For those caught by the Cycle to Work clarification

[pshore]

Q. Who is actually providing the loan when CycleSheme is involved. Employer or CycleScheme or bike shop ?

I realise that to the consumer your agreement is with your employer until they give the bike to CycleScheme.

 

[Downward]

Q. Who is actually providing the loan when CycleSheme is involved. Employer or CycleScheme or bike shop ?

I realise that to the consumer your agreement is with your employer until they give the bike to CycleScheme.

The Employer pays the whole amount to Cyclesheme who then issue the voucher to take to the shop. Then the Shop exchange voucher for bike and reclaim cash from Cyclesheme less 10% commission

 

[Norm]

Q. Who is actually providing the loan when CycleSheme is involved. Employer or CycleScheme or bike shop ?

I realise that to the consumer your agreement is with your employer until they give the bike to CycleScheme.

The Employer pays the whole amount to Cyclesheme who then issue the voucher to take to the shop. Then the Shop exchange voucher for bike and reclaim cash from Cyclesheme less 10% commission

Are you sure it's always like that, Downward? When CycleScam first started, they only did the administration and the employer continued to own the bike.

 

[Downward]

Are you sure it's always like that, Downward? When CycleScam first started, they only did the administration and the employer continued to own the bike.

Well this is the way it works in the Public Sector to which Cyclesheme won the Tender. You bet most other Public Sector have given Cyclescheme the right to administor from start to finish. It creates even more Admin if you administer it yourself.

I have seen my invoices from cyclesheme and have had to keep an eye when it came into the Trust so I could chase up our Purchase ledger to pay it so I could go back to cyclescheme and chase up my voucher.

 

[Norm]

OK, I think that CycleScam do still have the option of just doing the administration, leaving the employer to own the bike.

It creates even more Admin if you administer it yourself.

I also think that there is less administration in setting up and running your own scheme, rather than involving a third party.

 

[gambatte]

Wrong again. The bike is supposed to be used for "qualifying journeys" ie travelling to/from work, more than 50% of its total usage. All set out in the DfT guidance.

<devils advocate>
But if as in josephs original scenario, the bike was put into storage after 1 journey to work. Surely that means 100% of its total usage has been commuting?

 

[Downward]

We shall see as we are looking to Tender for a new provider. Maybe someone that gives a better deal to the buyer.

 

[lejogger]

We shall see as we are looking to Tender for a new provider. Maybe someone that gives a better deal to the buyer.

This is slightly off thread, but you may be interested:

I have managed our scheme for 2 years, and put together a business proposal to our board of directors evaluating a variety of schemes. If it's any use to you, Halfords came out on top over a number of other schemes including CycleScheme, Bikes for the NHS and creating our own scheme etc.

This isn't to say that it will be best for you and your organisation, but they suited us in a number of ways, mainly because they exist as a business in their own right. They don't need to take a profit from savings the scheme should be passing onto employees. The cycles also remain property of our company, so we have been able to adapt to changes in the scheme in the way we saw fit - for example altering the way that change of ownership payments are made to benefit the employee, not the scheme provider.

Our organisation also has a large geographical footprint, so a national chain offering the same products at the same prices with the same warranties was also essential for ensuring all our staff had the opportunity to realise the same benefits.

They offer a special order line so that more knowledgeable (fussy) cyclists can choose from a much wider variety of brands than those instore. They also stock the Boardman range which are pretty much the best value around IMHO (if you're not too snobby )



EDIT: Obviously the downside is that Halfords aren't really a cyclist's best friend, but we haven't had any problem with build quality so far.

 

[Flying Dodo]

<devils advocate>
But if as in josephs original scenario, the bike was put into storage after 1 journey to work. Surely that means 100% of its total usage has been commuting?

True! But what sort of cyclist could keep their hands off a bling bike??