Using your own car

SpongeBobPants · Post by **SpongeBobPants** » 07 Nov 2016, 10:07

Last week I was sent to another office being relatively new (and for the first few times) I didn't know that I needed different car insurance for it. My husband and brothers told me this so when they tried to send me out to the other office three days later, using my car, I refused. Said i wanted to be dropped or a van to get me there. Cover managers tried to refuse. Said my commuting insurance was fine etc. I called in the rep and she said that I was right and eventually I got given a van.

Went in to the office today, manager talked to me about it and has said I must use my own car in future that they don't have to provide me anything, and so on. Rep was not available to talked to me. Not really sure the point of this other than sharing my stress and hopefully getting some confirmation that i am right. Considering taking public transport to work so they can't place pressure on me but then I'll have to leave earlier and get home later.

mancpat · Post by **mancpat** » 07 Nov 2016, 10:18

Read your insurance documents. They should say you are insured to commute to your REGULAR pace of work. Which is your DO not where they choose to send you.

Ignore what your manager says. They are trying to put pressure on you. Look after your own insurance. Stick to your guns and use that document if you really want to but don't be pressured. You will find that soon enough you will be kept at your normal office because they won't want the hassle of sending you elsewhere and finding a van for you.

Also don't forget your finish time is at your own office. So you need to give yourself enough time to get back.

One guy in our office loves travelling about and claims loads of overtime. Another guy doesn't want to go so he starts on his time. Gets a van to drive there, he's only on 25 hours a week too. So when he gets there he tells them he needs to be gone by a certain time to get back for his finish time. He rarely gets sent to other offices now because of this.

He'll happily go over his time at our office but won't be messed about being sent to other offices.

NewPostieUK · Post by **NewPostieUK** » 07 Nov 2016, 12:08

Forget about insurance. You don't need excuses, just say no. You don't want to use your car, it's as simple as that. Don't bother talking about cost, miles, wear and tear, etc etc you don't need any excuse, it's just your choice. Don't be bullied.

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 07 Nov 2016, 12:59

Your manager is either a downright no good dirty liar, or possess a rankness of stupidity that defies logic.

1. If you only have Social, Domestic and Pleasure - YOU ARE NOT insured for driving to another place of work.
2. If they ask you to drive there, you can refuse, but if you don't you can claim mileage during your working hours.
3. Its up to them to get you there during your working hours, and back. This can be by Van or Public transport, but the should reimburse bus fare.
4. If they won't provide a van, plan your bus/train journey back for YOU to arrive at your own Office at your normal finishing time. This may mean you only do a small amount of delivery but its all in line with the agreement.

The agreement that applies in the Pay and Modernisation Agreement - The Flexibility section. http://www.cwu.org/assets/cwu/legacy-as ... ment20.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Page 6

Working in nearby offices – Areas will identify and agree with the CWU locally a approach (which could include the use of volunteers and reserves) to working in nearby offices within employees’ contracted hours which will include travel times and appropriate travel and subsistence arrangements.

Creditshampoo · Post by **Creditshampoo** » 07 Nov 2016, 13:30

It's your car not royal mails.
It's our wear and tear, mileage, tyres etc tell them to sod right off

SpongeBobPants · Post by **SpongeBobPants** » 07 Nov 2016, 18:02

Thanks for all your replies. It does help. They make you doubt yourself sometimes.

DB1100 · Post by **DB1100** » 07 Nov 2016, 18:33

SpongeBobPants wrote:Thanks for all your replies. It does help. They make you doubt yourself sometimes.

Yes,they are very good at that,and drinking coffee,but everything else they fail at dismally.

Jpro747 · Post by **Jpro747** » 07 Nov 2016, 20:55

This is bullying!!! Remember, you have the right to be accompanied by someone else during a meeting with a manager, ideally a rep. I would strongly recommend not going in alone as they will bully/harrass you.

ThatsNotPlumb · Post by **ThatsNotPlumb** » 07 Nov 2016, 21:41

If the rep originally said you were right, then any future discussion with a manager regarding the matter should be short & sweet. Either you get provided with a van for traveling between DO's or you take public transport & are reimbursed for the cost of buses/trains.

