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Original poster

Return of company car following employee resignation

116 replies

elephantsbreafh · 04/02/2022 12:01

Looking for outside opinions

Background:
Employee of 5+ years has company car (not leased)
Company car was cosmetically damaged a few years ago, company not employee did not fix it
Employee has resigned
Company would like car returned to office (45 mins from employee, not employee’s usual place of work)
Company would like car valeted and with a full tank of fuel on return at employee’s expense
No contract so nothing to refer to

Is it reasonable to expect employee to pay for valet and fuel when company have not even bothered to fix previous damage ie, it’s not in a great state anywhere so effectively polishing a turd at employee’s expense. Is it reasonable to expect employee to return car or should an option to have it collected be offered?

Out of context but in case relevant - employee was on maternity leave, statutory mat pay only and does not have another vehicle yet. Head office in remote location with no public transport.

Thanks.

OP posts:
Original poster
elephantsbreafh · 04/02/2022 12:02

Company nor employee, that should say

OP posts:
GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 04/02/2022 12:02

Yes the company are reasonable

JustLyra · 04/02/2022 12:04

Was the car delivered to them when they got it?

I wouldn’t be valeting it (assuming it’s not piled high with Maccy’s wrappers and humming of smoke). Just hand it back in a normal clean condition.

Original poster
elephantsbreafh · 04/02/2022 12:06

Can the company deduct the cost of a valet from wages if car isn’t valeted?

I’m the employee obviously. Company have been a nightmare since I got pregnant. I do not want to do them any favours - will return car to them if that seems reasonable, it’s just a logistic nightmare with young baby and no other transport yet

OP posts:
ClaudiaWankleman · 04/02/2022 12:06

I would expect to return the car to wherever the car was collected from. Head office isn't an unreasonable alternative.

I wouldn't follow through with the tank of fuel and valet if it wasn't in the T&Cs when the car was received.

It is irrelevant whether the employee was on maternity leave and whether they have alternative transport. Those are excuses for not bothering.

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 04/02/2022 12:07

Surely there is some sort of written audit trail about giving the employee the car, even if it isn't in their contract? Emails etc?

Unless the company is a car dealership or similar, the whole arrangement sounds incredibly weird. Very few companies (except car dealerships) own the cars that are used as company cars.

Both sides should be careful about the tax implications of having had, and of ending, the current arrangement.

Mogul · 04/02/2022 12:07

Was the car delivered or collected originally

DropYourSword · 04/02/2022 12:08

I think it's reasonable for the company to request it gets dropped off to them.
I think given the employee has probably benefited from personal use of the company car it's not unreasonable to request it was returned with a full tank of petrol.
I think it should be returned clean, but think the company is unreasonable to insist it is valeted.

ClaudiaWankleman · 04/02/2022 12:08

Company and employee should do an inspection together of the car when it is handed back too. If they don't and they claim the car is in a poor state which the employee contests then there will be no indication of whether any damage/ rubbish was caused after the return or not.

It's an expensive asset - I would treat it like a home rental coming to an end to be honest.

3scape · 04/02/2022 12:11

It's not a hire car, unless it was delivered with a full tank / company are picking up a fuel card the the company are being unreasonable. If it's 45 mins by car can you push back, surely they can easily have someone to collect it?

RincewindsHat · 04/02/2022 12:13

I mean, I'd get it cleaned (costs £15 for a decent inside & out clean at the hand car wash place near me) but not sure I'd do the full tank of fuel.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 04/02/2022 12:15

Surely you just have to return it in the condition it was delivered? So clean and with however much petrol was in it at the time?

As to whether you should drive it back to work, it depends whether you collected it from there or whether it was delivered to you?

shoofly · 04/02/2022 12:16

I think it's reasonable to return to company premises, in a clean condition. Not valeted, as presumably it'll be serviced and repaired before being allocated to anyone else... Or else returned to dealer.
Was it supplied with a full tank of fuel? If so then reasonable ask but otherwise no... I wouldn't hand it back with an empty tank red light on, but no more than £10 / quarter ish tank

MaverickSnoopy · 04/02/2022 12:16

I think regardless of what should be happening, you need to ask yourself how you would feel if they got difficult.

