A secondhand car dealership based in Cardiff has been prosecuted, along with the company’s director, by Caerphilly’s Trading Standards.
The dealership, I Deal Cars 4 U Limited, which operated out of East Tyndall Street, was found to have misdescribed a 2007 Vauxhall Astra when selling the vehicle to a man for £3,100.
The customer subsequently found several problems with the car and returned it to the dealer, only to be told they would not be doing anything about the problems. Faced with no other option, the customer then complained about the company to Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Treading Standards department.
There are, of course, a number of legalities to cover when running a car dealership, and key among keeping your business, customers, stock and premises safe is your motor trade insurance. You should also have a good level of road risks insurance to cover all legal eventualities.
Trading Standards found that the vehicle in question was advertised as having “one previous owner” and “full service history”. However, there were two previous owners and the vehicle only had a partial service history. Trading Standards also discovered that the dealer had manipulated the buyer by suggesting he had fewer courses of action than he was legally entitled to.
I Deal Cars 4 U Limited appeared before Newport Magistrates’ Court, was fined £2,000 under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, and told to pay costs of £300 and a victim surcharge of £120.
Company director Sayid Ali Hamzah (now known as Hammaad Sufyan) was fined £1,000 and told to pay costs of £300 and a victim surcharge of £100.
