Using your own car

SpongeBobPants · Post by **SpongeBobPants** » 08 Nov 2016, 13:12

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.

Why should I though? I mean if people choose to, then that's up to them but I don't want further costs to help the RM out. They're after all a business.

SpongeBobPants · Post by **SpongeBobPants** » 08 Nov 2016, 13:13

Thanks again for all the replies. I do feel like I'll be able to stand up for myself a bit more now. Hoping to see the rep too so they're clued up on what is happening.

rubberbond · Post by **rubberbond** » 08 Nov 2016, 17:12

TrueBlueTerrier wrote:
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

Easy to park though...on top of everyone else's car. No damage to your tank,park it in the yard,good turning circle,what's not to like?

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 08 Nov 2016, 17:40

Good point

k979aaa · Post by **k979aaa** » 09 Nov 2016, 17:47

SpongeBobPants wrote:Thanks again for all the replies. I do feel like I'll be able to stand up for myself a bit more now. Hoping to see the rep too so they're clued up on what is happening.

The reason being that you should only use your car to your regular workplace is insurance but if you did fall for their trap what is to stop them making you commute unpaid 50 or 100 miles and don't think they would not start doing that.

wannabeek · Post by **wannabeek** » 09 Nov 2016, 19:18

That's not how it works in my experience. I use my own vehicle (properly insured, extra cost is less than £13 per annum for me) and I'm paid for driving time from and back to base office as well as the 45p per mile allowance.

I have had occasions when I've been paid more to drive to and back from an office than for the time I was paid to work there!

SpongeBobPants · Post by **SpongeBobPants** » 10 Nov 2016, 10:59

Nigel1505 · Post by **Nigel1505** » 10 Nov 2016, 16:01

"Using your own car" the answer is...................you don't, only to get you to your office. The rest is up to RM.

fishtank · Post by **fishtank** » 10 Nov 2016, 16:32

Why would anyone use their own car?
There's plenty of those little red van things to go around, next time ask for the keys to your manager's car.

wannabeek · Post by **wannabeek** » 10 Nov 2016, 17:29

I use my own car because the 45p per mile payment is approximately double what it actually costs me and I also get paid to sit in my own car - which is much nicer than the filthy vans!

Nobody should be forced to do it tho, that's bang out of order.

SpongeBobPants · Post by **SpongeBobPants** » 16 Nov 2016, 12:13

Newbie001 · Post by **Newbie001** » 16 Nov 2016, 16:39

Think CWU really need to be clear about this. RM rule seems to state driving to any office is ok for insurance. But my last insurance clearly stated 'normal' place of work otherwise you pay extra premium.
Your manager is being an ass and your best defence in this instance would have been the 1hr notice. But definitely would cease taking any calls from them in the morning, wait till u get to work then this argument becomes null and void. Speak to rep about managers behaviour on phone and in general. May have cause for grievance.

Post by **fb1969** » 16 Nov 2016, 17:05

I went through similar in a previous job and queried things with my insurer at the time. Their reply was along the lines of "Commuting on an insurance policy usually means to and from a fixed place of employment". The important word being "fixed", so going to different offices would not be covered.

The exact wording probably varies from insurer to insurer so you should check your policy documents before doing anything - and if a DOM says something is correct you can be pretty certain they are wrong! And if it all goes tits up, it won't be them that pays the price it will be you - possibly with a cancelled insurance policy and a lifetime of having to disclose that every time you try to get a quote.

SpongeBobPants · Post by **SpongeBobPants** » 16 Nov 2016, 19:18

Thank you for your replies. I've checked with my insurance company and I absolutely wouldn't be covered even going straight there.

I'm just fed up of it all tbh. The fact is that if I chose to not use my car to go there then that is my choice to make.

magicw · Post by **magicw** » 16 Nov 2016, 19:25

SpongeBobPants wrote:Thank you for your replies. I've checked with my insurance company and I absolutely wouldn't be covered even going straight there.

I'm just fed up of it all tbh. The fact is that if I chose to not use my car to go there then that is my choice to make.

Are you a Travelling reserve????? You don't have to use your own vehicle to get to any work place. They should provide transport from your home office at your start time to the office they wish to send you to and they should provide transport back to your home office for your finish time.

If your manager continues in this vain then put in a grievance for bullying and harassment, as that is what this is.

If they do all this you have no argument. If they cant or wont then you don't go. You could always tell them you cycle to Work. Not that you require any explanation.