I have bought a vehicle that has developed mould - can I reject it?
I bought a second hand 3 year old car for £17k from a national main dealer. After 2 months it developed damp and mould. I am disabled with a medical condition where mould spores severely affect my condition. The dealer has claimed to have fixed the problem, my insurer's legal help has stated I need to get the car back and get an independent inspection with a mould/damp specialist to inspect it. If mould or damp are still present, I can reject the car under the consumer rights act 2015. The dealer is refusing to accept or provide proof that the damp was there at the point of sale. any other suggested solutions would be welcome?
Asked on 18 February 2026 by Gareth Edwards
Answered by
David Ross
We would suggest asking your insurer for a list of their preferred independent vehicle inspectors, as this should make the process more straightforward. If they require a specialist in damp or mould problems rather than vehicles to provide a suitable report this may be more difficult to find, as the majority of firms will be rectifying this problem rather than creating reports and will be used to inspecting buildings. We would suggest searching online for damp specialists in your area and contacting them to ask if they can inspect and identify the mould in your vehicle.
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