Using car for work

[nevertherightweather]

I have a lot going on in my life (bereavement/possible medical issues ongoing with my small child awaiting lots of test results to name but a few) and my head is a muddle with it all and the weight on my shoulders. I could use some perspective.

I have to use my car for work - estate agent. I get fuel allowance and paid at national living wage. Also have the usual mortgage and childcare, utilities and normal living costs.
anyway on my wage I can’t afford a new car and my car is broken. I don’t get curtesy car on my insurance. Garage can’t look at it for 2 weeks and my work are saying I need to hire a car.
The thing is, the other branches have use of a pool car but my branch doesn’t. Do you think this sounds fair?
I don’t know the situation - how many and if all staff in other branches have access to the pool cars.
i am so frustrated! Another thing with all the rest of things going on in life.

Just tell them that your insurance does not provide a courtesy car and that you cannot afford to hire one. Give them three options - either they let you use a pool car from another branch, they hire a car for you, or you work office-based until your car is repaired.

By the way, have you asked the garage if they have a courtesy car you can borrow? Some of them can be obliging.

Do you get wear and tear and do they cover your business insurance?

I can't see how they can make you get a hire car as that would put you under NMW

I would speak to your direct manager and if you need to, take it higher...just state that you use your vehicle for work and at the moment it's broken so you won't be able to visit properties etc for a while. Explain that you can't afford a new one so it is what it is...the company cannot force you to use your own vehicle for work purposes so if they want you to go out and about they need to provide you with a method of transport. I would expect them to cover the cost of a temporary hire vehicle.

@Ducksurprise what’s NMW please?

Abbrievation for National Minimum Wage.

Oh is that national minimum wage ?

Ah I see thank you. i could understand it if i were self employed. I can’t remember what my contract says. I will need to check it. Once they said I had to put in a holiday to leave work and collect my car after it’s MOT!! They always give me a hard time.

I can’t see anything in my contract nor in the handbook about having to find a replacement car.

What does your contract say about having a car/using your car for work purposes?

I'm rusty but my advice would be to talk to ACAS

You can't be expected to pay for things that take you below the National Minimum Wage. So paying for business insurance could do that, and being expected to hire a car certainly would.

Being in a contract wouldn't stop it being illegal - you should look into this- could be back pay

My contract has not been updated and is more than 10 years old (that’s right I’ve stuck it out this long due to a lack of jobs in the area)
my hours have changed since then. It does not even say I’m required to use my own vehicle. It says they “may” provide a vehicle and refer to the staff handbook. The handbook doesn’t say I need to provide a replacement vehicle. It says it needs to be roadworthy (it’s not at present). I think what’s caused the car problem is due to driving down a private farm road to a property that is full of huge potholes despite going very slow in 1st gear. 🙄

How many miles do you do? If it's not many, can you use taxis or public transport at their expense?

Car hire isn't always that expensive and they should be paying you 55 p a mile which would cover the cost if you do higher mileage.

But it is tight to expect low paid employees to use their own transport, if the other branch have pool cars, why doesn’t yours? Or they should hire a car for you.