Car dealership sold our Peugeot without my knowledge & refused to pay me for a YEAR – I have backup to get £5k I’m owed
A WOMAN accused a Peugeot dealership of selling her late dad's car without her knowledge and claims they have refused to pay her what she is owed.
Siobhan Ilsley, 34, was left devastated when her dad Gary passed away in August last year at the age of 61.
He had been in the process of selling his car when he died and had handed his Peugeot 2008 to car dealer MotorservUK in Solihull, West Mids.
Following Gary's funeral in September, Siobhan was left with the task of sorting through her father's estate.
And she was left shocked to discover from the DVLA the car had been flogged on April 3 last year for £5,745 - before her father had died.
Siobhan, of Hadley, Telford, Shrops, has now spent the last 12 months battling the dealership for the money they owe after they failed to pay up.
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She said: "I remember my dad taking it to MotorservUK.
"They were advertised as like a You Buy Any Car-type company only you gave them the car and they would sell it for you and pass on the money to you minus a fee.
"But they sold it in April. I found a receipt in my dad's things that confirmed they had made £5,745 and the money was meant to be sent to dad, but it never did.
"So I contacted them last year to find out where the money was."
Siobhan said what followed was 12 months of emails and promises from the firm - but no money was ever sent.
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She added: "It has been a double blow. First losing my dad and now losing his car.
"All I want is the money they made from selling it but I keep getting fobbed off.
"I've tried legal action but they said if I go down that route I won't get anything and they keep promising the money is coming but it has now been more than a year.
"I've joined a Facebook group of more than a dozen others who are in a similar situation.
"We just want what they owe us."
Kamran Saleem, managing director for MotorservUK, apologised to Siobhan and said the firm were "committed" to paying her and others.
He blamed economic conditions in the motor trade for failing to pay the money owed.
Mr Saleem said: "At MotorservUK, we deeply sympathise with Miss Siobhan Ilsley for the unfortunate situation she has experienced following the sale of her late father's car.
"We understand the distress this has caused and are whole-heartedly committed to resolving this matter as quickly and fairly as possible.
"Our business was established in 2006 as a family-owned business, with a strong commitment and dedication to supporting our customers and the wider community - this has always been our top priority.
"Regrettably, the motor trade industry has faced significant challenges since early 2023, including rising interest rates and a general economic slowdown.
"These factors led to a substantial decrease in our sales and created severe financial difficulties for our business.
"Despite these challenges, we took early professional advice and implemented strategic measures to mitigate the impact on our customers and employees.
"This included closing our sales department and focusing on raising funds to clear outstanding costs and obligations.
"Unfortunately, the financial arrangements we depended upon were curtailed at the last minute, complicating our efforts to settle all debts promptly.
"Despite this setback, we have been working tirelessly to secure alternative funding and are in the process of selling personal and family properties to ensure that all creditors, including Miss Ilsley, are paid in full.
"We apologise to Miss Ilsley for the delay in payment and any financial hardship she has endured.
"We assure her and all our customers that every effort is being made to honor our commitments.
"As a testament to our responsibility, we are in continuous communication with trading standards and legal advisors to navigate this situation correctly and ethically.
"We have historically operated with transparency and have successfully completed hundreds of transactions without issues.
"The current economic climate has unfortunately affected many in our industry, and we are not immune to these broader market conditions.
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"We hope that Miss Ilsley and others affected by this situation will understand the broader context and our commitment to resolving it.
"We are a family-owned business striving to recover and continue serving our community, and we remain dedicated to fulfilling our obligations and restoring trust with our valued customers."