3:29 pm, July 29, 2026
Used car supermarket group Trade Centre UK has responded after a BBC investigation highlighted complaints from customers.
Car buyers claimed they had been sold ‘faulty cars’ and ‘experienced difficulties’ obtaining repairs or refunds.
The broadcaster reported allegations from motorists who bought vehicles from the used car supermarket’s Coventry and Wednesbury branches, with some claiming their cars developed serious faults ‘within weeks of purchase’.
According to the BBC, one customer said her vehicle broke down less than two weeks after collection, while another claimed he had been left without his car for two months while repairs were carried out.
In a statement provided to the BBC, Trade Centre Group said it ‘strongly refutes any suggestion that we sell faulty vehicles or fail to meet our obligations to customers’.
The car dealer added: ‘Every vehicle undergoes a comprehensive inspection and pre-sale preparation.
‘Where concerns are raised they are investigated in a timely manner and handled in accordance with customers’ statutory rights.
‘While we recognise that a small number of customers can sometimes be dissatisfied with their experience, we take these cases very seriously and remain committed to resolving concerns fairly and responsibly.
‘These isolated cases are in no way reflective of the vast majority of our customers.’
The BBC also reported that disgruntled customers had staged protests outside the company’s Wednesbury dealership.
Warwickshire Trading Standards told the BBC that the used car market is ‘among the most complained about sectors by consumers in the UK’ and confirmed it receives complaints about car dealers and garages, including Trade Centre UK.
However, the authority added that no regulatory action had been taken against the used car supermarket.
A spokesperson said complaint information is analysed to help identify traders that present the greatest risk to consumers, with enforcement action taken where appropriate.
The BBC also reported that Sandwell Council confirmed its Trading Standards team was aware of and investigating complaints raised by consumers.
The scrutiny comes after Trade Centre Group reported a sharp turnaround in its financial performance.
Latest accounts filed at Companies House showed the Neath-based business returned to profit in the year to November 30, 2025, posting a pre-tax profit of £6.2m compared with a loss of £5.4m the previous year.
Turnover rose to a record £283.4m, while adjusted EBITDA climbed to £9.2m as improving used car market conditions and the company’s transformation plan boosted profitability.
The group, which operates sites under The Trade Centre UK brand across the UK said at the time it had benefited from a more stable used car market.