New online one month taxi payment deferral option made available as call volume levels rocket

Taxi manufacturers LEVC and finance firm Black Horse last week announced a payment holiday is available to drivers of the TX electric taxi on existing finance deals following the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

Black cab drivers can take a three-month finance payment holiday which is designed to ease the burden on the trade due to the current coronavirus crisis.

However, due to high call volumes from drivers seeking help, Black Horse have now made available online a one month payment deferral option.

A spokesperson from Black Horse detailed how drivers can make the one month payment deferral, saying: "We understand that customers will be worried about making payments due to the impact of coronavirus on their income so we are implementing special measures to support our customers which we have put into place with immediate effect and until further notice.

“We are currently able to offer customers the ability to defer their payments by up to 3 months.

“We are currently dealing with a much higher volume of calls than normal so this message tells you how you can defer your first payment online by processing a due date change. We will update this message shortly with the options available to you if you are still experiencing financial difficulties when your next monthly payment is due and you need to defer further payments.

“If you have changed your payment date in the past, you will not be able to process the due date change on line at the moment so if this applies to you, if you are unable to process a payment date change online for any other reason or if you need any further help or assistance, you can contact Black Horse on 0800 151 2454.

“As advised above, we are dealing with a much higher number of calls than normal at the moment so we ask that you only contact us if your enquiry is urgent.”

To process a payment date change, drivers are being asked to:

• Log into your account on our website www.blackhorse.co.uk using your date of birth, postcode and agreement number. You can find your agreement number on any correspondence from us or it will be the reference for your direct debit shown on your bank statement.

• Then select the ‘change payment date’ icon and select a date up to 30 days in the future.

• You will be then be informed of the amount of additional interest that will be due for deferring your payments. You will also be informed of the date of the next payment.

• You will need to make the change at least 5 days before your next monthly payment is due.

Joerg Hofmann, LEVC CEO, said: “This is an extremely critical time for the taxi trade and the payment holiday will play a role in softening the impact that Coronavirus is having on taxi drivers.

“We recognise and celebrate the efforts they make daily to keep Britain moving – and this three-month bridge will hopefully ease the burden drivers now face.”