www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Have any sole traders on here successfully got their van scrapped under the ULEZ scheme? If so, what the f**k do they actually want to see? I've been trading as a sole trader for 8 years. First application rejected on "proof of sole trader status" because apparently my public liability insurance certificate wasn't good enough.

They explicitly mentioned employer's liability insurance which I didn't have and didn't need, but I paid £158 for some anyway. Applied again, and again was rejected on "proof of sole trader status". No further explanation given. The rejection letter says employer's liability insurance is suitable proof, I sent them my employer's liability certificate, they rejected it. There seems to be no way of contacting them to ask why it is being rejected.

Honestly, I am close to just driving the van up to city hall in London, parking it on the steps outside and just sounding the horn constantly until these b**tards tell me what hoops they'd specifically like me to jump through. At the moment, I'm not convinced it's even possible to successfully scrap a van under the scheme if you're a sole trader.

BTW, my van is a 64 plate Transit Connect in good condition. It definitely doesn' need scrapping, but thanks to Genghis Khan, it's now worth 15/16ths of sod all on the second hand market so I'm attempting to claim my £7000 and get rid.

martin lewis has done an article dont suppose its any help but worth a mention
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/ ... id-charge/

Cheers. I'll have a look at that later, might contain some useful tips. I'm at the end of my tether with it all at the moment. I know one guy who was rejected 5 times and only managed to successfully get it after getting his MP and the local paper involved

martin lewis was talking about ulez scrappage and is trying to get them to simplify the process

big-all wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 8:11 pm martin lewis was talking about ulez scrappage and is trying to get them to simplify the process

It needs sorting out for sure. My main problem with it is that they don't tell you why your application was rejected, so you have to guess. I've applied again, but despite providing copies of all the documents they've asked for I'm in no doubt at all that it will fail again.

A few years ago, it'd have made a passable Monty Python-esque sketch ("I'm sorry your application has been rejected"... "Why?"... "We aren't willing to tell you, but you can apply again if you like"...) but this is just how things seems to work these days.

what is the actual value off your vehicle in other parts off the country ??

big-all wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:38 pm what is the actual value off your vehicle in other parts off the country ??

Before ULEZ it was worth about 8 grand. After ULEZ considerably less than the (theoretical, it would seem...) 7 grand scrappage payout, due to the market being flooded with 64 plate (and earlier) diesel vehicles. WeBuyAnyCar says 5 grand, which is actually higher than I was expecting given that nobody wants to touch them any more.

We Buy any Car is a bit of a con. The price they give is to get you there and then they start finding all the little faults and you end up offered a grand less. I think that it is owned by British Car Auctions and many of the cars end up in the auctions after the cream has been sold off to the trade. It is a way to get a quick sale but not great. I think ULEZ is a disgrace, it has hurt the less fortunate the most.

DWD

I can only go by my own experience with We Buy Any Car. I sold them our Kia Picanto and was very happy with the amount I got. You have to expect that they will reduce the price when they actually view the vehicle. They wouldn't be in business long if they took the word of the seller on the condition, mileage etc. We had £400 knocked off the value because the front bumper had been resprayed and it was a slightly different shade to the rest of the car, whick is white. I had owned the car for three years and hadn't noticed it until they pointed it out to me. I probably would have got more selling it privately but the extra hassle that can involve wasn't worth it.

I was selling an 11 year old Mondeo GhiaX which was in good order. Parted out it would have made good money for the leather trim, all the main panels, and various other bits. We Buy did an initial offer of £500 but then knocked it down to £300 for various little chips that were hardly relevant on an older car. I told the bloke that I could get £300 for scrap and went to leave, he upped the offer to £350. I still left and sold it to a trader I knew for £450. Newer better cars usually get a keener trade price but they do not really want the older stuff. Most cars will have a shade difference on the plastic bumpers, that has always been the case. Selling a car privately is a right minefield these days and We Buy is a way to sell on but not the best.

DWD

Wouldn't it be better to advertise your van in an area that doesn't have ULEZ? I think the only ULEZ around here is Glasgow but I never go there so I'm not affected.

I know it might be a pain in the arse but may save you money.

To be honest I'm looking for a van and may have been interested but obviously no interest in travelling. You might get more from webuyanycar in an area not affected by ULEZ.

I think the ULEZ zones in the UK are:

Birmingham
Bath
Oxford
Bristol
Bradford
Portsmouth
Glasgow

Mate of mine in Fulham, just inside the edge of the new ULEZ, been talking for years about what car he would buy as his last next, his car a very well cared garaged 6cyl, Lexus saloon, low mileage, air con auto and most important for him he could back it into his garage; well he is a bit of a lazy sod and worried about ULEZ, drives once a week to Tesco, once around the block to his older sister to deliver her groceries and occasional to his surgery and 25 mile run down to me.
Eventually he tried a Suzi which dimensional would go in his garage and the newer auto box was not too bad, put the deposit last year for delivery May?June; absolute sh*t updates and he cancelled in the summer and took a 2021 Yaris Hibrid, nicer car and he manages just to get it into the garage, part ex he got £1000 for his Lexus; soon after the Gov announced scrap car scheme; had he known he could have got £2000, or not!
New car, he is p*ssed off with all the bells and whistles, he gets out to open his garage and it is bleeping because he has the key, puts sisters shopping on back seat and it thinks its a passenger without a belt on, bleep ding ding, he wants his Lexus back!
Sorry for you chrrris and all the others trying to make an honest living, and sack the Mayor.

those low emission zones are so annoying like.

few weeks back i was working in north shields. i live in south shields. so a trip through the tyne tunnel. one saturday the tyne tunnel north bound tunnel was closed so both north and south had to go through one tunnel.

traffic was ridiculous so i thought stufff it ill drive up to newcastle and double back.

got near newcastle and realised id be going into the stupid flippin clean air zone so i ended up heading north on the a1 to join the a19 further up and come back down. does ya heed in having to avoid certain places or having to pay the £20 a day charge or whatever it is.

sunderland will probably copy next and have a clean air zone aswell