Disabled couple 'stranded' in Germany win payout

A disabled couple who said they were stranded in Germany after their adapted vehicle broke down have had their complaint upheld by the Financial Ombudsman.

John and Glenda O'Brien, who are both wheelchair users, said they were let down when their van, leased to them by Motability, broke down while they were travelling home to Carlisle through Germany in September.

The Ombudsman found Motability had failed to provide proper support, including accessible transport and accommodation, and ordered it to pay the couple £1,250 compensation, refund more than £339 in accommodation costs and pay interest.

The company said it was now reviewing how it supported customers in similar situations.

The Motability scheme allows disabled people to use part of their disability benefit to lease a vehicle.

The couple said they hoped the ruling would lead to improvements for other disabled people travelling abroad.

John O'Brien said: "I never did it for the money - I did it to help fellow disabled people.

"Hopefully Motability learns from this and upgrades its services."

The couple said they spent hours waiting on the side of a motorway before being transported in vehicles they said were unsuitable for wheelchair users.

They also said they were placed in hotel accommodation that was not fully accessible and spent four days in a small town called Osnabrück while waiting for their vehicle to be repaired.

Glenda O'Brien said the room did not have facilities they needed, such as a fridge to store insulin or an accessible washroom.

They say they also struggled to access suitable transport from the village where they had been left, which was mostly cobblestoned and difficult on which to wheel.

The Financial Ombudsman concluded Motability had failed to adequately support two vulnerable customers.

Its decision said the couple had been left in an unsafe position beside a major road, their accommodation did not properly meet their accessibility needs and information about their disabilities had not been effectively communicated to organisations involved in their recovery.

The Ombudsman ordered Motability to refund £339.34 in accommodation costs, pay interest on that amount and increase compensation to £1,250 in recognition of the distress and inconvenience caused.

A Motability spokesperson apologised and said: "We have reviewed the case and the issues shared by Mr O'Brien with our partners to help improve future support for our customers.

"Disabled customers rely on us and our partners to provide accessible, reliable support when they travel, and we will continue to review how we support them in these situations."

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