Carmarthenshire rogue dealers targetted
Illegal Car Dealers and rogue traders were targeted by Carmarthenshire’s Trading Standards Services team and other agencies in a joint initiative known as Operation Rogue Trader.
Offenders who sell vehicles on public ground and lay-bys throughout the county were targeted due to the increasing number of complaints alleging the sale of unsafe and clocked vehicles.
Many of the sellers in question hide behind a smoke screen purporting to be members of the public, when in fact they are dealers. By doing so dealers attempt to side step current consumer legislation designed to protect members of the public. Purchasing goods from a trader gives the public greater rights if things go wrong than if they were bought from a private individual.
Traders selling cars by the roadside and not declaring themselves as such are not only deceiving their customers but are also trading unfairly as they have less overheads and are not paying rates.
Additionally, some of the sites being used are dangerous as the vehicles cause a distraction for road users, obscure visibility at junctions and block lay-bys intended for motorists to use to take a break. Vehicles which are discovered to be unsafe, clocked or being sold by dealer purporting to be a member of the public are liable for seizure and immediate removal, along with the prosecution of the offenders.
Carmarthenshire Trading Standards Services along with Dyfed Powys Police carried out patrols of the county in order to detect such practices. They are now investigating matters raised after stopping about 40 vehicles and speaking to a similar number of people by the roadside or at their addresses.
Area environmental enforcement officer Paul Morris, from the council’s technical services department, said that the issue was also being handled under the Dyfed Act, which allows the council to remove vehicles from designated areas of land and charge £120 for their return, and under the Clean Neighbourhoods Act, which prohibits people from offering two vehicles for sale on the road within 500m of each other.
Executive board member for housing and public protection Cllr Hugh Evans said: “It is important that we ensure that members of the public are not denied their legal rights and protection by traders passing themselves off as members of the public making a private sale.”
Members of the public are asked if they are aware of such sellers or have fallen foul of these practices to contact Carmarthenshire Trading Standards Services on 01267 234567.
Offenders who sell vehicles on public ground and lay-bys throughout the county were targeted due to the increasing number of complaints alleging the sale of unsafe and clocked vehicles.
Many of the sellers in question hide behind a smoke screen purporting to be members of the public, when in fact they are dealers. By doing so dealers attempt to side step current consumer legislation designed to protect members of the public. Purchasing goods from a trader gives the public greater rights if things go wrong than if they were bought from a private individual.
Traders selling cars by the roadside and not declaring themselves as such are not only deceiving their customers but are also trading unfairly as they have less overheads and are not paying rates.
Additionally, some of the sites being used are dangerous as the vehicles cause a distraction for road users, obscure visibility at junctions and block lay-bys intended for motorists to use to take a break. Vehicles which are discovered to be unsafe, clocked or being sold by dealer purporting to be a member of the public are liable for seizure and immediate removal, along with the prosecution of the offenders.
Carmarthenshire Trading Standards Services along with Dyfed Powys Police carried out patrols of the county in order to detect such practices. They are now investigating matters raised after stopping about 40 vehicles and speaking to a similar number of people by the roadside or at their addresses.
Area environmental enforcement officer Paul Morris, from the council’s technical services department, said that the issue was also being handled under the Dyfed Act, which allows the council to remove vehicles from designated areas of land and charge £120 for their return, and under the Clean Neighbourhoods Act, which prohibits people from offering two vehicles for sale on the road within 500m of each other.
Executive board member for housing and public protection Cllr Hugh Evans said: “It is important that we ensure that members of the public are not denied their legal rights and protection by traders passing themselves off as members of the public making a private sale.”
Members of the public are asked if they are aware of such sellers or have fallen foul of these practices to contact Carmarthenshire Trading Standards Services on 01267 234567.
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