A car dealer in east London has been fined £12,000 for misleading his customers about the high-end vehicles he was selling.
Quissanga Baptista Alberto, director of Jet Car Sales in Leytonstone, disappeared in December 2012 when an investigation was first launched by Waltham Forest trading standards team. This month, in his absence, he has been found guilty of four offences under the 2008 Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations at Thames Magistrates' Court.
One driver reported many faults with a car they had recently purchased from the garage only to discover it did not have a warranty despite the fact that Mr Alberto told the customer it did. Your motor trade insurance policy is similar to a car warranty – it only comes into play when you need it. To ensure that you are not caught out like Mr Alberto’s customers were, make sure you are very thorough when obtaining your motor trade insurance policy; better yet, speak to expert insurance brokers such as Bollington to make sure you have the best cover that meets all your needs, so you are not caught short if you have to claim on the policy.
Following an investigation it was found that the warranty team has ceased business with Jet Car Sales months earlier, not covering any of its vehicles. Other offences showed that Mr Alberto had sold vehicles with incorrect mileage and owner histories; when they broke down soon after purchase no refund or replacement was provided.
Mr Alberto is still missing after he quickly disappeared when being called in for an interview by the trading standards team 17 months ago. In total, he owes £15,000 in unpaid fines and costs.