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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To shop neighbour who has been given disability car as a "gift"

178 replies

Jollyranchermuncher · 22/10/2011 13:20

neighbours dad has a brand new sporty disability car that he has gifted to his daughter for her own full use.

It is hers, the dad stays in the next town and never it, I know she has full use of it.

Usually I would mind my own business over most things but it just makes me seethe that she has been given this and so many people who need things have to go without.

It also has a built in bluebadge so she can conveniently park in disabled spaces.

Am not quite sure how payment for disability cars work I take it her dad has to use his dla for the car? But it still seems like a huge take the piss off the system?

OP posts:
FanjoForTheMuahahammaries · 22/10/2011 18:42

Yes we have a blue badge :)

Chummybud1 · 22/10/2011 18:43

You can definitely get a mobility car and have someone else drive. Mobility cars are to allow people who can't other wise get around, get around, this may include needing a driver. It makes sense for the daughter to have the car so she can collect her father to take him towhee he wants go

anonandlikeit · 22/10/2011 18:50

A blue badge may be issued to the disabled person HOWEVER the car driver must not use it if the disabled person is not in the car. A blue badge is issued to the individual & can be used by them in any vehicle and not issued to the car IYKWIM. It is an offence to use someone elses blue badge.

The car is paid for out of the disabled persons benifit and if the disabled person cannot drive a named driver can be used. My husband & I are both named drivers on my sons motability car. The agreement is in his name but the car is registered to me as he is only 9. The motability organsisation is a charity.
He gets a car because he meets the mobility critirea & we receive less Disability living allowance for him each month & chose to have a car.
He is unable to use public transport, we live in a rural area and need a reliable car with a big boot etc to ensure we are able to get him to all his appnts etc. It does mean we have less each month to pay for additional costs incurred by ds2's disability but it is a choice we are pleased to have.

However that said, if someone really IS abusing the system & you have proof then they should be held to account.

Peachy · 22/10/2011 18:51

It varies Herbie

i worked for a tosser HP company that did Motability-based Hp and we always asked for an advacnce payment regardless of the car, these were second hands one but they did own them outright once paid.

There are more convoluted schemes floating about than people realise but if you have an adapted car (WAV or similar) then your options outside the bog standard scheme are limited

Of xoirse with Mobility lease if you get DLA then the car stays; with HP then you get ex boss turning up to remove it in as initimidating manner as posible (note I walked ASAP! And have ahd no contact with the cvolleagie who suggested I might like a job with his FIL when my contract expired, talk about poisoned chalice)

RogerMelly · 22/10/2011 18:54

it's near 200 quid a month, so not free and if she is using the blue badge with no-oonedisbaled in the car it's illegal or something, fraudulent maybe...anyway, I have a disabled child and i don't use the badge if she isn't with me. They are not free cars though. If she takes him to all of his appioitnments, goes to the chemist for him, goes round and helpshim everyday she is his carer

Debs75 · 22/10/2011 19:08

MRSDV I do agree with you the rules are very restrictive. I have 4 dc's, 1 disabled. Is it fair that I can only use the car for ds's benefit? How about when DD fell and banged her head and was sick. I had to take her to hospital so put her in the car. DS was in bed so the trip wasn't foe his benefit. Motability could of taken the car away if they wanted to be petty about it but we needed to make sure dd was ok, she was.

As for cars you can get a BMW is quite a sporty car, so is a Mazda. Some of them are functional, some give you passenger room and some are very luxurious. Itr depends if youa re willing to spend a few grand every 3 years to ge the car of your dreams

voddiekeepsmesane · 22/10/2011 19:59

We have a Moyability car through DP because he is blind. It is not specifically for the SOLE USE of taking DP around as I am in it with ds alone often. BUT we can not and would not use the blue badge unless DP is with us.

voddiekeepsmesane · 22/10/2011 19:59

motability*

voddiekeepsmesane · 22/10/2011 20:02

Also there is no such thing as a built in blue badge. The blue badge as someone else said is issued by our council. Motability is a completely different thing. It does show on our tax disc that it is a disabled tax, which is free to us but that is not a blue badge.

