How do I deal with unjustified refurbishment charges on a returned lease car?

I left my leased car with a Volkswagen main dealer for an MoT and cosmetic work on the alloys a few days before the end of its contract. They agreed to hand it over to an inspector/collector from Volkswagen Finance as I had collected a new replacement vehicle from them. Although the car was inspected and verified in good condition by the dealership before handover, Volkswagen Finance are chasing me for £495 worth of 'refurbishment charges' that include a cracked windscreen, damage to alloys (that were fully refurbished by Volkswagen a few days before) and damaged paintwork. The dealership deny they caused these issues but agree there were no issues with the car. Volkswagen Finance are uninterested and simply say the car was my responsibility until collection. This may be contractually correct but how can I be held responsible for alleged damage (if present at all) that occurred while the vehicle was in the care of a Volkswagen main dealer? Any thoughts as to how I can resolve this?

Asked on 29 March 2017 by john bridges

Answered by Honest John
If they can automatically deduct the money from your account, take the matter to Small Claims: www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money/overview/
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