Should the dealer have told me about a car's ownership history?
I recently purchased an 18 plate used car from a local main dealer. It was an approved used car with a full service history from the dealer and two years manufacturer warranty and other benefits. The car had a mileage of just over 6,000 miles and was in excellent condition throughout with two MOT tests passed with no advisories.
The V5C arrived today and I was surprised, and disappointed, to find that I am the fourth owner. I was delighted with the smooth and efficient handover from whom I consider to be a good main dealer, but I feel a little let down by the non disclosure of the ownership record.
The V5C arrived today and I was surprised, and disappointed, to find that I am the fourth owner. I was delighted with the smooth and efficient handover from whom I consider to be a good main dealer, but I feel a little let down by the non disclosure of the ownership record.
Asked on 12 May 2022 by Norfolk Skoda Fan
Answered by
Dan Powell
If the car has a full service history and faultless MoT record then I wouldn't be too concerned by the number of previous owners it has had.
There can be lots of valid reasons why a four-year-old car has had three previous owners. It's possible the vehicle was registered by the original dealer and used as a demo car or pre-registered so the dealership could meet its monthly sales quota. Sometimes buyers change their minds and return a car because it doesn't meet their needs or fit in their garage, which means it has two registered keepers in a very short period of time.
If the seller claimed it had "had one previous owner" then you may have grounds for recourse with the dealership that sold it to you. However, you would need proof of this in the form of a printed or online advert.
For your consumer rights, see: www.honestjohn.co.uk/how-to-reject-a-car-your-cons.../
There can be lots of valid reasons why a four-year-old car has had three previous owners. It's possible the vehicle was registered by the original dealer and used as a demo car or pre-registered so the dealership could meet its monthly sales quota. Sometimes buyers change their minds and return a car because it doesn't meet their needs or fit in their garage, which means it has two registered keepers in a very short period of time.
If the seller claimed it had "had one previous owner" then you may have grounds for recourse with the dealership that sold it to you. However, you would need proof of this in the form of a printed or online advert.
For your consumer rights, see: www.honestjohn.co.uk/how-to-reject-a-car-your-cons.../
Similar questions
I bought a 2015 Skoda Yeti under Skoda’s approved used scheme. I was not shown the MoT certificate or made aware of any issues before paying for the vehicle. On handover, I saw the MoT certificate, which...
I have just purchased a used 2015 Ford Fiesta from a Peugeot dealership. I know nothing about cars so thought going via a dealership would be safer. I checked the car as much as I could with my limited...
In January I bought a used Audi which I sourced through the Audi website, as it claimed that all vehicles have a service history check and will have a clean, completely transparent record. I have no complaints...
Elsewhere on 
.jpg)
