A car dealer has been fined £1,000 by magistrates today (Friday, August 16) after an investigation by North Yorkshire Council’s trading standards officers.
The inquiry by the trading standards team found there were hidden structural defects in one car making it unroadworthy and potentially dangerous to who was driving, as well as pedestrians and other road users.
Trading standards officials began an investigation after receiving complaints from North Yorkshire residents who had seen the cars advertised online.
Junaid Ahmed Majeed and his company, Dealonwheelz Ltd, pleaded guilty to selling an unroadworthy Toyota Aygo to a Kirkbymoorside resident, and misleading a Thirsk resident about the service history, warranty and MOT history of a Vauxhall Corsa.
Majeed and the company also admitted telling both customers that the cars were ‘sold as seen’ to try to prevent them from asking for a refund or repair when things went wrong, and of failing to tell the Kirkbymoorside resident that she had a right to cancel her contract with the company.
York Magistrates heard that a consultant engineer who examined the Toyota found that it had been “repaired” in a totally inappropriate manner, with defects covered by filler and underbody sealant presenting a serious defect of the structure of the vehicle’s bodyshell.
The defect created the potential for the car to be badly damaged if it was involved in a collision, putting the occupants at greater risk.
The engineer’s report concluded: “I consider that the vehicle was in an unroadworthy condition, in that its use on a road would involve a danger of injury to any person within or other road users and pedestrians, due to the potential catastrophic failure of structural components.”
Majeed, of Hawke Avenue, Heckmondwike in West Yorkshire, and Dealzonwheels Ltd of Commercial Street in Leeds, each pleaded guilty to five offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
Majeed was ordered to pay fines totalling £500 and compensation of £2,000.
The company must pay fines totalling £500 and £200 towards prosecution costs.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for trading standards, Cllr Greg White, said: “People quite rightly expect cars on sale to be safe and as advertised in terms of service history, MOT status and after sales warranty.
“It makes no difference whether a vehicle has been seen on a forecourt or online, it must be roadworthy and it must match its description.
“It was particularly disappointing in this case to see that the dealer had not responded appropriately to the customers’ requests for a refund. We will not tolerate attempts by traders to restrict the statutory rights of consumers by refusing refunds, using statements such as ‘sold as seen’ or failing to provide details of the right to cancel certain contracts.”
For consumer advice and to report concerns to trading standards officers, residents can contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.
A range of advice and guidance on buying a vehicle is available on the North Yorkshire Council website at www.northyorks.gov.uk/tradingstandards
