In March, I had a very minor accident in the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace that I lease from a company called Tusker via a salary sacrifice deal. The scheme includes the car’s insurance.
The problem is that after the crash, which was my fault, the car was taken away and, five months on, I still haven’t received it back. I have been given a petrol Ford Fiesta, which I am having to pay to refuel, plus the Jaguar’s leasing payments.
I would have expected to be without the car for a short period but this is really dragging on. No one seems to be able to tell me when my car will be returned. The fact that I don’t have a direct relationship with the insurer, and instead must go through Tusker, is not helping matters.
Is it reasonable to be charged for the lease payments while my car is off the road? Can you help?
JM, by email
I wonder how many cars – electric or otherwise – are now off the road awaiting parts? I suspect a surprising number.
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As my colleague Anna Tims has reported, motorists are often waiting months to get their cars back on the road after minor shunts because of global parts shortages. And the problem appears to be getting worse rather than better. If you have an electric car in particular, I’d be driving it very carefully, as dealers often struggle to fix them.
I contacted Tusker about your case and, in fairness, your experience immediately improved. You were given a significantly better courtesy car, and this week your repaired car was finally returned to you.
Tusker said that the supply of the needed parts wasn’t something it was able to influence but that it was happy to have resolved your case.
You are just mightily relieved to no longer be having to pay for petrol again – something that anyone with a petrol or diesel car can sympathise with.
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