Motor vehicle dealers and repairers on the South Coast are on notice after dozens of compliance breaches were identified during a recent Fair Trading crackdown.

Fair Trading Minister Virginia Judge said Fair Trading inspectors visited 80 motor vehicle dealers and repairers in Bermagui, Narooma, Moruya and Batemans Bay and discovered 55 breaches at 16 businesses.

“These 16 businesses received on-the-spot penalty infringement notices of $330,” Ms Judge said.

“Two businesses, including an unlicensed dealer, will be subject to ongoing investigation and further action might be taken in this regard.

“Unlicensed dealers can face on-the-spot fines of $5,500 and traders that continue to sell while unlicensed can face up to 12 months in prison and an $11,000 fine for a first offence.”

Ms Judge said the inspection campaign assessed compliance with both the Motor Dealers Act 1974 and the Motor Vehicle Repairers Act 1980.

“The most common breach identified during the campaign was car dealers displaying vehicles for sale without prescribed notices,” she said.

“All second-hand vehicles must display a notice making it clear to potential buyers that it is covered by a statutory warranty and the period of coverage.

“The notices also need to display the age of the vehicle and odometer reading and whether the vehicle is recorded on the Register of Encumbered Vehicles.”

Ms Judge said inspectors also identified a number of businesses that either failed to display business name registration certificates or simply hadn’t registered a business name.

“These are straightforward requirements that ensure consumers are receiving services from qualified and licensed tradespeople,” she said.

“In these instances the consequences of poor documentation or unqualified work can directly affect vehicle and passenger safety.”

Ms Judge said Fair Trading will continue to monitor South Coast motor vehicle dealers and repairers to ensure they are complying with the law.

The compliance requirements for both motor vehicle dealers and repairers are available on the Fair Trading website or by phoning 13 32 20.

Before purchasing a car, consumers should check the Register of Encumbered Vehicles (REVS) at www.revs.nsw.gov.au to check if the car has been:

• reported stolen to the police;
• recorded as de-registered by the RTA due to outstanding fines;
• recorded with the RTA by an insurer as a written-off vehicle; and
• recorded as having possible odometer interference.

The RTA also has a Vehicle History Check that can tell you if a vehicle has previously been written off in NSW or interstate, the number of previous NSW owners, vehicle usage history and much more.

For more information go to www.myRTA.com

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