Author: Jason Williams
Published: December 10, 2024
Reading time: 2 minutes
This article is 9 months old.
Read our disclaimer keyboard_arrow_down
This website content is intended as a general guide to law as it applies to the motor trade. Lawgistics has taken every effort to ensure that the contents are as accurate and up to date as at the date of first publication.
The laws and opinions expressed within this website may be varied as the law develops. As such we cannot accept liability for or the consequence of, any change of law, or official guidelines since publication or any misuse of the information provided.
The opinions in this website are based upon the experience of the authors and it must be recognised that only the courts and recognised tribunals can interpret the law with authority.
Examples given within the website are based on the experience of the authors and centre upon issues that commonly give rise to disputes. Each situation in practice will be different and may comprise several points commented upon.
If you have any doubt about the correct legal position you should seek further legal advice from Lawgistics or a suitably qualified solicitor. We cannot accept liability for your failure to take professional advice where it should reasonably be sought by a prudent person.
All characters are fictitious and should not be taken as referring to any person living or dead.
Use of this website shall be considered acceptance of the terms of the disclaimer presented above.
Trading Standards Jump the Gun Again!
This article’s author is a former Trading Standards Officer (TSO).
One of the main prerequisites of this position is being trained to undertake a reasonable and proportionate investigation into a complaint before putting that complaint to a business.
Standards have slipped, if the letter a member received from a senior TSO (whose identity we won’t reveal), is anything to go by.
The TSO told our member that the consumer ought not to have experienced a failure given the age and mileage of the car. And that under the Consumer Rights Act, they were entitled to a free repair.
Clearly, the TSO hadn’t bothered undertaking the most cursory of factual checks.
Lawgistics did though. And we took great delight in telling the TSO that:
- The car is 15 years old.
- It was sold with 116,000 miles on the clock.
- A further 4000 miles had been travelled in the car.
- It was 16 months after the sale before the issue arose.
- It was still under warranty and the warranty would cover the replacement part – just not the diagnostic cost.
If your business gets an equally questionable letter from Trading Standards, let Lawgistics know. We are happy to set them straight.
