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TRADING STANDARDS http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk
Q. I bought a used car six weeks ago and the dealership persuaded me to buy a 12 month warranty. I thought that this would cover me for anything that went wrong during this period. The cambelt has just failed, and this has led to a very high repair bill. However, the warranty company have just pointed to a clause in the policy that excludes liability for cambelt failures, and they won't pay for the repair. What are my rights?
A. With any guarantee or warranty, you should never just assume the level of cover. It is essential that you read the terms and conditions at the time they are given to you, so that you can challenge any you don't like, or try to negotiate better cover. As it is, the warranty company is probably entitled to rely on this exclusion clause. Don't forget, however, that you still have a contract with the dealer who sold you the car. You might want to argue, under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended) that this is an unreasonable fault to have developed so soon after purchase, and that the dealer is in breach of contract. See our leaflets 'Buying Goods' and 'Buying a Second-hand Car' for more information.
Q. I bought a used car six weeks ago and the dealership persuaded me to buy a 12 month warranty. I thought that this would cover me for anything that went wrong during this period. The cambelt has just failed, and this has led to a very high repair bill. However, the warranty company have just pointed to a clause in the policy that excludes liability for cambelt failures, and they won't pay for the repair. What are my rights?
A. With any guarantee or warranty, you should never just assume the level of cover. It is essential that you read the terms and conditions at the time they are given to you, so that you can challenge any you don't like, or try to negotiate better cover. As it is, the warranty company is probably entitled to rely on this exclusion clause. Don't forget, however, that you still have a contract with the dealer who sold you the car. You might want to argue, under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended) that this is an unreasonable fault to have developed so soon after purchase, and that the dealer is in breach of contract. See our leaflets 'Buying Goods' and 'Buying a Second-hand Car' for more information.