New rule introduced for car buyers

Customers will be able to reject a car within the first 30 days after a purchase from 1 October when the Consumer Rights Act 2015 comes into force.

This means the Sale of Goods Act 1979 will become mainly redundant for all 'business to consumer' sales and replaced by the new Act.

The scope of the Act allows for consumers to be entitled a refund if they make a complaint regarding a fault with the vehicle in the first 30 days of owning it, an increase from the original 14 day deadline.

A refund must be provided to the consumer within 14 days of the trader agreeing to the refund, and the trader may not delay the refund unreasonably.

It also allows for repairs to be granted, however the customer is not obliged to accept a repair and can demand a refund which would have to be paid.

The replacement or repair should not be charged to the customer, and must be provided within a reasonable time without causing any significant inconvenience to the consumer.

Consumers must prove that there is a fault and that it was present at the time of delivery in order to claim a refund under the Act.

Dealers are recommended to take the time before 1 October 2015 to review their Pre Delivery processes to ensure they are taking all precautions necessary to put themselves in a position to dispute that any fault was not present at the time of delivery. It is also good practice to place a new independent MOT on a car.

More information on the Consumer Rights Act 2015 can be found here.