Dealers to face fines if they don’t tell customers a car is a write-off
Western Australia is enshrining ‘honesty is the best policy’ into law to protect car buyers.
Car dealers in Western Australia will soon be hit with fines of up to $5000 if they do not notify a customer the vehicle they’re buying has been written off.
New regulations are due to come into effect in June requiring dealers to advise customers if a vehicle they are selling has been written off, with high penalties for those who fail to disclose.
From 7 June, WA dealers will have to disclose to prospective buyers if a vehicle less than 15 years old is a repairable write-off. If they don’t, they could be liable for a $2000 penalty, or even face a $5000 fine if they make any false or misleading claims in the paperwork.
As part of the change, dealers must use amended Motor Vehicle Dealers Act (MVDA) forms, which include the addition of the Written Off Vehicle Register (WOVR) status of used vehicles on the Notice of Particulars.
They must also make sure their systems are up to date with the amended legislation.
To best way to check if your car has previously been written off is to input the VIN here. The service applies to cars Australia-wide and costs $2 per search.
While regulations vary across Australia, in Victoria the seller of a vehicle is also legally obliged to disclose to a buyer if the car has ever been written-off – whether or not they ask.
The post Dealers to face fines if they don’t tell customers a car is a write-off appeared first on Drive.
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