9:18 am, November 14, 2024
A car dealer from Fermanagh has been ordered to repay almost £24,000 after selling an Aberdeenshire couple the ‘wrong’ caravan.
Sophie Davidson and Michael Law spotted the Hobby touring caravan when it was advertised by Braeside Car Sales in May 2024.
After satisfying themselves that it was a legitimate business, they contacted the firm and were introduced to director, Adrian Carron.
According to The Impartial Reporter, the couple said they would definitely be interested and sent a £1,000 deposit to secure the van.
‘[We] did the bank transfer then he went a bit quiet,’ Davidson told the paper. ‘Then, a week or so later we were discussing arrangements for getting over to Scotland and he would take it on ferry and we would pick it up at Cairnryan. He would go on the ferry at Larne and we would pick it up at Cairnryan.
‘He documented the date, the time then said would need the balance paid in full before he would take it over on the ferry. That’s when it all started.’
The newspaper reports that the couple were sent a video of the outside of a caravan that was supposedly what they were getting. Davidson claimed there was then a period of silence and ‘excuses’.
‘He just kept coming up with excuses,’ she told the Reporter. ‘He wasn’t returning calls, he was always with a customer, always on a test drive, never replying to messages.’
The couple finally took matters into their own hands and drove through the night to collect missing caravan – but it turned out not to be the one in the video.
‘It was only when we took it home to Scotland, the next day I was looking at it,’ she added. ‘This is not the caravan he sold us in the video, this is a completely different caravan and it’s really obvious in the videos.’
Differences between the two caravans included a different microwave, shower head and hubcaps, as well as broken door handles and various marks and damage.
‘It’s so obvious it’s a completely dud, wrecked caravan he gave us,’ added Davidson.
After no contact from Carron, the pair returned the caravan and left it at the dealership, requesting a full refund. When the money was not forthcoming, a solicitor and Trading Standards were brought in.
A writ was issued on behalf of Michael in the High Court in Belfast on August 29 against Braeside Car Sales which gave the business 14 days to respond to.
This was not done and on October 11 a judgement was made ordering Braeside Car Sales to repay £23,972.21.
A letter to Braeside from the couple’s solicitor on October 18 informing Carron of the judgement was also sent, but the money has not yet been paid.
Braeside Car Sales Limited’s Companies House page currently show an active proposal to have the outfit struck off and its accounts are overdue.
