Motor Firm, Peterborough. sold dodgy car and now won't transfer money back after collection

[Stoprun1]

Hello all, 

Posting due to a elderly family members issue. 

 

Person bought a car which we had test driven - all seemed fine and drove well. The company needed to do the MOT and fix windscreen. Windscreen fixed, MOT done they delivered as the company was quite far. 

 

Drove car the next day, made huge noise. Went to see if it was the wheels that needed adjusting due to the ball bearing being fixed as part of MOT. 

 

The garage said they were appalled someone would sell a person this car and that the brakes were metal to metal etc. This was a dangerous do not drive issue on the previous MOT - one they said that they had done and passed the new MOT.akes

 

Took it to look over by my mechanic friend and they said, return get your money back ( other issues to car),. parts on MOT that needed to be fixed held together with tape, seems like it had been in an accident, and fraudulent MOT as they had not changes any of the disc pads or sorted breaks.

 

Dealership (if we can call it that) said they would take car back and refund, 24-48hrs. No refund of money.

 

Then it was when the ownership papers came through to family member. all of a sudden they couldn't do it till the following week, weekend over, they can't do it as the person that was the sales rep on the day had to go on leave for two weeks. (we are talking to the owner of the company mind you).

 

So now they want another 2 weeks. while family member has no car, no money, paying tax and insurance still. They have redone the MOT, we've looked it up. Not seen what they did to it etc as car is a couple of hours away. Reviews were checked but surprise we were told these are bought and not likely real.

 

CAB has said family member needs to send registered letters, then take them to court. but has to give them 2 weeks still. So in total a car that was delivered Jan, returned within a week and has sat at the dealership for 5 weeks, incurring costs to family member but there seems to be no one that can assist.

 

Does any one have any advice or dealt with this before? Elder family member is stressed out as loan was taken for new car etc. 

 

Cheers

 

 

Edited March 8, 2022 by dx100uk
Format

[dx100uk]

How did he pay?

 

Name and shame please!!

 

Dx

[Stoprun1]

Paid by going into the bank and doing a transfer with one of ther employees there. As card didn't have the daily limit set. 

Owner phoned to make sure that it was being done and phoned to make sure money was transferred. Not so quick to put back. 

 

Due to possibility of court issue, they have asked not put the name of dealership yet as they are so worried. would be happy to otherwise as they have said they will phone the police and report for 'harrassment' if anyone tries to phone the sales line. 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2022 by Stoprun1

[BankFodder]

If you want help from us then you will have to provide us with all the information that we think we need to support you.

Please let us know the name of the dealership which has sold you the car and is now withholding the money.

 

We will also need details about the car – make, model, year, price paid – and maybe other questions will need to be answered

 

Also, what is the name of the MOT station which carried out this most recent MOT which you think might be questionable

[dx100uk]

oh dear another bank transfer

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Stoprun1 said:

Due to possibility of court issue, they have asked not put the name of dealership yet as they are so worried. would be happy to otherwise as they have said they will phone the police and report for 'harassment' if anyone tries to phone the sales line. 

 

usual crap to stop bad publicity

only scammers and dodgy dealers state this as they obviously suffered selling crap motors before and dont like the heat ...tough!!

 

dx

 

[Stoprun1]

Yes,. I did tell my family member this. And as we have been able to look more into it, not just autotrader reviews, we have found quite a few people with issues. 

 

Bank Transfer - yeah we realise now that had it been finance/a card we could try work with the bank etc. I'm guessing this isn't an option with bank transfer?

 

We just don't any come back if court is something that happens or any contact with them at the moment due to family member trying to get some legal advice as well.. Happy to answer questions of course.

 

The company is Motor Firm, Peterborough.

 

It was a 2014 Peugeot 3008 and cost £6275.00

There are various reviews coming out now from others that are less than happy. 

I am trying to find out the name of the MOT station. I will post asap

 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2022 by dx100uk
unnecessary previous post quote removed

[BankFodder]

Is this the company?

 

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/dealers/cambridgeshire/peterborough/motor-firm-10019010

 

How far away are you from them?

Yes please, I think the name of the MOT station is essential.

Have you informed the police about this?

Please read up what we have to say on our guide to buying used cars and also what we say about when you pay by bank transfer or when you pay by cash

 

[Stoprun1]

Yes that is the one.

Although we are from the UK, we have lived away for years. been back for a few but out the loop in buying cars etc. So we were probably to trusting and relied on the reviews on Auto Trader. 

 

We are 1hr 20ish minutes away. 

 

Modern Auto is the garage where the MOT was done. They are linked somehow. 

 

I did speak to the police help line. They said that they don't deal with consumer complaints, and as we were trying to just get the money back my family member was trying to do it without confrontation etc. Also as they dropped the car off they have anxiety about people knowing where they live..

 

Thank you! I will read up on the guides. As said we will know next time not to do bank trsf ever again.  

Edited March 8, 2022 by dx100uk
unnecessary previous post quote removed

[BankFodder]

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12885660

 

 

[dx100uk]

just type no need to keep hitting quote.

 

he doesn't need legal advice 

we can deal easy.

