10:53 am, January 26, 2017
A NOTTINGHAMSHIRE car dealer has been ordered to pay more than £5,000 by magistrates after treating customers unfairly and denying them refunds and compensation.
Andrew Ostolski, of Heathfield Way, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to seven offences against the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 as director of QMC Limited on Bradder Way.
QMC Limited pleaded guilty to four offences against the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and one offence against the Road Traffic Act 1988. The company also received a fine of £750.
Mansfield magistrates heard that the dealership refused to refund deposits to two customers in December 2015 and January 2016, including a female customer who was subject to aggressive behaviour when she requested her money back.
In August 2016, the dealership sold a Ford Focus that was not fit for purpose as it broke down on its first journey from the garage and no refund or replacement was offered to the customer after the garage collected the car.
Furthermore, the dealership sold a Vauxhall Astra which had faults and refused the buyer a refund – the car was found to be unroadworthy after independent examiners inspected it.
Councillor Glynn Gilfoyle, chair of Nottinghamshire County Council’s community safety committee, said: ‘This dealer used threats and intimidation to customers who had genuine problems with the vehicles he sold them, refused to refund deposits and in one case took the car back and left the customer out of pocket, which is wholly unacceptable.
‘The major concern is that he sold a car that was found to be unroadworthy, so justice has been served and the dealer will now have to compensate affected customers and pay fines.’
Ostolski was ordered to pay a total of £2,790 in compensation, court costs of £1,672 and a £700 fine.
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