UK refunds following cancellation

[Mctaff]

Well, now 4 weeks into my refund debacle, and I get a surprise email from virgin money re a credit card statement for an account closed almost a year ago

Yes, you’ve guessed it. Despite me speaking to lotus 3 times to provide increasing levels of detail re the new account to send the money to, they sent it to the old account. Days ago. Before I spoke to them last time and probably before I spoke to them the time before. Did anyone I spoke to know this refund had occurred? Like %^#€ they did.

The level of utter incompetence this company display is frankly setting new standards In inability to perform simple actions.

I’m utterly f%*^# off with these total muppets

 

[Forlorn]

Well, now 4 weeks into my refund debacle, and I get a surprise email from virgin money re a credit card statement for an account closed almost a year ago

Yes, you’ve guessed it. Despite me speaking to lotus 3 times to provide increasing levels of detail re the new account to send the money to, they sent it to the old account. Days ago. Before I spoke to them last time and probably before I spoke to them the time before. Did anyone I spoke to know this refund had occurred? Like %^#€ they did.

The level of utter incompetence this company display is frankly setting new standards In inability to perform simple actions.

I’m utterly f%*^# off with these total muppets

Received my refund around 10 days after email cancelling. Refund was in two parts the first £2k and the second £3k. All done now and my Lotus journey of 50 years is now over.

 

[LotusAmateur]

Just checked and cannot see the refund in my credit card. Been 18 business days and the card is still the same as when I deposited - so should not be complicated. Email to CS - let's see what they say. Hopefully resolved soon

 

[Beady]

Sent my cancellation email this morning and received a confirmation reply at 8pm tonight.
Didn’t ask why or if there was anything they could do to change my mind etc - what sort of business can let customers walk away like this without even asking why.

 

[Weyland]

It took 7 days to get a reply to my cancellation request! Chased the payment this morning and it was sent this afternoon

 

[JohnHoward]

Sent my cancellation email this morning and received a confirmation reply at 8pm tonight.
Didn’t ask why or if there was anything they could do to change my mind etc - what sort of business can let customers walk away like this without even asking why.

They are blinded by the size of their order book, they are simply unable to see anything beyond. Key components of business such as strategy and customer service are missing. These failings lie at the door of the senior management team. They may be very good individually within their own specialisations, but there seems to be no coherent leadership pulling everything together.

 

[Forlorn]

They are blinded by the size of their order book, they are simply unable to see anything beyond. Key components of business such as strategy and customer service are missing. These failings lie at the door of the senior management team. They may be very good individually within their own specialisations, but there seems to be no coherent leadership pulling everything together.

I am at a loss to understand their business logic. They have not looked after “in their words LEGACY” customers” at all. Yet, happy to oblige others who have simply flipped for a so called profit. Yet, in my eyes these people are not Lotus devotees, who have supported the brand for years.
In my case if Lotus and LCS had provided a car earlier I would not have cancelled. But no they are happy to provide cars to China, Australia, Europe and the Middle East - but not to a paltry 16 off Pre-reveal customers in a timely manner. So they have lost me and many more as customers.

 

[Porter]

In my case if Lotus and LCS had provided a car earlier I would not have cancelled. But no they are happy to provide cars to China, Australia, Europe and the Middle East - but not to a paltry 16 off Pre-reveal customers in a timely manner. So they have lost me and many more as customers.

I think I missed this whole story. You're saying that you were one of ~16 pre-reveal depositors from the UK who placed very early orders for a V6 FE, and you've not received your car yet? And therefore chose to cancel?

I think that's a perfectly reasonable complaint, I'm just trying to understand the facts.

 

[Bigred911s1]

It took 7 days to get a reply to my cancellation request! Chased the payment this morning and it was sent this afternoon

Did you email them or call them demanding the refund?

 

[Weyland]

Did you email them or call them demanding the refund?

I called them direct to chase

 

[Forlorn]

I think I missed this whole story. You're saying that you were one of ~16 pre-reveal depositors from the UK who placed very early orders for a V6 FE, and you've not received your car yet? And therefore chose to cancel?

I think that's a perfectly reasonable complaint, I'm just trying to understand the facts.

That’s about it, in dealers list prior to reveal, when online booking opened up, left behind by inadequacy of Lotus and their dealers to get a early slot. Pre-reveal customers had no method to influence order. Tom E tried to help, but no resolve.
Then the debacle here in the UK on test drives as Lotus promised test drives in a timely manner to chose Tour/Sport set up.
Then insistence to lock build in by LCS in December 2022 - resulting in LCS unilaterally placing my order into the melting pot of 2023. Resulting in delay after delay with a May build/June delivery. Over 2 + year wait when I was on a main dealer list.
Even after reaching out to Lotus - via contact - no response & Tom E couldn’t do any better, the management had made their mind up - no chance to assist. So the company has changed. The dealers (agents) have no sway like in the past. Whether they are bothered is another matter as sales people change like the wind. Lotus senior personnel are not interested, so this friendly company doesn’t exist - it’s just a corporate blob. And as far as LCS are concerned - they have not given reliably or truthful information for the duration of this sad period. What an experience never to be repeated. So many others are in the same boat as I, others will complete I am sure - but for me this has left an extremely bad taste in the mouth, not to be repeated.
But I am not sure whether I have dodged a silver bullet - yes there are teething troubles like all cars have. But, there are some fundamental issues on build such as Door seals that my Evora had and never resolved. The agricultural noisy gearbox in low gears after 14 years has not been resolved. The software glitches are a new issue - that even my Volvo has smacks of poor development - but the move to iPad mounted screen looks so naff and in my opinion doesn’t warrant being considered an integrated design solution - it looks so after thought.