 

dx

 

[BankFodder]

I suggest you go back to the police and report the car as stolen.

The police won't like it and they will try to say that it is a civil matter because you permitted the car to be taken away – and you will have to insist that it is now beyond the time for its return and in fact that you have been conned out of it and it is stolen.

You will have to stand your ground on this.

We need as much information about the MOT station please. Do you have a copy of the MOT? Is there a way of getting a copy of the MOT?

 

[Stoprun1]

Sorry about that. Wasn't sure, some places like quotes added! 

 

I have attached some photos and the mechanics findings on the pdf file. There were a whole host of other issues- they also didn't send through the warranty papers either. I know my family member has the MOT certificate, asking for a copy now. Otherwise I can screen shot from the MOT check website although i know not all details are on there. 

Car1.pdf

[BankFodder]

I understand that there are two MOT is – is this correct? The MOT certificate which was new and which was supplied with the vehicle – and then a second one that you had done independently to cooperate the condition.

 

[Stoprun1]

The MOT certificate on the 27th Jan was the one which they did before delivering the car.  - note the difference in mileage as well...

The second MOT on the 22nd February,  the dealership have done since having the car in their possession after collecting it.

 

 

We didn't have any MOT's done. We used an external mechanic (who we have used for the last 5 years and is reputable and used to do MOT's) to check the car over. the first page is his report. The second was the garage that checked the wheel alignment and then tracking. 

[BankFodder]

I would like to know more detail about both the MOT's please.

I understand that you have a written report from the mechanic who then checked the car over. Is this what you posted above? I haven't look at it yet

[Stoprun1]

Yes, the pdf document i sent has the 2 written reports from the 2 mechanics. 

 

I have attached the MOT docs she has and also the details of the garage. sorry they are fuzzy, these are the only ones I have quick access too., 

 

Edited March 8, 2022 by Stoprun1
Personal details in doc. re-add in next post

[dx100uk]

Make it pdf.

Read upload

 

Docx has your pers details in file info/properties

 

.

 

Dx

 

[Stoprun1]

Sorry and thanks! forgot to PDF it.

Deleted and reattached to this one now. hope that is fine. 

MOTdocs2.pdf

[BankFodder]

I haven't noticed the MOT certificates.

Also, if you have to bring a county court claim – as you surely will, this will have to be done by these elderly people you are assisting

Also, I asked you how far away you are and you said it was 20 minutes. Earlier on you said that the people who bought the car were quite far away.

[Stoprun1]

as mentioned they are 1 hour 20 minutes away from us.

 

Yes aware that she will need to do everything in her name etc and I am updating her.

I see that what I have attached isn't the complete certificate (sorry my error) I will try and get these when she is home and I can get access.

 

Thank you for all the helpful advice so far and your time

[BankFodder]

Did you get a receipt for this money? Did you pay into a company bank account or into a personal bank account?

If you look at the companies house link that I posted above, you will find that there is a single director for this company. I would suggest that you check the land registry web search site to see who owns the property at which this person is registered.

 

It will cost you about three quid

https://eservices.landregistry.gov.uk/eservices/FindAProperty/view/QuickEnquiryInit.do

 

[Stoprun1]

Hi,. 

 

Thanks for the info! I will send the link through for her to look at. I know the mechanic we see had a check but possibly not the land registry.

 

She has a receipt for the money and the receipt for the deposit they asked for.

The deposit was paid into a different account (private account) and the bulk payment of the money was paid to the company bank account in the company name.

 

She is speaking to the sole director of the company. He is the one that was on the phone to make sure the money was paid across and who she has been speaking to all this time who keeps delaying now., 

[Stoprun1]

She doesn't have a written receipt for  the bulk amount paid, but she has the bank confirmation slip that the money was paid into their account and a whatsapp confirmation from the director to say it had been received.

She does have a written receipt for the deposit.

[BankFodder]

Sorry in your earlier post you said that she did have received. Now you're saying that she doesn't have a receipt.

As the WhatsApp confirmation from a personal WhatsApp account or some kind of organisational one?

I'm trying to work out whether you have an action against the company, or an individual – or both.

I know that these people you are helping are elderly, but chucking this kind of money around in this way is pretty reckless

Still waiting to hear about the identities of the MOT station.
There is a possibility that one could threaten an action against the MOT station which would produce some pretty unexpected and unwelcome pressure on the dealer.

However you need to give us the answers that we have been asking for

[Stoprun1]

We went to the dealership, she paid £1000 deposit to a private bank account. Received a written receipt immediately.

 

Did the bank transfer and the director phoned while it was being done. The director confirmed through a personal whatsapp number (which they have been communicating through since payment till now this is the person listed on companies House) that it was done and money received, as well as the bank transfer slip from the bank.

The bank account is in the business name - motor firm ltd. 

 

We advice not to buy privately, read reviews and go through a dealership, she found the car she wanted. We checke it out, test drove, looked at MOT details.

No one expects to be scammed by a dealership. She said she had a receipt but then I realised it wasn't a written receipt but via whatsapp and the bank slip..

She is very stressed with it all. She is working and paying for the car, insurance and tax. 

 

Should she SORN the car do you think?