Fowlers Finance Pickle!

A question about : Fowlers Finance Pickle!

I know I'm an absolute fool for doing this, but need some advice please.

I contacted Fowlers Finance as I was having trouble getting finance for a car (even with a fair credit rating).

I spoke to someone in their Stoke office (I'm based in Manchester) and they said that they would find me the car I wanted (A VW Polo 1.4). I was asked to pay Ј100 'commitment deposit', which was supposedly their fee for sourcing a vehicle.

After a few days, I received a call to say they'd found a Polo which was conveniently based at their Manchester office. I was informed that I needed to arrange finance there and then and a further deposit of Ј400 was required, to lower my monthly premium. This was paid before I saw the car (Yes I know!?). i also set up a payment plan and provided my bank details. They advised that I would need to travel to Stoke to sign the paperwork, which didn't seem right.

I arranged to view the vehicle the following Saturday. I arrived early in the morning, and the car wasn't there. I expressed my dissatisfaction, and was told I could view the car on Monday. This I did. I took it for a test drive and it seemed ok. After a further inspection, I realised that the car hadn't really been looked after too well. The engine appeared corroded and there were a number of things which needed repairing or replacing (new VW badge on wheel hubs, broken indicator, needed a good valet and clean).

Something just didn't feel right, and after thinking it over that evening, I contacted Fowlers and advised that I didn't want to proceed any further. At this point I haven't signed any paperwork. i have also contacted my bank to ensure no further payments are collected and checked no standing order / direct debit instructions have been presented.

They are now being difficult and claim that the amount of deposit have paid so far i.e. Ј500 equates to how much time and effort they have put into 'preparing' the car for me...namely things like:

1) MOT (Which I assume would have been done as standard anyway).
2) The cost of getting the vehicle to the garage from their Stoke office (although I was originally told it was in Manchester).
3) Cleaning/Valeting/Repairing the car to meet my needs (again, surely this is done as a matter of course).
4) General administration / setting up paperwork / time / resource.

i have asked for my deposit to be returned, but fear I have a bit of a fight on my hands.

I would be most grateful for some advice / tips etc. I have contacted Trading Standards, and they asked me to check the T&Cs, but as I don't have anything in writing, it's a little difficult. Could anyone recommend a course of action, my rights etc?

PS - Whilst speaking to my bank, I thought I'd ask if they would run me through a loan application (it had been declined 3 months prior, so I was taking a bit of a risk), and to my surprise I was accepted and now have finance to purchase a better vehicle. i just wish I'd approached them sooner.

Best answers:

• I contacted Fowlers in writing (recorded) asking that my deposits were refunded, and followed the letter up with emails and phone calls.
  Eventually, a week ago I spoke to the agent who handled my initial enqury. I advised them I had contacted Trading Standards, and was considering forwarding my case to the Financial Ombudsman. The agent then advised that they were never NOT going to refund my deposit, and were waiting for sign off from the Director. He intimated they were happy for me to contact Trading Standards and the Ombudsman in the meantime (which I've done). I asked for timescales for the refund, which they said they were unable to provide.
  It's now 30 days since cancellation and I still haven't received anything.
  Has anybody been in a similar situation, and could advise further?
• They are as dodgy as their old ccj and iva business
• I had a car of them, they now owe me Ј1524 and have 3 ccjs against them from others and soon to be one from me! I've been in talks with stroke on Trent trading standards but no luck.
  FOWLERS are a waste of space who buy guys that are accident damage and sell on.
  I'm now in process of taking them to court for my money
• Be warned seriously this company is full of crooks, they sold me a car last year engine fault within 2 hrs of taking it from Manchester branch. Took Ј400 pound deposit I tried endlessly to get the car fixed they didn't want to know. Week 3 gearbox and clutch went! I'd already asked for a change of vehicle and was told 'NOT GOING TO HAPPEN' this was by a [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM] at Stoke branch. I don't care naming him as he's an unprofessional cowboy in the trade. The car was then attempted to be repossessed when I thought it was going in for repairs not the case they'd already taken another sum of money off me. Eventually they did pick the car up saying that it was now repossessed and wanted more money off me before they would fix it. This was 2 months ago and three days ago they tried to take the car again when they'd already got it back.... Obviously no communication between them. Please if you're reading this I very seriously and strongly advise you to stay clear of this cowboy firm their cars are auction waste and their aftercare once the car is off the forecourt is non existant they don't care just after your money. I have seeked legal advice and will be going to court anyone had a similar experience with this firm reply to this post the more evidence the better !!!
• I bought car off fowlers 2 and half months ago was going down motorway turbo went I was 120 mile from home they didn't want to know your problem they said this was 7 days ago I got car towed back im still waiting for them to repair and guess what im being passed the book with all the different phone numbers stay clear of them!!!!!!
• Well where can I start about fowlers finance. I got a email stating that I could get finance from these so I rang them and went through some details. They said I needed to send in mine and my partners bank statements via iPhone so I did that then they said they wanted mine and my partners driving licences so I did. And then he emailed me saying we need ALL of your bank statements from ALL of your accounts so like a gullible person I sent them thinking this was normal. And then got a email saying he wanted pictures of all of mine and my partners bank cards front and back which i smelt a rat and sent a email back saying that I've never seen them and I think it's wrong what I'm sending and I would like to stop the application which is reply was ok. Am I in danger of being scammed can somebody please reply and reassure me please.
• I had a car off fowlers start of januRy cut a long story short they sold me the car un road worthy they were refusing to pay local gRage by me the money to fix all the problems on it in the end they had the car back to fix I was told some1 will phone me when I kept ringing Walsall branch I was kept being told some1 will phone u back no one did in the end I rang stoke branch n spoke to a Andrea woman who told me lie after lie plus a woman called Nicola I have asked trading standards to investigate them they had the car for four weeks when I finally got it back I went to get it checked and they haven't done what they claim they have . The car is still un safe to drive and is sitting on the drive. Numerous of times I phone fowlers ethier no one answers or if I'm lucky and some1 does all I get is there no one called such and such who works here .it is disgusting. Has the car is on finance thru the car fincance company who are not good to I have informed financial ombusmand because the company's are past a joke and should be closed down.fowlers sold me a un road worthy car when I have a 10month old baby(which they knew) .they kept fobbing me off on the phone saying we are waiting for a new exhaust to come because ordered the wrong one .when in fact no new exhaust has even been put on it the exhaust is still the same one they just cut it in half!!!! If I don't get this finance agreement ended I will be taking fowlers to court .
• Hi yes under the faulty goods act the cR finance company hve finally agreed to have car back with no lilabiltys on my part nor will it go Agsist my name it been nothing but stress fowlers should be shut down why on earth they are being able to get away with things I mean they have ccjs against them etc . Phone the fincancail obmunbusd because fowlers will just fob u off etc x
• their owners don't care, search for a company called Lloyds and lee IVA, fowlers taxi finance