Nearly six weeks and I still don't have my motorhome

[SirPooley]

Hi. Remember me?

I have previously posted about how I bought a new Auto Sleeper Kingham from Marquis Berkshire (deposit paid 14th Aug, full amount paid 22nd Aug). I won't repeat everything again but suffice to say that I still don't have the vehicle.

Every time I contact Marquis (about ten times over the past weeks) they tell me that they are awaiting the V55 (brand new vehicle registration) from the DVLA. Today I called the DVLA who told me they have no record of the registration request. I immediately called Marquis to find out what's going on.

Turns out the salesperson I dealt with has left. I spoke to another person who was more forthcoming. They have told me that they need to get a code from Peugeot (makers of the base vehicle) which gets sent to the DVLA and that is what they are still waiting for. They only get these codes released to them each Friday. Apparently the person who does that is currently off work. Unbelievable.

The guy I spoke to told me this happens with everyone buying a Peugeot (small comfort) and that I should've been warned (I wasn't). I was told there was nothing they could do other than wait.

I have written to their head office to complain because I find this completely unacceptable. They have £80k of my money and I am paying out for insurance and I don't have my van.

I just don't know what to do any more. I have seriously considered starting a refund process but I really don't want to do that as I have fallen in love with the damn thing and have prepared so much.

It would be bad enough if Marquis were to tell me 'Oh, it'll be another two weeks' or something but they've said they are unable to provide any timeline and are 'in touch with Peugeot every day'. Every week they tell me the same thing, that they hope it will be with them on Friday and then the following Monday they tell me same thing.

I would definitely warn against purchasing from Marquis. This goes beyond bad service.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Not wishing to highjack the O.P.s thread, but can a company still trade when it's registered as dormant? If so what are the implications of buying such a high ticket price item a company is registered as dormant?
Mike.

 

[1967bowesj]

Not wishing to highjack the O.P.s thread, but can a company still trade when it's registered as dormant? If so what are the implications of buying such a high ticket price item a company is registered as dormant?
Mike.

From companies house I’d say you can.

 

[L' Hobo]

Not wishing to highjack the O.P.s thread, but can a company still trade when it's registered as dormant? If so what are the implications of buying such a high ticket price item a company is registered as dormant?
Mike.

If it is dormant, it cannot trade!

 

[rod_vw]

I have given them an ultimatum. I've told them that it needs to be proven resolved by Friday 29th or I shall be contacting Trading Standards as they sold me the vehicle under false pretences. Those being that I had a date and time to go and pick it up (Tuesday at 12 noon) and it was only on the three days prior to that they told me I could not. That was five weeks ago.

In writing I hope.

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[Stretto Boy]

If it is dormant, it cannot trade!

The dealerships are operated by Auto-Sleepers Group Limited (company number 03978237) ("ASGL") under the trading name Marquis Leisure. ASGL is an active trading company.

 

[Lenny HB]

Normally the dealer has to pay the balance to the converter when they sell the van.
Starting to sound like they are giving you BS and haven't paid for the van.

I would get it off their premises ASAP because if they go bump you will have lost 80k.

Also the deposit you paid seems very high £500 - £1000 is more normall another sign of a company in trouble.

 

[Tombola]

Only the limited company named is dormant and no accs filed since 2022

The local company is trading as a normal business even though the numbers are very low.

I'd shift the van to my drive sharpish

 

[Terry]

May I correct my earlier posts saying Autotrail instead of Autosleeper
just looking on Auto trader and there are 4 new ones for sale and in stock now 3@ £78k and 1 at 82 k so I would be getting my money back and going elsewhere

 

[Abacist]

As I see it you have three choices:-

• Wait for them to get their act in order - hardly reasonable in all the circumstances!
• Sue them for the return of your money - until you have a court judgement against them you are pretty powerless in law i.e. you cannot petition the court for the winding up of the company for the non-payment of the debt! That gets their skates on as the court will appoint a liquidator/receiver to wind the company up and first task will be to give you your motorhome unless there is a charge on it by someone else e.g. the manufacturer/converter
• Sue them for the specific performance of the contract i.e. deliver the vehicle and consider suing also for damages for any losses you have suffered e.g. cancelled holiday trips etc, interest etc,

To proceed you need to speak to a solicitor, expert in contract law and insolvency and of course he will need to see the contract that you signed and all the small print contained in it. At least he/she will tell you how it is and the chance of you losing both your motorhome and your money if you do nothing!

Good luck! - how long should you wait before you find out that you might have been shafted?

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[busbuddy]

I would ring them every hour, from different numbers, pestering them saying you want compensation/remuneration

To be fair if it were mine I would turn up with a bag saying I am full timing and move into it, but I'm a moaney a**e

 

[CazPaul]

What a terrible advertisement for the company you are buying it from.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

What a terrible advertisement for the company you are buying it from.

Seems that these firms do not worry about reputation, there have been dozens of posts over the years regarding appalling service but the firms are still trading

 

[Terry]

Just done a little math and £78500 earns approximately £ per week @5% 75.50 so x by 6 and they owe you £456 in interest

 

[Yorick]

I'd be tempted to walk into the showroom and demand all the keys for the van. After all, they do belong to you.
If they refuse, it's theft.

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[BouncyBoatFolk]

If it is dormant, it cannot trade!

