Cars FAQs

Next steps to help resolve your issue: 

• Do your checks to prove the seller is a car dealer/business and not a private seller.
• Contact them to resolve the problem.
• If you discover you purchased the car from a disguised trader, report the issue to the CCPC and the Gardai.
• Make a formal complaint in writing, explaining the issue and how you want them to remedy, and tell them you have reported this to the CCPC and the Gardai.
• If the matter remains unresolved and if the cost of repairing the car is less than €2,000, you can lodge a claim through the Small claims procedure.
• If the repair cost exceeds €2,000, you may need private legal advice to resolve the issue.     

You do not have the same consumer rights if you buy a car from another consumer. Because of this you should be very careful when buying from a private seller. It is crucial you be aware of what you’re buying, or get an expert to check it out before you buy.

If something goes wrong after you buy from another individual, your options may be limited beyond taking a civil case through the courts.

When you buy a new or second-hand car under car finance, be it a Personal Contract Plan or Hire Purchase, your contract is with the car finance company and not the car dealer. 

This means the finance company is responsible for any issues or faults with the car, even though the garage supplied the car to you.

The finance company must ensure that the car is fit for purpose and durable. This means the car should work for a reasonable time with normal use. The car must match what you ordered and the information in any advert for it.

If this is not the case, the finance company is responsible for providing repairs or replacing the car. If these are not possible or attempts at repair have not fixed the issue or if there is a serious issue with the car, you can seek to cancel your contract and look for a refund.

If the issues arise within 30 days of delivery of the car, and if you don’t want to seek a repair or replacement, you have the right to immediately cancel the contract, return the car and get a refund for any payments made.

Next steps to help resolve your issue: 

• Contact the car dealership and the finance company
• You should discuss the issue(s) with the car dealership and make a formal complaint to them in writing
• Make a formal complaint to the finance company as they are the legal owner of the car and let them know you have also contacted the car dealership
• If the issue is not resolved within an acceptable timeframe or in a satisfactory manner, contact the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO)
• The FSPO decides if they can deal with your complaint, and weighs up the evidence from you and your financial institution or broker, and recommends a solution
• They may give you compensation if you have suffered financial or other loss

Any decision made by the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman is binding on you and the financial services firm. 

If the options above do not resolve your issue and you wish to pursue the matter further, you can seek independent legal advice.

It depends on who you bought it from.  

• If you buy from a dealer, you have some protection under consumer law.
• If you buy privately, you do not have the same consumer rights.
• If you bought from a car dealership, it is an offence for a car dealer not to give you important information such as if a car has been clocked or previously crashed, or to give false, misleading or deceptive information about the history of the car they are selling.

Next steps to help resolve your issue: 

• Report the issue to the CCPC through our contact us page and to the Gardai.
• Contact the car dealership to discuss how you would like to remedy, and let them know you have reported the issue to the CCPC and the Gardai.
• The CCPC’s role is to investigate and prevent car crime in the State. If we investigate your complaint and the case goes to court, you will be acting as a witness in the CCPC’s case. The CCPC is not taking the case on your behalf.
• If the car dealership does not remedy the issue, you can take your own legal action to pursue them. Make sure you let the CCPC know of your legal action.
• Ensure you provide as much evidence as possible, for example, invoices, correspondence, details of any adverts or descriptions given when you bought it.

You have rights to a repair, replacement or refund for faulty goods.

Goods should be fit for purpose and should work for a reasonable amount of time. It’s important to note that the car dealer where you bought the car has obligations to you under consumer law regardless of whether any guarantee or warranty has expired.

In your case, you should go back to the garage and ask them to resolve the issue. Where you are unable to resolve the issue with the garage, we suggest that you follow up by sending a written complaint detailing the fault and how you would like them to resolve the issue.

If the garage doesn’t respond to your satisfaction, you have a few options:

• You could contact the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), if the garage is a member. They have a complaint service that you may be able to use
• If the issue is less than €2,000 in value, you could lodge a claim through the Small Claims Procedure.
• Where the issue has a higher value than the Small Claims Procedure limit of €2000, you may need to seek independent legal advice.

Whether you buy a new or second-hand car, your rights are the same. When you buy a car, the garage must ensure that it is fit for purpose and is durable. The car must match what you ordered and accurately reflect the information in any advertising for the car. The car must also work without issues for a reasonable amount of time. For a used car, the quality should reflect its age and price.

If this is not the case, the garage must repair or replace the car.  If this is not possible or attempts at repair have not fixed the issue or if there is a serious issue with the car, you can seek to cancel your contract (the purchase/sale) and look for a refund. 

If the issue arises within 30 days of delivery of the car, you can look to cancel the contract (purchase/sale) without having to accept a repair or replacement.

Next steps to help resolve your issue: 

• Contact the garage to discuss the issue(s)
• If they do not agree to immediately resolve the issue(s) to your satisfaction, write to them to make a formal complaint, outlining the issue and how you would like them to resolve it. 
• If the matter remains unresolved and the cost of repair is less than €2,000, you can take a case against the garage using the Small Claims Procedure.
• If the car dealership does not remedy the issue, you should take your own legal action to pursue them.