Car and Motor Vehicle Complaints

When you buy a car from a dealer (not a private seller), the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA) gives you the following rights:

• 30-day short-term right to reject: If the car is faulty (not of satisfactory quality, not fit for purpose, or not as described) within the first 30 days of ownership, you can reject it and demand a full refund. You do not have to accept a repair or replacement.
• Repair or replacement: After 30 days but within the first six months, you can request a repair or replacement. If the repair or replacement fails, or if it is impossible, you can claim a price reduction or final right to reject (with a possible deduction for use).
• After 6 months: The CRA still applies, but the burden shifts to you to prove the fault existed at the time of purchase. This often requires an independent inspection report.

The car must be of satisfactory quality — safe, durable, and free from defects. It must also be as described — if the dealer made specific representations about the vehicle's history, mileage, or condition that turn out to be wrong, you can claim for misrepresentation. Request the full service history and any MOT history (available free on the DVLA website) before buying.

When you take your vehicle to a garage for a service or repair, the garage's obligations under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 are:

• Work must be carried out with reasonable care and skill
• Parts used must be of satisfactory quality
• Work must be completed within a reasonable time if no time was agreed
• Costs must be reasonable if no fixed price was agreed in advance

Practical steps to protect yourself:

• Get a written quote before work begins, including the cost of labour and parts separately
• Ask the garage to contact you before carrying out any additional work beyond the agreed scope
• Request the old parts back (for replacements like tyres or brake pads) so you can verify the work was actually needed
• Check that the garage is accredited by a recognised body — many member garages are accredited by the Motor Ombudsman's Garage Services Code

If the repair is substandard — the same fault recurs, new problems are introduced, or the work is incomplete — write to the garage setting out the problem and requesting rectification. If they refuse, you can refer the dispute to the Motor Ombudsman (if they are accredited) or pursue through the small claims court.

The Motor Ombudsman is a government-approved Ombudsman Service that provides free Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) for motor industry disputes. It covers complaints about:

• New and used car dealers accredited to the Motor Industry Code of Practice
• Garages and workshops signed up to the Garage Services Code
• Vehicle manufacturers for warranty and vehicle standard issues

To use the Motor Ombudsman, you must first have raised the complaint with the business and received a final response or waited 8 weeks without a satisfactory response. You can then submit your case at themotorombudsman.org. The service is free, and a Case Manager will investigate and make a determination that, if accepted, is binding on the business (though not on you — you remain free to pursue other routes).

Check whether the business is accredited before committing to the Motor Ombudsman route at themotorombudsman.org/garage-finder. If the business is not accredited, you will need to use the small claims court or a different ADR scheme.

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 gives you equal liability protection when you pay for goods or services costing between £100 and £30,000 using a credit card. This means you can claim against your credit card issuer as well as (or instead of) the retailer or garage. This is particularly useful if:

• The dealer or garage has gone out of business
• The dealer is refusing to engage with your complaint
• The vehicle or service was misrepresented

Section 75 applies to the full purchase price as long as part of the deposit was paid by credit card — even if only a small portion was put on the card. Debit card payments are covered by a different (weaker) scheme called chargeback, which is a voluntary scheme and not a statutory right.

For disputes not covered by the Motor Ombudsman or Section 75, the small claims court (up to £10,000 in England and Wales) is a cost-effective route for motor disputes. You can issue a claim online at moneyclaims.service.gov.uk. An independent inspection report providing evidence of the fault and its cause will significantly strengthen your case. See our Alternative Dispute Resolution guide.