turned on it, they see ut as “free cars” and given to people with tennus elbow and shirkers. The scheme also will reduce again, as I belive future governments will remove PIP higher rate mobility from neurodiverse, ADHD etc alongside under 25s and over 50s.
I meant to the last point I do find that quite unfair, I mean under 25s and above 50s arent somehow immune to disabilities. Also, the media seemingly seems to attack people that are neurodiverse (especially ADHD) as of late but ignores the fact that the DWP only put what they think is a primary condition but ignores the vast amount of people who have comorbidities with learning difficulties including physical ones as well. Its also a fraction of total people with ADHD that get PIP.
Id also like to say what might happen is people with many conditions plus ADHD, the DWP could well say ADHD is your primary condition even if you have physical ones and make the PIP process even harder with those suggested reforms.
If you cannot walk more than 20 metres because you have no legs with or without ADHD, they can put whatever they want as primary condition. The fact you cannot walk because you have no legs remains, no?
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Apologies for briefness and spelling mistakes.Motability Skoda Enyaq SportLine 85x April 2024 - September 2026 (won my case with Ombudsman)
Motability Mazda CX-60 PHEV July 2023 (early termination on mechanical grounds)
Motability VW Touran Family Pack May 2019I wasn’t thinking of anything that extreme. I mean conditions like hypermobility, which are common alongside ADHD but hard to see and difficult to evidence. With NHS waiting times someone can have an ADHD diagnosis while other things are still under investigation so the recorded condition doesn’t show the full picture. Mobility also isn’t only physical. Sight loss or severe mental health conditions can mean someone needs support getting around without any physical impairment. We can’t know how many people this affects when only one condition is recorded.
). If the Tories and / or Reform get in next time, and Motability lose their block VAT exemption as threatened, then the scheme becomes pointless for anyone who doesn’t qualify for VAT exemption so, by default, the market opens right up. However, established leasing companies, which already have scale, would then become the competition, and as they won’t have the overheads that Motability Operations have, that will be a much tougher nut to crack for a new entrant.
I have a former Lehman Brothers managing director of one of its territories, keen to invest – 70, 700 or 7,000 vehicles per annum is not an issue.
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