The same car can come with very different protection depending on who sells it to you. Knowing your rights before you buy helps you decide how much checking to do and where to buy.
Buying from a dealer
When you buy from a business, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies. The car must be:
- of satisfactory quality, taking into account its age, mileage and price;
- fit for purpose, including any purpose you told the dealer about;
- as described in the advert and by the salesperson.
If it isn't, you have these remedies:
- Within 30 days: you can reject the car for a full refund.
- Within 6 months: the dealer gets one chance to repair or replace it. If that fails, you can ask for a refund, although the dealer may deduct an amount for the use you've had. In this period it is assumed the fault was there when you bought the car, unless the dealer proves otherwise.
- After 6 months: you can still claim, but you need to show the fault was there at the time of sale.
If you buy from a dealer online or by phone without visiting, you usually also have 14 days to cancel under the distance selling rules.
Buying from a private seller
Private sales give you much less protection. The car must be as described, and the seller must have the right to sell it. There's no requirement for it to be of satisfactory quality. If the seller said “one owner, full service history” and that was false, you may have a claim; if a fault simply appears later, you usually don't.
“Sold as seen” doesn't remove the need for the description to be accurate, but it makes it harder to argue about the car's condition. That's why checks and an inspection matter so much in a private sale.
Beware of traders pretending to be private sellers
Some traders advertise as private sellers to avoid their legal duties. Warning signs: several cars for sale from the same phone number, a seller who isn't named on the V5C, or someone who meets you away from their home. If a trader poses as a private seller, you still have your full consumer rights.
Buying at auction
At auction, your rights depend on the auction's terms and can be very limited, especially for cars sold “as seen”. Read the terms before bidding.
Whoever you buy from, check the history
No law makes a seller responsible for finance they didn't mention if they simply disappear. Check for outstanding finance, theft and write-offs before you pay, and get a written receipt with the seller's details.
Key points
- Dealers must sell cars of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described.
- Private sellers only have to describe the car accurately and have the right to sell it.
- For help with a dispute, contact Citizens Advice. See our questions to ask a seller.