Some second-hand car dealers are flouting the law, according to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), the UK’s consumer and competition authority.

The OFT has identified some problems in the £24 billion second-hand car dealer market and has vowed to crackdown on the law breakers.

Relevant regulation is adequate but more has to be done to ensure dealers are aware of the law and customers are aware of their rights, according to the OFT, which aims to make markets work well for consumers.

Dealers who do not comply with the law will face the threat of enforcement action from Trading Standards or the OFT.

The majority of used car faults come about within the first three months after purchase, which suggests that many may not be of a satisfactory quality when they are sold, which makes the repairs the responsibility of the dealer, the OFT report said.

However, nearly 30 per cent of buyers surveyed said they had contacted their dealer about the problem and they were not rectified.

The result of this is that customers who have experienced problems have spent an estimated £425 each on repairs to faults that the dealer was obliged to correct.

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