Original poster
Jollyranchermuncher · 23/10/2011 09:09

I obviously don't type clear enough!

The car is hers, been given to her, she does not run errands she does not take him shopping. The car is not for his use. The car is a gift to her from him so that she has her own car to go about her own business.

She was not boasting when she told me this, I was not fishing for gossip from her! She is a neighbour that I see often and have lived beside for years so we know each other to chat to on friendly terms.

By "built in blue badge" I meant that the car has the dads blue badge in it for her to use. The dad does not need it as he does not have a car!

OP posts:
FanjoForTheMuahahammaries · 23/10/2011 09:29

Blue badges ain't all that unless you actually need them. Plus if she intends to use it at the supermarket she might be out of luck, we usually can't find a disabled space.

Chummybud1 · 23/10/2011 09:37

If this lady has been given a motability car by her father for her own use, then that is wrong, she is also very stupid for just blabbing these facts in the street as her dad will be in more trouble than her.

I don't really see how the op can prove what the car is being used for, as the lady might just have been bragging, when in actual fact she does run errands for her father. If the father is entitled to a car then he must be disabled.

FanjoForTheMuahahammaries · 23/10/2011 09:38

It all sounds a bit strange

troisgarcons · 23/10/2011 09:51

The car is hers, been given to her, she does not run errands she does not take him shopping. The car is not for his use. The car is a gift to her from him so that she has her own car to go about her own business.

Report her if you like BUT her father is never going to corroborate the story. Sounds to me like she's bragging. I don't believe she doesnt ever take him shopping, to the hospital, doctors, pick up prescriptions etc.

electra · 23/10/2011 09:53

Disability cars are intended for use by the disabled person.

herbietea · 23/10/2011 09:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

lisad123 · 23/10/2011 09:59

well it could be that he is getting HRM, in cash and then buying her a car with it!! How you use your mobility is up to you, you can either use it towards a rental car, OR have the money.

QuintessentialShadyHallows · 23/10/2011 10:02

You should not believe everything you hear, Jolly.

Maybe your neighbour is playing down everything she does for her dad. My neighbours did not know where I was going when I was going out and about in the car. My mums car.

They did ask why we had two cars, I did not explain it was because my dh would still need a car to take the kids on activities, shopping etc, when I had to go and help my folks. Non of my neighbours business.

Dillydaydreaming · 23/10/2011 10:09

If her Dad is on receipt of HRM then I find it hard to believe she does nothing for him.

Debs75 · 23/10/2011 10:19

OP if the car is issued through motability then on the tax disc it will say FLEET I the car has been bought out of her dads mobility money like Lisad123 suggests it won't. Have a sneaky peek if you want. If you see DISABLED on it then she is breaking the tax disc law

blinkineck · 23/10/2011 10:22

The scenario described by the OP is becoming more and more common. Some people don't care about cheating the system. I hope the woman gets reported.

Forrestgump · 23/10/2011 10:26

This is obviously an abuse of the scheme, so yes, report her!

If he can't use it, he should hand the car back, as the motorbility allowance is government money funding her lifestyle! It isn't his car to gift!

ragged · 23/10/2011 10:30

I'd report her. They won't go in all guns blazing, they will investigate to confirm OP's claims.

thefirstMrsDeVeerie · 23/10/2011 11:12

Do you have figures on that blink ?

TheOriginalNutcracker · 23/10/2011 11:20

Oh my friend is doing this, i didn't realise they couldn't.

It's her mum who is entitled to the car, but my friend and he hubby have it and they don't use it to take her mum out. They are actually getting a brand new mobility car at the end of the month, and I know the mum was not consulted about which car they picked and I was a bit Hmm about that.