A series of visits to second hand car dealers by Thurrock Council’s Trading Standards team will help protect residents from buying unreliable, or even potentially dangerous, cars.
The visits will give dealers the advice and guidance they need to prevent problems after cars have been sold, including information about the safety and quality standards cars need to meet to safety and consumer standards laws.
In the first visit officers were joined by a professional vehicle inspector. It led to the sale of three vehicles being suspended and them taken off the market until vital safety work was carried out, and advice notices issued on three other vehicles, which all needed work to make them ‘of satisfactory quality’ for sale under the Consumer Rights Act.
Cllr Lynda Heath, Cabinet Member for Public Protection, Constitutional and Civic Affairs, said: “Every year second hand cars are one of the most complained about items that our Trading Standards Team deal with. Cars are a significant and important purchase so it is important that we do all we can to protect people from buying unsafe or unsound vehicles.
“The team will be visiting all car dealers in the borough to make sure they know and understand the rules they work under, and to show them that this is something we take extremely seriously.
“I would urge anyone buying a car to get independent mechanical and safety checks done, and never feel pressured to make a purchase if they feel at all uneasy. Cars are too expensive and their safety too important to rush that kind of decision.”
Anyone who wants to report a problem with a second-hand car can do so by calling 0808 223 1133.