Crime Solicitors

Dorset Trading Standards have prosecuted a car trader who sold a poorly repaired vehicle that had been an insurance write off.

At Weymouth Magistrates Court, Steven Banda, 41, of Watermark Close in Nottingham – trading as SKB Car Sales – was found guilty of selling an unroadworthy vehicle, contrary to the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Banda was also found guilty of misleading consumers by describing the Peugeot 208 in an Internet advertisement as in “excellent condition inside and outside” – when, in fact, it was a poorly repaired write off.

After a one-day trial, Banda was fined £500, ordered to pay compensation of £700 and prosecution costs of £872.

The court heard that the vehicle was purchased by a Weymouth man for £3,700, after assurances were given about the vehicle’s condition and an explanation that – although the car was a category D write off – it had only needed a wing and minor suspension repairs.

After delivery, however, the buyer was only able to drive the car five miles before the engine management light came on – and later, serious faults were discovered.

After failing to resolve his dispute with the trader, the buyer complained via the Citizens Advice Consumer Service, which resulted in an investigation by Trading Standards officers.

An independent expert inspected the vehicle and found that it was “in a dangerous condition and unusable in its present state”.

In mitigation, Banda said that his was only a small business, that he had not intended to mislead anyone or sell an unroadworthy car – and that he would like to apologise to the victim.

Chair of the Magistrates said that Banda had failed to take the extra care that was required of a car trader.

Dorset County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for trading standards, Councillor Deborah Croney, said:

“This underlines the need for car traders to carry out proper checks on vehicles before they supply them to consumers.

“By providing advice to car traders on legal requirements and intervening where problems are identified, our Trading Standards service aims to reduce safety risks to car buyers and other road users.”

Dorset Council advises that consumers thinking of buying a secondhand car can look for a trader who is a member of the Trading Standards Buy With Confidence trader approval scheme.

Members are audited by Trading Standards prior to acceptance in the scheme.

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