A motor trader based in Crosskeys has been fined a total of £3,300 after selling a ‘clocked’ car to an unsuspecting customer.
WD Cars Limited based in Crosskeys were taken to court by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Trading Standards for offering to supply and supplying a 54 plate Volkswagen Golf GT Tdi, which had had its actual mileage reduced from over 140,000 miles down to 67,000 miles at the time of sale.
Warren Davies, director of the company, appeared at Newport Magistrates Court on October 27 2011, where he pleaded guilty on behalf of the company for three offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
The company was fined a total of £3,300 and ordered to pay costs of £830 to Caerphilly County Borough Council.
The Volkswagen Golf had originally been used as a company car by a business in Kent, who sold it in November 2008 with over 140,000 miles on the clock.
After this, its mileage was clocked back to 52,000 miles somewhere in the London area. The vehicle was eventually entered for auction with a reading of 66,000 that was described as “incorrect” on the auction paperwork
WD Cars Limited purchased the car from the auction and subsequently sold it to a customer.
They discovered the mileage discrepancy and took the vehicle back to the company in Crosskeys – he also informed the council about the mileage and was refunded his money.
WD Cars Limited then placed the car on their forecourt for sale, still with the wrong mileage on the clock, and when undercover officers visited the site to enquire about the vehicle, not only were they not informed of the higher mileage, they were told that the price of the vehicle reflected its low mileage.
The garage subsequently sold the vehicle to another local customer who believed that the mileage was correct. Following the intervention of Trading Standards, this customerr also received a full refund.
Speaking after the court case, Cllr Rob Gough, cabinet member for public protection, said: “Our Trading Standards team are there to ensure a fair trading environment within the county borough for businesses and for consumers, who should be treated fairly and receive what they are legally entitled to. Our team are extremely proactive in ensuring this is the case, and I am pleased to see such a successful result in this prosecution.”
“I hope it will also act as a suitable warning to others that they will not get away with committing unfair and illegal practices”.
Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Trading Standards team can be contacted on 01495 235 291.