Your husband & brothers are correct, unless you've some sort of unusual insurance agreement if you have an accident when driving between the DO's your insurance company won't cover you unless you yourself tell a lie as to what you were doing & where you were going at the time of the crash because you are technically working & I gather your vehicle isn't insured for work.

Your manager sounds like a right ignorant tool. Don't let them pressure you into using your vehicle, you don't have to use your vehicle for anything work related, don't even offer to bring in insurance documents or anything like that to try & justify yourself, you are right, rep says your right, manager knows your right & is trying to pull a fast one probably to save themselves a van.

Post by **woopesh** » 07 Nov 2016, 21:59

If you do you use your own car, you can get paid mileage. I had to change my car insurance to business insurance to allow commuting to multiple places of work. It cost £30 extra a year. Look into getting yours changed.

goneaway · Post by **goneaway** » 07 Nov 2016, 22:54

woopesh wrote:If you do you use your own car, you can get paid mileage. I had to change my car insurance to business insurance to allow commuting to multiple places of work. It cost £30 extra a year. Look into getting yours changed.

I also have business use on my existing car insurance from my previous occupation, but it is up for renewal shortly. As I quite often have to travel to other delivery offices in my own car, can I make a claim on Royal Mail to reimburse me the additional premium paid for business use, on top of my mileage claims?

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 08 Nov 2016, 05:00

goneaway wrote:
woopesh wrote:If you do you use your own car, you can get paid mileage. I had to change my car insurance to business insurance to allow commuting to multiple places of work. It cost £30 extra a year. Look into getting yours changed.
I also have business use on my existing car insurance from my previous occupation, but it is up for renewal shortly. As I quite often have to travel to other delivery offices in my own car, can I make a claim on Royal Mail to reimburse me the additional premium paid for business use, on top of my mileage claims?

Fraid not, the mileage allowance covers fuel, wear and tear and running costs, which insurance will come under. After all at 45p a mile (IIRC), if that only covers your fuel cost then perhaps a tank isn't the best commuting vehicle

Surreypostie · Post by **Surreypostie** » 08 Nov 2016, 07:47

TrueBlueTerrier wrote:Your manager is either a downright no good dirty liar, or possess a rankness of stupidity that defies logic.

1. If you only have Social, Domestic and Pleasure - YOU ARE NOT insured for driving to another place of work.
2. If they ask you to drive there, you can refuse, but if you don't you can claim mileage during your working hours.
3. Its up to them to get you there during your working hours, and back. This can be by Van or Public transport, but the should reimburse bus fare.
4. If they won't provide a van, plan your bus/train journey back for YOU to arrive at your own Office at your normal finishing time. This may mean you only do a small amount of delivery but its all in line with the agreement.

The agreement that applies in the Pay and Modernisation Agreement - The Flexibility section. http://www.cwu.org/assets/cwu/legacy-as ... ment20.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Page 6

Working in nearby offices – Areas will identify and agree with the CWU locally a approach (which could include the use of volunteers and reserves) to working in nearby offices within employees’ contracted hours which will include travel times and appropriate travel and subsistence arrangements.

If you only have social, domestic and pleasure you can't even drive to work, I know this as it is all I have, my car stays at home, I am not covered to drive to work.

Post by **woopesh** » 08 Nov 2016, 07:54

How is the mileage calculated? Is it done on the assumption you drive to your normal office then can claim the mileage from your home office to wherever you are shipped out to?

pilchard · Post by **pilchard** » 08 Nov 2016, 12:18

OUTDOOR DEPARTMENT E BULLETIN - October 2016 - ISSUE NO 44

Outdoor department This month’s frequently asked questions?

Q am I insured to travel between offices in my private car? Or to start at a different office than my normal home office?
A This will depend on your own vehicle insurance which is normally Private and Domestic Use only which allows you to drive to work, regardless of where that office is but not whilst at work unless your insurance specifically states this.