British consumers who choose to buy a car nowadays can benefit from new protections giving them more power when making this important purchase. These protections apply to new and used vehicles alike and will not only impact purchases but also repairs, covering things such as wiring looms and other crucial components.
This is thanks to the Consumer Rights Act, which was given the seal of approval by politicians in March this year and has just come into force.
Power to the people
Car buyersl now have 30 days within which to initiate an outright rejection of any vehicle they have purchased as a result of a mechanical flaw or fault that has developed in the interim.
Individuals or businesses that sold the car to a consumer will also be liable for any faults or damage that arise from the result of software updates, meaning that it is not only the mechanical elements of a car that will be covered by the legislative changes.
If repairs to a car are not successful after a single attempt is made by the seller to address the issue, consumers can get a replacement vehicle or even a full refund of their initial investment. Until now most organisations in the motoring industry have been operating under a system that affords them up to three attempts to make repairs if something goes awry.
With prices fluctuating and scandals still haunting the industry, restoring buyer confidence could be an important element. The changes to the industry in terms of carbon emissions and the transferring from petrol and diesel vehicles over to electric will also have a significant impact. This will both affect buying behaviours and also the need for Tank decommissioning companies such as http://www.ashremediation.co.uk/tank-decommissioning to remove the fuel tankers from petrol stations and depots.
Read between the lines
Industry expert Gerry Taylor said that the act was really about clarifying the powers that are available to consumers when buying a car rather than making any major alterations to the balance of the industry, according to Auto Express.
Some observers have expressed concern about the scrapping of the Vehicle Identity Check, which previously helped to pinpoint insurance write-offs that have been made roadworthy again; however, this has been overshadowed somewhat by the new Consumer Rights Act and the changes that this has enforced across the UK.
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