Finance for
Greener Motoring

An essential benefit of buying a car through a car retailer is that consumers automatically benefit from supportive legislation if they experience difficulty with their purchase, especially if problems arise in the first six months after the purchase.

While legislation can help, car buyers must recognise that they have responsibilities to maintain their cars correctly and that legislation does not cover all eventualities.

Below, we summarise key areas of legislation and an overview of some areas of responsibility that rest with car owners.

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The Consumer Rights Act 2015

Under the Consumer Rights Act, when buying anew or used vehicle from a car retailer or possibly a regulated broker, customers have the right to know that the vehicle is of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. When considering satisfactory quality, a car must not be faulty or broken when purchased, and it must be of a standard that a reasonable person would expect, considering its age and mileage. Older used cars with more miles on the clock are not expected to be as good as newer ones with lower mileage.

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Consumer rights in brief;

• Within the first 30 days, if a car doesn’t meet the required standards, develops a serious fault, or isn’t supplied as advertised, consumers can raise their concerns with the supplying retailer and ask for their money back or have their finance agreement unwound.
• After the first 30 days and up to the first six months following a car purchase, it’s up to the selling retailer to prove that it was of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described when it was sold. During this period, the customer must allow the retailer an opportunity to repair or replace the car.
• After six months or more, the customer must prove that the car was not of satisfactory quality, unfit for purpose or not as described when purchased.

The Motor Ombudsman is a source of helpful information on the subject, which can be accessed here.

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The Consumer Credit Act 1974

Under the Consumer Credit Act1974, consumers with a Hire Purchase agreement for their car can benefit from additional support from their lender if, after purchase, their car falls short in terms of satisfactory quality, given its age and mileage at the time of purchase.

If the quality threshold is not met, and subject to the customer ensuring that they have serviced and maintained the car correctly and not used it inappropriately, as detailed in the agreement’s terms and conditions, for example, racing it or using it as a taxi/hire car, then the lender is obliged to make sure that the car is made good or offer to unwind the original agreement.

This benefit is unavailable to people buying a car through a personal loan or cash.

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Important Information for Customers

Consumers need to be aware that while the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Credit Act provide a level of support and reassurance for consumers purchasing a car from a retailer or potentially a broker, they have a role to play in gaining the benefits from them and also understand that there are limitations under the protection, for example;

• Protection does not extend to a change of heart after making a purchase;
• A car’s age, condition and mileage at the point of purchase have a bearing on ‘satisfactory quality’; for used cars, every vehicle will have a level of wear and tear;
• Customers must ensure that the car is serviced and maintained to manufacturer standards;
• Undertaking regular checks on essential maintenance requirements such as oil and coolant levels is always recommended;
• Wear and tear and incidents such as tyre punctures/pothole damage are not covered;
• Never ignore warning lights displayed by a car or a loss of power if a car goes into ‘Limp Mode ’, which is designed to protect the car from possible damage while enabling it to limp to a place of repair or a safe stopping point. If possible, check the oil and coolant levels and any apparent signs of wiring damage or leaking fluids under the car if it is safe to do so, or seek qualified mechanical support as soon as possible. A car that has gone into limp mode should not be driven excessively until the source of the problem is identified and resolved.
• Customers should always seek authority from the supplying retailer or lender before paying a third-party garage for repairs if they hope to have such costs refunded.

We hope that this helps.

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Petrol cars must meet Euro 4 emissions standards to be ULEZ compliant. Most, if not all, petrol cars registered since January 2006 meet these standards.

Petrol cars that meet Euro 5 and Euro 6 standards are also exempt from paying charges.

Diesel cars must meet Euro 6 standards to be ULEZ compliant. Almost every diesel car registered since September 2015 meets these standards, though some earlier models do too (you can find some ULEZ compliant diesel cars going back to 2012).

Hybrid cars must meet the same standard as petrol or diesel cars, to be ULEZ compliant. So, petrol hybrids (the most common type) must meet Euro 4 standards, and diesel hybrids must meet Euro 6 standards.

All electric cars are ULEZ compliant, as they produce zero tailpipe emissions.

To improve air quality in highly polluted urban areas, some local authorities are introducing clean air zones (CAZ), also known as low emission zones (LEZ), to the UK.

If your car exceeds the emissions standards set for the zone, you may have to pay a charge to enter. London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is an existing example of how this might work. ULEZ currently has the strictest emissions standards, so if a car is ULEZ compliant, it should be compliant for clean air zones elsewhere.

You can find CO2 emissions and tax bands for new and used cars registered after March 1st 2001, by entering their details on the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) website or by contacting the manufacturer.

Typically, the lowest emission cars are Battery Electric Vehicles, followed by hybrid vehicles and then Euro 6 petrol/diesel cars, which improved on the Euro1 – 5 rated cars that preceded them.

If you are facing financial difficulties, your vehicle is not at risk – just contact us and we will work with you to find a way forward.

No, we are unable to consider joint applications.

Yes, just contact our customer support team.

We offer finance exclusively through approved motor dealers and specialist brokers only. We cannot help finance vehicles purchased privately or directly from an auction.

Yes, we offer fixed interest rates only, so you’ll know exactly what interest is owed on your loan.

Yes, just contact us and we will provide an early settlement figure.

Any UK resident aged 18 or over can apply for finance for cars that are up to 12 years old. You can apply through any of our approved motor dealers or specialist brokers. If your chosen dealer is not approved by Tandem, we may be able to add them to our growing portfolio of suppliers; ask them to contact us!

Car financing involves obtaining a loan from a lender to purchase a vehicle, which is then repaid over time with added interest and fees. You have the option to finance the entire car's cost or make a down payment and finance the remaining amount. Throughout the loan term, you'll make monthly payments to the lender until the debt is fully settled. During this period, the lender retains ownership of the car's title as collateral, and in the event of loan default, they have the right to repossess the vehicle.