The Daily Telegraph

VW ‘treating British customers with contempt over dieselgate’

- By Iain Withers

VOLKSWAGEN faced accusation­s of treating its UK customers with “contempt” yesterday after the car giant agreed to buy back more cars over the “dieselgate” scandal in Germany but not in Britain.

The German carmaker has faced claims across the world after it emerged in late 2015 it had fitted 11 million of its vehicles with “defeat devices” – software that allowed them to cheat emission controls.

Volkswagen agreed to a second recall in its home market yesterday after waiving its right to appeal against rulings that found in favour of claimants in two German regional courts. This month the car giant was also forced to recall 24,000 of its luxury brand Audis by Germany’s transport ministry.

Commenting on the latest developmen­ts, Louise Ellman, Labour MP and chairman of the transport committee in the last parliament, which grilled VW’S UK bosses over the fiasco, told The Daily Telegraph: “It is time UK ministers demanded fair treatment for UK customers. VW believe they can treat them with contempt.”

The latest recalls have raised hopes among the trio of law firms acting on behalf of tens of thousands of affected UK drivers that they too could win compensati­on.

Damon Parker, head of litigation at Harcus Sinclair, which is representi­ng more than 40,000 claimants, said: “It is encouragin­g that another court has found in favour of claimants.”

Meanwhile, Tom Goodhead, a barrister at 9 Gough Square acting on behalf of 10,000-plus claimants’ group Car Emissions Lawyers, said: “This recall provides further evidence that we have a case for compensati­on. We urge more drivers to join our action.”

If the action is successful, compensati­on could range from £4,500 per vehicle to up to £45,000, Mr Goodhead believes.

The case – which also features solicitors Leigh Day – goes back to court in October, when the three claimant groups are likely to be joined together in a class action. Some 1.2 million British vehicles – including Audis, Skodas and Seats – are thought to be affected.

In the US the group has performed a mass recall and admitted wrongdoing, but it says it has not broken the law in Europe and does not need to compensate customers there. However, it is working to fix all vehicles involved by this autumn.

VW said its decision not to appeal against the German ruling was an exception because of the low cost of the cars involved and it did not expect it to have a bearing on other ongoing cases, which it said it would challenge if necessary.

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