Complaints rise over second-hand cars

SECOND-HAND car sales continue to top the list of the most complained about goods in Northern Ireland.

Last year there was a total of 1,056 complaints made to the Northern Ireland Trading Standards Service about pre-owned vehicles — an increase of 5% on the previous year.

Damien Doherty (right), chief inspector at Northern Ireland Trading Standards Service, said: “Many of the complaints we receive are from consumers who have bought vehicles from sellers at a roundabout, the side of the road or a car park. These can be from private sellers or a trader posing as a private seller.

“When you buy anything privately you have very few statutory rights and traders are aware of this.

“If Trading Standards reinforces just one message from this guide, it is never buy a car from anyone in these circumstances.

“It is highly unlikely that you will gain any redress if things go wrong, and quite often they will.

“Do your homework when buying a car and always remember the phrase: let the buyer beware.”

The Consumer Council has produced a new free guide for car buyers to explain consumer rights, what to check before you buy and what to do if things go wrong.

The guide also explains what to be mindful of if you are buying a second-hand car from abroad.

Philippa McKeown-Brown, the head of Consumer Empowerment and Protection at the Consumer Council, said: “Buying a car can be expensive and it’s a purchase that most of us really rely on, so when something goes wrong it can throw a real spanner in the works.

“But if the trader is based in Great Britain and you live here in Northern Ireland, the issue can be even harder to resolve.

“It can be worse still if the person you bought from is not who they claim to be, or you have fallen victim to a scam.”

The guide can be obtained by contacting the Consumer Council on 0800 121 6022 or by emailing contact@ consumercouncil.org.uk.

❝ It is highly unlikely that you will gain redress if things go wrong ... and quite often they will