Your guide to voluntary termination
Please read this guide so you understand the voluntary termination (VT) process.
Voluntary Termination only applies to agreements regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974. It's a legal right under sections 99 and 100 of the Act.
You can VT at any point before your agreement has ended and you return the vehicle to us. The amount you've already paid on your agreement will decide whether you have anything left to pay.
Before booking your vehicle collection
There are a few things you'll need to think about, and do, before booking your vehicle collection.
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If you have a personalised vehicle registration (also called a private or cherished plate), you’ll need to apply to the DVLA to have it removed from the vehicle before you give it back.
If you don't do this, we'll sell the vehicle with it, and you can’t use it anymore. Go to personalised number plates on Gov.uk for more information.
The DVLA will send you a new V5 registration document (also known as a logbook) in 4 to 6 weeks. You can send the VT form back to us, but we can’t collect your vehicle until you have a new logbook.
They’ll usually confirm that the vehicle registration will go back to the old one. Please put the old plates back on the vehicle before it’s collected.
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In your logbook, there's a section called 'Selling, transferring, or part-exchanging this vehicle to a motor trader'. This is section 4 in logbooks issued after April 2019, or section 9 in logbooks issued before then.
Please fill out this section and send it to the DVLA. In the motor trader section, use these details:
Black Horse Ltd
Ettrick House
37 South Gyle Crescent
Edinburgh Park
EH12 9EBYou won't need to include a Black Horse Ltd signature or VAT number.
You can also tell the DVLA that you’re giving back your vehicle online.
- Go to DVLA’s website
- Select 'Sold or bought a vehicle' from the menu
- When asked "What have you done with your vehicle?", please select "sold it"
- Then for "Did you sell the vehicle privately, or to a motor trader?", select "Sold it to a motor trader"
- Complete this using our motor trader details
If you've lost your logbook, you'll need a duplicate before you give the vehicle back. Apply to the DVLA for a duplicate logbook online or call the DVLA Helpline on 0300 790 6801.
It takes up to 5 working days to arrive.
About your vehicle collection
Once we've received your completed and signed VT form, we'll ask British Car Auctions Logistics (BCA) or one of our other agents, to call or send you a text to arrange collection of your vehicle.
Our agents collect vehicles between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
It can take up to 10 working days from when we get your completed voluntary termination instruction form to arrange collection.
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Yes, your vehicle needs to be roadworthy so it can be driven away.
A vehicle may not be roadworthy if:
- you have any warning lights showing on your dashboard
- your tyres don't have legal tread depth
- your windscreen is cracked.
The legal limit for minimum depth of the tread on your tyres is 1.6 millimetres, across the central three quarters of the tread around the whole tyre. It must also have a valid MOT certificate.
If you have any concerns about your vehicle's MOT or roadworthiness after you’ve sent back your VT form, please call us on 0800 151 2454.
If it's not roadworthy, we’ll need to arrange a special collection. It will cost you £250.
Getting your vehicle ready for collection
Follow this simple checklist to get everything ready for when our agent collects the vehicle.
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When our agent collects your vehicle, they’ll inspect its condition and check the mileage. We won't charge you for minor wear and tear, but we may charge you for damage like scratches or dents, and for missing items like spare keys.
You can choose to get any repairs done to a professional standard before you hand back the vehicle, but you don't have to. Find out about the difference between fair wear and tear and damage in the good condition guide (PDF, 2.8MB)
You're responsible for the condition of the vehicle until it's collected. We recommend you're there when our agent inspects and collects the vehicle, so they can talk through the inspection with you.
After your vehicle's collected, we'll write to you to let you know about any charges for excess mileage, damage, or missing items. This can take up to a month.
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We'll need you to leave:
- The logbook (also known as a V5)
- The current MOT certificate
- Any operation manuals
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If your vehicle doesn't record your service history digitally in your information and entertainment system panel, please make sure you leave a paper copy of your service history.
We'll charge you up to £260 if a paper or digital copy of the service history is missing or incomplete when your vehicle's collected.
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Please leave:
- All keys - including spare vehicle keys and locking wheel nut keys
- Navigation discs or SD cards
- Information and entertainment systems
- Battery charging leads
- Parcel shelf, if your vehicle came with one
We charge the same as the manufacturer would for any missing items.