Put everything in writing and take detailed photos of the car. Whatever was agreed should be what happens. If nothing was agreed then I would suggest returning it how it was recieved.

Womencanlift · 04/02/2022 12:17

If you have been using it for any personal use outside of business hours then completely reasonable of the company to ask for fuel and for it to be valeted

Can someone not follow you in their car to give you a lift back?

Original poster
elephantsbreafh · 04/02/2022 12:17

I am planning to clean it but not a full valet. I’ll arrange to drop it off to save the hassle. I did have a fuel card to use for work mileage - I’d gave filled it up from that if it hadn’t expired whilst I was off 🤣

It is a strange set up, I agree. Relatively small company. They buy the car outright and employee drives it til it’s more expensive to fix than to get a new one. Think that’s why they didn’t fix the damage. The whole passenger side is scraped and dented in, looks awful. Which is why I found it a bit odd that they want it fully valeted when they obviously don’t care that much about the look of it. I wouldn’t hand it back in a disgustingly dirty state anyway!

OP posts:
Datada · 04/02/2022 12:19

How did they deliver to you, full tank and valet? If so, do the full tank, you can give it a good clean yourself. I think you can return it to your workplace, if there's no contract, they can't make you do anything. Hand the keys to a person, maybe record this? and take photos of car, to protect yourself. They do seem to be punishing you to ant extent. I think if you behave reasonably, you will be within the law, maybe check that though?

DreamerSeven · 04/02/2022 12:19

@ClaudiaWankleman

I would expect to return the car to wherever the car was collected from. Head office isn't an unreasonable alternative.

I wouldn't follow through with the tank of fuel and valet if it wasn't in the T&Cs when the car was received.

It is irrelevant whether the employee was on maternity leave and whether they have alternative transport. Those are excuses for not bothering.

Totally this. It’s normal in my experience to have to return a company car rather than have it collected but no way would I be filling the tank.
Original poster
elephantsbreafh · 04/02/2022 12:20

Yeah someone will need to follow me but it’s a work day, my family live 2 hours away and will need to fit car seat in their car etc and bring baby. It’s just really inconvenient when it would be so easy for them to collect it but I’ll figure it out. It’s not their fault I have a baby and don’t have another car or family nearby, im not trying to start a pity party 🤣

OP posts:
VanGoghsDog · 04/02/2022 12:21

@elephantsbreafh

Can the company deduct the cost of a valet from wages if car isn’t valeted?

I’m the employee obviously. Company have been a nightmare since I got pregnant. I do not want to do them any favours - will return car to them if that seems reasonable, it’s just a logistic nightmare with young baby and no other transport yet

No, they cannot deduct that unless the employment contract, or a contractual policy, says they can.

I'd return it, clean but nit valeted, and I'd ignore the fuel diktat.

mygrandchildrenrock · 04/02/2022 12:21

When my husband was made redundant and had a company car, he told them they could collect it from our drive. He certainly didn’t valet it or fill it with petrol. They want it back, they can get it.

VanGoghsDog · 04/02/2022 12:22

Pretty lucky you weren't asked to pay for the damage yourself, that would be the norm.

JadeSeahorse · 04/02/2022 12:22

I am going back 20 plus years so things may have changed.

When I resigned —walked out— the company allowed me to keep the car - along with my fuel card - until the end of my 6 month notice period. I told them i didn’t need it as we had a second very good car at home so they had to negotiate a large amount of money to pay me for returning the car and fuel card early. 😁

The car was collected from my home and I posted back the fuel card. No valeting etc. required. However, the car was leased and not owned which could make a difference.

Original poster
elephantsbreafh · 04/02/2022 12:22

I had a fuel card so it wasn’t delivered with a full tank but didn’t really matter! I think I did collect it but I can’t remember as it’s been a while - I must have. And obviously it isn’t in the same condition now as it was damaged and they decided not to fix it. Just difficult without any sort of paper trail. I get a P11D every year for tax and that’s the only proof I have that I have a company car

OP posts:
Rollercoaster1920 · 04/02/2022 12:22

Fuel will either be fuel card or expensed surely?
And you can claim expenses for the public transport home.