So rant over from a disgruntled Pre - Reveal customer - I am sure this will get many comments. But, it could have been and should have been so different - this new look Lotus isn’t for me. I am from an age when customers should be looked after and I don’t think we have been. Certainly not in the UK.

 

[Apple tree drives]

Hey - just wondering how long it would take to get my 5K deposit back - I'm in the UK.

 

[Forlorn]

Hey - just wondering how long it would take to get my 5K deposit back - I'm in the UK.

They state 14 working days, mine was returned a couple of days earlier than this.

 

[Bigred911s1]

They state 14 working days, mine was returned a couple of days earlier than this.

Interesting you got your deposit back. I was told by US CS guy today the dealer holds the customers deposit and it’s up to the dealer to return it. I questioned that because the dealer said the $2,500 deposit was sent to Lotus. Bottom line is Lotus CS cant even give the customer the right information regarding the refund of the deposit. Big red flag for me.

 

[JimH]

Interesting you got your deposit back. I was told by US CS guy today the dealer holds the customers deposit and it’s up to the dealer to return it. I questioned that because the dealer said the $2,500 deposit was sent to Lotus. Bottom line is Lotus CS cant even give the customer the right information regarding the refund of the deposit. Big red flag for me.

UK (direct sales from Lotus model) and US (dealer and Lotus Cars USA model) are not the same process......

 

[LotusAmateur]

Been 22 working days now since I requested my deposit back. Emailed them 4 days ago - no update. Chasing now. Either they are flooded by cancellations or are hanging onto my £5k for as long as they can. Surely with their bulging order books, they dont need my chump change. Even getting out is stressful

 

[Philip Glazebrook]

Good luck getting your deposit back. It seems likely that a group of us will need to appoint lawyers after New Year, I'm getting knowhere with CC. I'm hoping direct contact with Matt Windle will help.

I cancelled my order following the test drive. Personally I felt it fell well short dynamically and ergonomically. That was on the 14th January. Despite chasing, chasing, chasing I still haven’t received the refund of my £2000 deposit. Outrageous. I now feel forced to take the legal route. If this is the new Lotus then there’s no hope.

 

[Boombang]

I cancelled my order following the test drive. Personally I felt it fell well short dynamically and ergonomically. That was on the 14th January. Despite chasing, chasing, chasing I still haven’t received the refund of my £2000 deposit. Outrageous. I now feel forced to take the legal route. If this is the new Lotus then there’s no hope.

Try this format for complaint, noting Lotus Cars are FCA regulated... Adjust dates and back history. They have 8 weeks to respond, after then or once they have issued a final response you can raise it to the Financial Obudsman for no cost to you.

This got me a refund the same day, no response though.


My complaint:

Please consider this a formal complaint at the delays in providing a refund of what is referred to by various names by Lotus Cars: reservation fee; configuration fee; or deposit.

The length of time taken to refund the £2000 I paid in good faith on a refundable basis is unacceptable based on the T&Cs at the time of payment – at time of writing it has been XX days as opposed to the expected 14 days.

Lotus have had the money for an extended period, we are past the expected delivery date, and withholding the funds at this time is both unfair and unethical.


What I would like to happen:

An immediate refund of the £2000.

If further delay a suitable compensation payment.


Background:

I placed a refundable payment of £2000 against a Lotus Emira on XXth July 2021 based around an autumn 21 configuration and expected early 2022 delivery.

I requested a refund on XXth December and expected a refund within 14 days of such a request, as per the T&C's provided at time of payment.

**Insert how and when you have communicated previously**

 

[Mctaff]

Finally got my refund transferred into an account that still exists yesterday!

it was very easy to get my money back from virgin, even though the account had been closed for a yrsr

So about 4 weeks all up.

Would have been a lot quicker if anyone in lotus BS actually knew that the money had been paid into my old account, as it had been sat there for 2 weeks!

 

[Emira]

Been 22 working days now since I requested my deposit back. Emailed them 4 days ago - no update. Chasing now. Either they are flooded by cancellations or are hanging onto my £5k for as long as they can. Surely with their bulging order books, they dont need my chump change. Even getting out is stressful

Did you get anywhere with this? Have you just been calling/chasing the normal CS staff? I'm 18 working days in and still no refund. Chased today and just get the usual fobbing off "we need to pass this to our finance team". Unreal.