[chrispaton]

Hi folks,

A bunch of folks over on the e-Niro forum are contributing to a tracker with when they ordered their car and when it is due to arrive. I thought I'd create a similar tracker for the Scottish Electric Vehicle Loan. This scheme has been discussed on the forum before, but the summary is that you apply to Energy Savings Trust (EST) for an interest free loan of up to £35,000 for up to 6 years that is funded by Transport Scotland. More details on the EST website.

So to get the ball rolling, I submitted by application on 1 September and was told not to expect an update until 23 September -- fingers crossed only a week to go 🤞

I will update this thread when I have an update...

Cheers,
Chris

 

[DenkiJidousha]

Did it come through on schedule?

I just submitted my application today 23 October (online), automatic email said to expect an update by 16 November (i.e. three weeks).

When I spoke to them on the phone earlier in the week (required to get access to the electronic application form), they said it was currently taking about 10 working days (i.e. two weeks).

 

[chrispaton]

Thanks for reminding me to update this. I meant to keep it updated during the process but got lazy... sorry!

As it happens, I finally received my loan money just the other day on 23 October, a full 51 days (!!) after my application went in. I've included the full tale below just to help provide some visibility into the process for folk. Perhaps I got unlucky with it being so slow due to my application being around September and the introduction of the 70 plates. But it did feel that EST were pretty slow and the process a bit obtuse, though everyone I spoke to on the phone was nice and helpful.

The astute on this forum may note that I took delivery of the car on 2 October, i.e. 3 weeks before I got the loan money through. I was in the lucky position that I have cash put away for a home improvement project, and EST confirmed that once the loan offer is sent it is definite and that you may proceed to buy the car before you receive the funds if you're able and willing to do so. I decided to go for this as I really didn't want to wait any longer. Was certainly a relief though when the money really did come through from EST -- phew!

Date	Application state	Notes
Tue 1 Sept	Application received	Automated email says to expect update on 23 September.
Tue 22 Sept (14 working days later)	Information requested from applicant	Received email saying that I needed to provide a quotation from the dealer (which, obviously, I did actually do...). Replied to email within 8 minutes re-attaching the quotation but got no reply. Called next day and helpful agent confirmed it had been a mistake and said management would get someone to re-review ASAP.
Fri 25 Sept (3 working days later)	Loan offer sent	Received all the paperwork by email (sounds like in non-pandemic times they'd use paper!). I submitted all the required paperwork the same day. Email said it might be another 10 working days before I get a reply.
Tue 6 October (7 working days later)	Claim received - information requested from applicant	Received email saying that my invoice was dated before the loan offer date (since the dealer had got it ready for me weeks earlier). Replied next day with a revised invoice from dealer.
Thu 8 October (2 working days later)	Claim being checked	Received email confirming that my revised invoice was acceptable and the claim would now be sent for "final verification checks".
Wed 14 October (4 working days later)	Claim received - information requested from applicant	Missed call from EST. Called back and they said that they needed me to email them confirming I still wanted the loan (!?). Apparently this is a security thing related to COVID-19 and EST working from home. Unclear to me why the application form, claim form, direct debit mandate, proof of identity, and proof of address weren't sufficient evidence that I wanted the damn loan! Was told that they do a few payment runs a week and that I might make this week, or might miss it.
Tue 20 October (4 working days later)	Paid	Received email saying that the loan would be paid by BACS, and may take 3-5 days to arrive in my account.
Fri 23 October (3 working days later)	Paid	Money actually, finally, received in my account.

Cheers,
Chris

 

[DenkiJidousha]

Oh my, hope mine goes smoother than that.

 

[DenkiJidousha]

Maybe I was lucky, but it looks like the ten working days they told me is currently quite accurate:

• Friday 23 October, submitted (online)
• Monday 26 October, status changed checking application (might have happened immediately?)
• Thursday 5 November, status changed to loan approved (but nothing by email yet, 9 working days from submission)
• Friday 6 November, email loan offer received with DD mandate etc (10 working days from submission)

So far so good...

 

[DenkiJidousha]

Sent the invoice in by email today, just called by phone to confirm receipt. They say allow another 10 working days for this to be processed.

P.S. Website status now says "Loan offer accepted"

 

[Keith Brown]

I was paid this morning. It took 14 working days from my application to funds appearing in the bank.

 

[Tam9]

I've been looking into this and was thinking of getting the ID4 1st edition - at present the loan has dropped to 28k so I would need to make up the difference which shouldn't be a problem.

Just a couple of questions if you guys don't mind (hopefully!).

After you receive the money they say you must spend it in a specific time period - how hard do they push you on that?
The chap I spoke to on the phone sorta mentioned the scheme may end around end of March - on checking online I can't see anything. Does anyone think this could be truth?

I've got the application form but not put it through yet as just trying to get my head straight that I definitely want an id4 or do I want to wait for a Tesla Model Y (as long as it's under 50k).

