WDB
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Posts: 7,425 
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Post by WDB on Jun 13, 2023 7:58:23 GMT
Cricket coverage lately has been interrupted by adverts for one of the law firms collecting clients to take joint action against motor manufacturers (in return for 50 percent plus expenses.) To listen to the characters in the mini-drama, all you have to do is add your registration number to a website and sit back while the money pours in. Doesn’t matter whose car you have. As always, the facts are a little more complicated. Only VW Group has admitted anything untoward, while others such as BMW and Ford are adamant that they did nothing of the kind. And there’s the crucial question in civil law of suffering a loss, and I’m struggling to see how I might have done so, let alone the ‘£10,000 for a Mercedes’ cited by one firm. Is there anything here but naked opportunism? Or, more accurately, opportunists recruiting opportunists. I’m tickled by the idea that that owners signing up with these sites (and quite possibly signing up, unwisely, with more than one) chose these vehicles for their environmental credentials and are now in deep emotional distress that only a big cheque will relieve. There’s quite a sane and comprehensive analysis here. www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/diesel-emissions-group-legal-claims/ |
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bpg
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Post by bpg on Jun 13, 2023 9:03:25 GMT
I think it depends on what generation you are part of. Generation entitled will fill their boots as will those suffering under the cost of living crisis. Free money.
Yes, there are people who are genuinely struggling. I'm not sure they were buying new or nearly new diesels at the time though.
These law companies made a lot of money from PPI, I believe this was the next low hanging fruit.
PPI I did claim because at the time I genuinely did feel aggrieved the bank would only offer me a mortgage if I took this additional insurance which I did not need as I had other cover which I proved. They were all at it at the time.
Diesel claim ? I'll leave it. I wouldn't feel comfortable claiming for something I chose because of the overall package and not some save the world claim made by a politician.
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Post by EspadaIII on Jun 13, 2023 9:16:56 GMT
I keep seeing these adverts and think that my usual view of lawyers as bunch of money grabbing scum is right. I know loads of lawyers who are decent people offering a proper service to clients, but the sort who trawl for clients in this way, when the 'client' has suffered no loss whatsoever are a disgrace and deserve to go down like that guy Phil Shiner from Public Interest Lawyers (whose only interest was his bank account).
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Post by Humph on Jun 13, 2023 9:40:37 GMT
In theory I could jump on that bandwagon. But, I won’t, I knew exactly what I was buying with its upsides and its downs.
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Post by EspadaIII on Jun 13, 2023 11:33:53 GMT
Exactly
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bpg
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Post by bpg on Jun 13, 2023 11:39:29 GMT
Forgot to add, if anyone is successful with a diesel claim, IR will also take their cut before you get anything in addition to what the lawyers take.
Depending on your personal circumstances you may be able to reclaim this money from IR. They will take it upfront, it's then up to you to claim it back.
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WDB
Full Member
Posts: 7,425
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Post by WDB on Jun 13, 2023 12:30:27 GMT
In theory I could jump on that bandwagon. But, I won’t, I knew exactly what I was buying with its upsides and its downs. Yes, but even supposing you didn't, what loss would you have suffered? The only plausible case - which I think is what VW settled out of court at an average of £2100 per claimant - is that mandatory modifications to bring the engine below the legal limit for NO x increased the fuel consumption and cost the users more. www.theguardian.com/business/2022/may/25/volkswagen-settles-uk-dieselgate-claims-with-193m-payoutMB, on the other hand, denies any use of defeat devices or software, so it's hard to see how or why any in-service modifications could have been made, even without users' knowledge. Which makes you wonder how these 300,000 UK MB owners are any more than chancers. www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/mercedez-benz-faces-over-300000-uk-claims-over-diesel-emissions-2023-02-09/Not sure about having to claim back income tax on compensation payments. It is typically due in employment cases, where the amount is often money that an employer should have paid as wages, but not on personal injury compensation, for example. I'd expect compensation in a case like this to be regarded as capital (plus possibly taxable interest) rather than income. Not that there's likely to be any compensation in this one! |
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bpg
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Post by bpg on Jun 13, 2023 12:48:06 GMT
Income tax only applies to those with income below taxable level, maybe ex company car driver on 20% income tax now claiming state pension e.g. care workers or, those who have since left the country with no taxable income in country.
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Rob
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Posts: 2,778
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Post by Rob on Jun 13, 2023 19:37:17 GMT
For PPI I probably had two thing that this was applicable to. The loan I had for a very short time to buy an almost new car for my wife. I could not prove anything because it was Black Horse Finance that changed hands a few times.
Then the other was something Barclays related. They wrote to be, apologised and gave me some money. Not a huge amount but I didn't even approach them. It was what made me think of the other one.
Down the line the biggest problem with a diesel car will be more places will price them of the road via ULEZ type schemes. And in reality better to keep them on the road and not waste resources making new ones to replace.
I found it ironic that yesterday was too hot and sunny for some solar farms so we had to fire up coal fired power stations.
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