Coution when buying used

[waffler]

In April 2003 we bought a 1997 Elddis Whirlwind 300 for "top book value", with 12 months warranty from a non-franchised dealer. In Feb 2004 when we traded it in for a new Bailey we found it was not only damp but the entire rear wall was rotten- estimate to repair £3000. The original dealer ignored my letters and in the end I took him to County Court and he paid 3 days before the hearing. The hoffifying thing is that he submitted papers to the court that he had repaired the van for £300, (yes £300) and had sold it again for top book price £5200. Someone has that rotten caravan without knowing it. By the way, trading standards had insufficient evidence to prosecute, and the warranty company had gone bankrupt.

Message is: take care when buying from non-franchised dealers.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Chris, Well done for sticking up for your rights, and winning. Whilst it is of little solace for you, it may be of general interest that changes in consumer law have very much strengthened a consumers rights, even when dealing with second hand goods. "EU regulations place the onus on the dealer to ensure there are no inherent gremlins" (quote from the Walsall Observer Jan 7th 2005), and the article goes on to imply that this also applies to second hand goods.