I've seen the ID4 with a few options via drive the deal for around 37k which is pretty good IMO since it is the 317mile option and tow bar.

Cheers,

Tam

 

[Tam9]

Sorry to bump, does anyone have any advice on my post above?

 

[DSquared]

Hi All,

Soon to be EV owner here. I've just received confirmation of the EST loan being paid by email. I submitted my application on 8th Feb so that's only been 13 working days. I'll update when payment is in the bank.

The chap I spoke to on the phone sorta mentioned the scheme may end around end of March - on checking online I can't see anything. Does anyone think this could be truth?

In terms of does it end in March, I think its only funded until then. Pretty sure it gets set as part of the Scottish Government's budget. The EST website states the following just now: "The deadline for submission of new applications is 11:59pm Sunday 7 March 2021."

I think its unlikely they will stop it tbh. However, they could conceivably change the terms in some way.

 

[DSquared]

Just an quick update. I received the loan funds yesterday exactly 3 weeks (15 working days) from initial application.

 

[Lapin]

Just an quick update. I received the loan funds yesterday exactly 3 weeks (15 working days) from initial application.

A
I had the final document accepted on 26/2 and received payment today 9/3. I suppose that's 7 working days though it seemed longer.

 

[jimslita]

Just wanted to let people know that this scheme (I'm applying under the 2nd hand vehicle loan scheme (up to £20K) in Scotland) is running massively behind schedule.

I received confirmation that I had been granted a loan in just over a week on the 14th October and then found my car from Arnaold Clark and submitted all the required documentation to claim the funding on Monday 18th October having been given a 10 working day timeframe indication from the EST) This date meant I should have received confirmation back fro the EST on Monday 1st November.
I called on the Thursday 28th October when I was told they were still working to 10 working days and that I should hear back the following day or the Monday 1/11).
Having heard nothing on the 1st I called again on the 2nd to be told they were running a bit behind schedule. Having still heard nothing by Friday 5 November I called again and finally spoke to someone who gave me an honest appraisal of the processing of these loans.
He explained that they have been behind schedule for months and that I probably would be hearing from the for at least a couple of weeks and that I'd then wait another 3-5 working days to receive the funds. This takes me to the week ending the 26th November and means I will have waiting nearly 30 working days from submitting my claim - 3 times longer than initially announced.
I honestly believe that the dealer wouldn't have been so keen to sell me the car if they knew from the outset that they would be waiting 6 or 7 weeks before receiving payment. The system is badly flawed in that it leaves us in the unenviable position of being in the middle of the EST and the car dealership but without any way of influencing proceedings.
I'm grateful for the EST and the Scottish Government offering these loans and appreciate that the current climate probably means that these loans are more popular than ever, however, more clarity and honesty would go a long way to reducing the stress and confusion that these delays have caused - we almost sold are current ICE car in anticipation of taking possession of our new Renault Zoe - thank goodness we didn't!

 

[jimslita]

20th November and still nothing 😖🥱

 

[Scottyclark7]

20th November and still nothing 😖🥱

Have you received the £ yet? My car is due to be delivered on the 10/12 my application was made on the 9/10

 

[DenkiJidousha]

Good luck @jimslita - this is what I was worried might happen when the loan was extended to 2nd hand EVs (even if only via a dealer), getting the load processed quickly becomes far more urgent than with a new car.

 

[jimslita]

So I spoke with someone at the EST on Tuesday last week (16th November) who told me that they were still only just processing applications made at the beginning of October. He suggested that I would probably not hear back from the until next week at the earliest and that it would then take 3-5 days for the funds to arrive in my account. This would take us into the week beginning the 6th December)
If this all turns out to be true then it will have been 35+ working days rather than the 5-10 I was still being told they were working to at day 9 😆.
I have been either deliberately misled or lied to (depending upon how generous an interpretation you wish to make) on 3 occasions on the phone. I can only now assume that this is either management sanactioned or that management oversight is so poor that they are unable to control a overwhelming rogue team working the phones. A few people have suggested that I can’t complain because the loan is interest free but I don’t think it is reasonable to accept this kind of mismanagement in any circumstances.
To add insult to injury I just paid for an MOT, 1 Years insurance (£55 cancellation fee when the EV finally arrives) and 12 months road tax for a ICE that I should have sold by now. Thanks EST.

 

[jimslita]

Have you received the £ yet? My car is due to be delivered on the 10/12 my application was made on the 9/10

Hi Scotty. Your claim is approx 1 week ahead of mine. By my calculations you should receive payment in the next week to 10 days. Can you let me know when you hear from them please? Thanks

 

[Scottyclark7]

Hi I will call EST this morning and let you know how I get on 10days will still be OK for me so fingers crossed.

Your 100% correct it's not EST money it's government (tax payers) they have been trusted to mange correctly and get these loans out so complain away I say

 

[Scottyclark7]

Just got off the phone to EST and they are miles behind with paperwork and it doesn't look like they'll have my money in time to get my car on the 10th so pretty gutted probably have to wait until March for my car now