Is This Really The Law?

[ladybirder]

I have just been told by a salesman at a main dealer car showroom, that I must go in person to the showroom when (if) I take ownership of a car I am thinking of purchasing from them. He said they have to physically see me, because it's the law. Is it? Anybody know? Ta.

[sunny-dave]

May be their interpretation of rules around stopping money laundering - it’s certainly a requirement if you are taking a finance offer.

[naomi24]

If the finance isn't an issue and is all sorted, I can't see why that would be necessary. I can't imagine the royals, for example, or anyone with the appropriate 'staff', turning up in person to collect a new car.

[sunny-dave]

They are going to want you to inspect and sign at the point of sale - otherwise they have no comeback if you later claim something's not right - but that's not 'the law', just good practice.

But Car Finance is now so tightly regulated (after years of malpractice) that they are pretty much required to get you to sign all the relevant documents at the time of sale.

[woofgang]

I am not sure what the other options would be....I mean if you are paying for it then are sales documents to sign but I am sure that you could send your agent to collect it....alternatively they could deliver it and the document signing and so on could be done at your house....like naomi said, I am pretty sure that Elton John doesn't turn up at the car showroom unless he wants to.

[ladybirder]

Thank you Dave and Naomi. No, I'm not taking any finance offer. It is simply that the car is 180 miles from where I live but a friend who lives near the garage is going to check it out for me. As friend has two brothers living near me, he would be happy to pick the car up and bring it here and see his brothers at the same time. All good until salesman insisted I had to go myself. I'm wondering if this is the garage's rule and not the law. Even if it is if they won't let me then they won't let me.

[naomi24]

That can’t be right, Ladybirder. Why don’t you give DVLA, or say, the AA or the RAC a call and see if they can advise you - or at least pass you on to someone who can. I don't know what else to suggest. I’ve looked on google and I can’t find anything relating to that.

[Buenchico]

I suspect that what the salesman actually means is "There's a legal reason why we need you to be in the showroom when you make the purchase" (rather than "It's the law that you must be in the showroom when you make the purchase", which isn't quite the same thing).

The dealer CAN sell you the car when you're not present. Neither he nor you would be infringing any laws. HOWEVER, if he does so, the law on 'distance selling' (i.e. the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013) then applies, meaning that you'd acquire the same rights as when purchasing goods online (over and above the rights you'd acquire when buying them in a shop).

Importantly, that would mean that you'd have the right to a full refund if you returned the car within 14 days (even if there was absolutely nothing wrong with it).

So anyone wanting to hire a car, but not wishing to pay anything for doing so, could buy the car, use it for a week or two and then hand it back for a full refund. It's easy to understand why the dealer might not be too happy with that!

[ladybirder]

Thank you for your efforts Naomi and Woofy but it looks as if Chris has the answer. Thanks Chris.

That has made my mind up. I shall find another car. Oh well a new Autotrader is out tomorrow so I'll be busy.

[atalanta]

Last year I bought a new car over the phone. I didn't even see it, or the salesman, until it was delivered to my home. Nobody mentioned anything about seeing me, or about my turning up in person.

[RobNorth]

This outfit may have been affected by timewasters and "buyers" who pulled out at the last minute, prompting them to introduce this rule. There are certainly plenty who advertise taking payment by Visa plus delivery anywhere in the UK. Some of the high end dealers send them a lot further, ie Australia, the USA, M.E. - I dont suppose they need to see the buyer...

[ladybirder]

Just in case anyone is remotely interested, Chris is absolutely right. Consumer Contract Regulations came into force on 13 June 2014. So Atalanta if you are in the UK, because you didn't go and collect the car yourself, you could have driven it around for 14 days and then said you didn't want it and the garage would be forced to take it back and refund you the full purchase amount. That is why sensible garages insist you go in and sign. I notice on eBay there is a notice next to cars for sale which says "customer must collect" and this is the reason. Apparently it came about when a garage sold a car to a buyer they didn't meet and the car broke down in France and the buyer just left it there for the garage to recover. Because the buyers hadn't seen and signed for the car they got all their money back and the garage had to collect the car. The manager at the place I am now buying a car from explained this to me and insists I go in, even though it's over 200 miles away. Fair enough, not their fault I choose to buy from so far away.