South & West Motors in Bath has been fined £10,000 after an investigation by trading standards officials uncovered multiple breaches of consumer protection laws.
The case against South & West Motors, based on London Road East in Batheaston, was brought to court following two separate complaints from customers who purchased faulty vehicles.
The court heard that South & West Motors sold a car to a customer without informing them of known engine issues. The vehicle broke down just 15 minutes after the sale, and a mechanic later diagnosed a blown head gasket, with repairs estimated to cost over £3,000.
- Car dealership fined £10,000 after breaching consumer protection laws
- Customer car broke down just 15 minutes after leaving forecourt
- Court orders dealership to pay total of over £18,000
South & West Motors in Bath has been fined £10,000 after an investigation by trading standards officials uncovered multiple breaches of consumer protection laws.
The case against South & West Motors, based on London Road East in Batheaston, was brought to court following two separate complaints from customers who purchased faulty vehicles.
The court heard that South & West Motors sold a car to a customer without informing them of known engine issues. The vehicle broke down just 15 minutes after the sale, and a mechanic later diagnosed a blown head gasket, with repairs estimated to cost over £3,000.
Trading Standards found that the company had misled the buyer by failing to ensure the car was roadworthy and by attempting to avoid consumer protection laws by falsely presenting the transaction as a trade sale.
A second complaint involved another vehicle that developed faults soon after purchase. South & West Motors attempted to shift responsibility onto the buyer, requiring them to assess the car’s condition before purchase.
However, under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, it is the seller’s duty to ensure goods are of satisfactory quality. Additionally, the dealership used a generic disclaimer regarding mileage accuracy and failed to provide a full refund when the buyer rejected the vehicle.
Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Trading Standards team had previously advised the company repeatedly over the past five years, particularly concerning its sales practices and documentation. Despite these warnings, South & West Motors , it said the business had continued to operate in a manner that misled consumers.
At a hearing on 12 March, Bath Magistrates’ Court fined South & West Motors £10,000 for breaching the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. In addition, the company was ordered to pay £811 in compensation to the customers and £7,800 in legal costs to the council, bringing the total financial penalty to more than £18,000.
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