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Please take all your belongings out of the vehicle before it's collected, including:
- phone kits
- portable navigation systems
- trackers
- parking permits
- CDs
- personal memory cards or drives
You'll also need to delete any personal data. This includes:
- home or destination details from built-in navigation systems
- telephone contact lists
- call histories
- uploaded music or images
We can’t return any items to you once we collect your vehicle.
After the vehicle collection
We’ll sell your vehicle at auction. This can take a few weeks.
Our agents manage the vehicle sale. We can't make it any quicker.
Once it’s sold, and you've paid any money you owe, we'll write to you to confirm your agreement has ended. Market conditions and the condition of the vehicle will decide how much it sells for.
Where we can, we'll use the amount it sells for to offset any money owed. If the sale amount is more than you owe us, we'll send you a cheque for that amount.
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We'll let credit reference agencies know when you've ended your agreement with us so they can update your credit file. You can check your credit file for free at Experian.
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We may share information with the credit reference agencies and register a default with them if the balance isn't paid in full, even if you do set up a plan to repay it. It could affect your credit score. A default will stay on your credit file for six years. This could mean it’s more difficult or more expensive for you to borrow.
Your agreement with us will still show on your credit file until you pay the balance. If you can pay back the amount owed over time, we'll update this as a satisfied default.
This will still affect your credit score, but it may help your score recover more quickly with some credit reference agencies.
If we don't hear from you and we haven't received payment, we may pass your agreement to a third party. They’ll manage the debt and contact you about paying it back. We'll write to you and let you know if we do this.
Voluntary termination FAQs
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Call us on 0344 824 8888 to request a voluntary termination.
After the call, we’ll write to tell you how we’ve calculated what you need to pay to end your agreement early.
We’ll include a VT form with the letter.
Just sign and send this back to us.
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We'll ask British Car Auctions Logistics (BCA) or one of our other external agents to call or text you to arrange collection of your vehicle.
You'll need to keep paying your usual monthly payments until we get your signed Voluntary termination form. Once the signed form has been received, we'll cancel your direct debit and won't take any further monthly payments.
Once we've received your VT form, you have 30 days to pay your outstanding balance.
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If you’ve already paid 50%, and you don’t have any fees or missed payments there shouldn’t be anything left to pay.
You’ll still need to pay anything owed for insurance products and extras.
Here’s an example of where there’s a balance to pay:
- Total amount payable on original agreement = £30,000
- 50% of the agreement = £15,000
- Already paid = £10,000
- Outstanding amount to end the agreement early = £5,000
- Amount owed for insurance products and extras = £1,000
The total amount payable to end the agreement early is £5,000 + £1,000 = £6,000
You may also have to pay separately for damage and excess mileage. This depends on your agreement type and the condition of your vehicle.
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Once the vehicle is sold, we’ll work out if you have anything left to pay.
This calculation includes what you’ve already paid and the amount the vehicle sells for.
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Log in to your online account and select payments.
You can pay your balance with a debit card.
We don’t take credit cards.
You can find out more in making a payment FAQs.
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Usually, you’ll need to pay the balance within 30 days of sending back your voluntary termination form.
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If you can’t pay the balance within 30 days, we may register a default with credit reference agents.
This could affect your credit score, making it more difficult or more expensive for you to borrow in the future.
If you think you’ll find paying your balance difficult, please call us on 0800 151 2454 as soon as possible.
We might put a repayment plan in place to help you. We could still share information with credit reference agencies even if you set up a repayment plan. But, if you pay back the amount owed, we’ll update this as a satisfied default. It will still affect your credit score, but it could help it recover more quickly with some credit reference agencies.
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If you've changed your mind about ending your agreement, that's fine.
Just keep paying your usual monthly payments. You don’t need to do anything else.
If you're finding it difficult to pay your monthly payments, give us a call on 0800 151 2454 so we can talk through your options.
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If you are a personal (not business) customer, your agreement will be regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974. If you're not sure, you can check your agreement. We sent this to you at the start of your agreement with us. Or get in touch if you need to request a copy.
Request a Voluntary Termination
The team is available from 8.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (not bank holidays), and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.
You can call or email us.