But they do. I was trying to find out the implications to the trader for breaking this rule, as best as I can see they don't give a "&%$.
Our eldest bought a van from a trader, advertised as in excellent order.
When it arrived, it was a bag of nails, with oil leaks and many faults.
He has been awarded a CCJ, but it's worthless, the bailiffs have had no joy in recouping his funds.
The trader was registered as a dormant company when he sold the van, but they know their way around the law. Our sons purchase was for a fraction of the O.P.s purchase price.
O.P.s going to have get moving PDQ, and be in their face.
Mike.

 

[Nanniemate]

I have requested this. Without a V55 the van cannot be driven on the road, trade plates or otherwise. It was delivered to the dealership on a transporter (it has 8 miles on the clock).

So they deliver to you on a transporter.but then you have a very expensive unusable garden ornament

I'd be after a refund its only a van there millions more out there

And if they can be bothered now what would they do once you have the van
Even less

 

[VXman]

So they deliver to you on a transporter.but then you have a very expensive unusable garden ornament

I'd be after a refund its only a van there millions more out there

And if they can be bothered now what would they do once you have the van
Even less

He makes a good point. If your van is a good reliable one with no issues (when you eventually get it) you will be fine but, as is often the case with brand new vehicles, if you have issues that need sorting with by the dealer I would be concerned over the quality of their service. I speak from experience having had a very poor dealer and 2 years sorting out issues that came with the new van.

Personally, if I really did still want this particular van I'd be asking for my money back (minus the deposit) until it was ready to be driven away - as should have been the case in the begining.

 

[Riverbankannie]

When does the 30 day right to reject unfit goods period start?

 

[DT]

Twitter maybe. Autosleeper, Peugeot, Marquis. many companies hate bad words on Twitter.

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[chaser]

Not knowing anything about dealers I thought I would have a look at this form.
Is this them because it doesn't look like the ops dealings with them

 

[eurajohn]

Not knowing anything about dealers I thought I would have a look at this form.
Is this them because it doesn't look like the ops dealings with them
View attachment 813560

That only says available to purchase not to drive away and use

 

[1967bowesj]

Not knowing anything about dealers I thought I would have a look at this form.
Is this them because it doesn't look like the ops dealings with them
View attachment 813560

chaser
depends on their definition of immediate purchase, in this case not the same as drive away today!!

Theres one of their sites near me, van’s always locked top end prices and pushy sales men, not a great welcoming place so we hardly ever go in.

 

[Ray-Vic]

Can you not go to the dealer with your own transportation, take the item which legally belongs to you, and then register it yourself? I don't know the process, or even if it is actually possible, but the below from Gov.uk seems to suggest you can register the new vehicle yourself?

 

[chaser]

Any sign of it yet?

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[urban_biker]

We had exactly this issue with our new Pilote. Took around 3 weeks for the certificate of conformity to come from Stellantis (base vehicle manufacturer) and Pilote(converter). I guess if something goes wrong getting the COC information then there is no way to register the vehicle. DVLA require all this information before they can process the registration and the registration takes around 4 weeks. So finally got the van 7 weeks after it arrived on a low loader in the UK.

Biggest issue is that the dealer set the wrong expectation with you in the first place, but a lot of this is outside their control.

 

[Abacist]

We had exactly this issue with our new Pilote. Took around 3 weeks for the certificate of conformity to come from Stellantis (base vehicle manufacturer) and Pilote(converter). I guess if something goes wrong getting the COC information then there is no way to register the vehicle. DVLA require all this information before they can process the registration and the registration takes around 4 weeks. So finally got the van 7 weeks after it arrived on a low loader in the UK.

Biggest issue is that the dealer set the wrong expectation with you in the first place, but a lot of this is outside their control.

Then they never should have taken his money until ready to hand vehicle over! Outrageous practice!

 

[urban_biker]

Then they never should have taken his money until ready to hand vehicle over! Outrageous practice!

I paid for mine when it arrived. It was mine, just waited for registration until I could drive it. Didn't really feel that outrageous to me although it was slightly frustrating.

 

[PlymBob]

I'm importing a PVC from Germany, all paperwork done (it took ages) apart from UK registration which has just been applied for. I've been advised it could take 4 weeks to come through from DVLA

 

[Abacist]

I paid for mine when it arrived. It was mine, just waited for registration until I could drive it. Didn't really feel that outrageous to me although it was slightly frustrating.

It sounds as if you were happy with the dealer's explanations but in the case under discussion the OP is certainly giving the impression that he has not had adequate explanations.

Surely you must understand that an unscrupulous dealer could easily sell it again and pocket the money and disappear, especially if premises are leased and at the end of the term and all the stock is in hock to a bank or some other form of finance.

In a liquidation or receivership any stock previously sold and still held by the dealer must have the customers name on it otherwise it is still stock owned by the business. I would hope that a liquidator or receiver would see the invoice and identify the buyer as the owner due to the VIN number but, as we know, if finance has not been paid off, it is still owned by the finance company/bank regardless of the sale which is deemed to have been fraudulent if the finance has not been cleared.

So to be safe you need not only possession but a clear finance check, as well as a check for chattels mortgages which are not covered by a finance check.

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[Diabalo]

In the OPs post No61 he had a reply from Marquis and part said "Marquis Berkshires newly appointed Branch Manager will contact you directly Monday afternoon with updates."

So he should have had some news good or bad by now.