WIDOW’S CAR LOAN AGONY Firm demand £14k for late husband’s motor
g drawin er consid should This she Attorn ey. Yesand Power of person or up a specifi ed al or ts a financi appoin with s todeal both. You person issues or e but welfar lawyer a . don’t need advice I’d seek The wheels have well and truly come off for six-year-old Ross Archibald after the pedals broke on his go-kart.
His dad, also Ross, called me in when Smyths toys wouldn’t give him a new racing car, blaming wear and tear. That’s despite the youngster owning his kart for just three-and-a-half months.
Ross, 49, said: “I am appalled and Ross is devastated. He’s car daft.”
Ross Sr and partner Pauline Prow, 44, bought the £60 toy online and gave it to their son on Christmas Day.
By the end of March, a weld on the pedals had broken. Ross, a lorry driver, said: “I contacted Smyths’ head office and they sent out a replacement in May. That was fine until the same thing happened again.”
Ross, of Balornock, Glasgow, got in touch with Smyths, who asked him to box it up and take it to a store.
He said: “The manager wouldn’t exchange the go-kart for a new one.”
I got on to Smyths. They said: “We are happy to send a replacement. We apologise for the delay in sorting this out.” in his old car and was paying £255.45 a month over four years, then a lump sum, bringing the total to £22,076. But Billy was at home with Eliza and daughter Nicola, 36, on November 28 when he suffered a respiratory arrest. Eliza, of Viewpark, Lanarkshire, said: “We got him to hospital but he passed away that night.” N icol a , a nu r s e , contacted GMAC to inform them. Then Eliza received a letter saying she owed £13,985. GMAC wanted her to take over the agreement or return the vehicle. Eliza wrote to GM AC , asking them to collect it. She said: “I explained the estate was unable to meet the outstanding costs.”
GMAC sent a firm to remove the car in March. But Eliza was horrified to receive a letter asking for £ 4812.
Eliza said: “GMAC had the cheek to add on charges. They claimed the service history was incomplete and scratches were on the front door and an alloy wheel.”
Nicola, of nearby Uddingston, complained and again explained there was no money in the estate.
GMAC f inal ly upheld their complaint but would only reduce the amount due to £ 4545. That’s when the family called me in.
Vauxhall Finance said: “When a customer dies, we follow a standard process. The termination of this agreement left a financial liability and we have to investigate.
“It looks likely we will write off the debt and close the account but our checks are not finalised. We do not want to cause distress or concern.” find anything after several months. The last deposit was made in February 2004. Please help.”
I got on to Bank of Scotland, who investigated further and confirmed the account had been shut in 2004 and the balance paid to Tom’s dad.
Tom said: “Thanks for your help.
“Bank of Scotland have now produced proof my father’s account had been closed.”