Northern Ireland car dealer: no spare keys

Bob_Ireland

Hi Everyone,

I need advice please I don't know what to do

I recently bought car from a dealer in Northern Ireland. The ad said two keys are included with the car. He promised me that the spare key was with the leasing company he imported the car from and he'd send it on to me once he got it from them. 2 months later I'm still trying to get in contact with him. Not replying to calls , emails or texts. When I eventually get through he makes up excuses.

I made sure to keep onto him, so three weeks ago he said he has the keys at home with him. He's been too busy and unwell to send them down. Now he's fed up with me contacting him and he said if I want the keys I will have to drive up and collect them. The drive is 3 hrs for me which he is well aware of. He's being very unreasonable, what can I do, he wont post them in fear that they'll get lost even with registered post. I feel like there's nothing I can do. I know if I call up to him he won't be there. I was quoted 329 for a new set, If anyone has advice please help


Bob.

rex-x

He doesn't have the keys and he never had the keys and just wants you to go away

Atlantic Dawn

Hopefully you did a history check on the car.

Bob_Ireland

I understand that he wants nothing to do with me now, but it was a misleading advertisement I believe is against the law. I have the advertisement saved for evidence.

Bob_Ireland

I did a history check and everything was in order

Donal55

Bob_Ireland wrote: »

I understand that he wants nothing to do with me now, but it was a misleading advertisement I believe is against the law. I have the advertisement saved for evidence.

It'll probably be cheaper to drive the three hours than take a case against this dealer.

Del2005

Bob_Ireland wrote: »

I understand that he wants nothing to do with me now, but it was a misleading advertisement I believe is against the law. I have the advertisement saved for evidence.

You need to contact Trading Standards in NI for complaints, I've no idea what the law in the UK is.

Contact these to see what your rights are
http://www.eccireland.ie

The good thing about the UK is that they have an effective method of recovering money if you get a judgement in your favour.

Atlantic Dawn

If he won't send them by registered post he 100% does not have them, you would be wasting your time driving up. The keys would be worthless to him, he would have no reason to hold on to them if he had them.

Bob_Ireland

Yes I know, but I suspect when I arrive he won't show up or happen to be out of town.

Car99

Bob_Ireland wrote: »

Hi Everyone,

I need advice please I don't know what to do

I recently bought car from a dealer in Northern Ireland. The ad said two keys are included with the car. He promised me that the spare key was with the leasing company he imported the car from and he'd send it on to me once he got it from them. 2 months later I'm still trying to get in contact with him. Not replying to calls , emails or texts. When I eventually get through he makes up excuses.

I made sure to keep onto him, so three weeks ago he said he has the keys at home with him. He's been too busy and unwell to send them down. Now he's fed up with me contacting him and he said if I want the keys I will have to drive up and collect them. The drive is 3 hrs for me which he is well aware of. He's being very unreasonable, what can I do, he wont post them in fear that they'll get lost even with registered post. I feel like there's nothing I can do. I know if I call up to him he won't be there. I was quoted 329 for a new set, If anyone has advice please help


Bob.

He doesnt care , Just buy a new set and save yourself the hassle, lesson learned move on. Life's too short.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

+1, drop it. Waste of effort.

rex-x

Car99 wrote: »

He doesnt care , Just buy a new set and save yourself the hassle, lesson learned move on. Life's too short.

If it was me I would be kicking in the door of his house looking for keys/money, people only get away with things like this because of people who roll over and accept it

Atlantic Dawn

Take the direct approach in that you go up to him on saturday which is possibly his busiest day of the week and cause a scene, don't leave until you get the keys or cash to buy keys. This may be a bad idea if he is a dodgy dealer.

Ginger83

Car99 wrote: »

He doesnt care , Just buy a new set and save yourself the hassle, lesson learned move on. Life's too short.

Agree to drive up but if you dont get the key take a case against the garage for the cost of news keys and also your time/cost for travelling up.

I wonder could you hand the car back stating not as advertised?

Ginger83

rex-x wrote: »

If it was me I would be kicking in the door of his house looking for keys/money, people only get away with things like this because of people who roll over and accept it

I agree, certainly wouldn't leave it

Bob_Ireland

Thanks Del2005, I'll make sure to contact them and see what my rights are

Irish_rat

Fraud is a bit of a misleading headline.

Bob_Ireland

I don't want them to get away with it either, these people need to be taught a lesson.

Seth Brundle

rex-x wrote: »

If it was me I would be kicking in the door of his house looking for keys/money, people only get away with things like this because of people who roll over and accept it

You would kick in his door?
How would that scenario play out then?

Bob_Ireland wrote: »

I don't want them to get away with it either, these people need to be taught a lesson.

How would you teach them a lesson?
For the sake of a hundred quid or whatever getting a new key, you'd have paid for a wasted trip up north or from dealing with a solicitor or whatever.
As was said earlier, life is too short. You should just suck it up and move on. Any other avenue will just be money wasted and/or stress.

Kristopherus

Bob_Ireland wrote: »

I don't want them to get away with it either, these people need to be taught a lesson.

If you do travel up to him, make sure you bring a friend or two, as witnesses, if nothing else.

the_pen_turner

get a friend to ring and arange to view a different car, that wat he will be there when you go.

elperello

Please don't go starting any trouble where you don't know the the lay of the land. You will be a long way from home.

Better to follow the advice of the ec people in the link given by a previous poster. They are very knowledgeable and helpful.

You may be able to get a spare key cloned by a locksmith.

road_high

Typical of these blonkers once they get your cash...

Atlantic Dawn

Is he an accredited member of any dealer network or a main dealer where you could complain to their organisation?

hannible the cannible

Lol at the hysterics

rex-x

kbannon wrote: »

You would kick in his door?
How would that scenario play out then?

You know the door kicking is a figure of speech, if he wasn't playing ball with a personal visit to his garage his house would be my next stop, some people only understand a certain type of treatment and allowing people to get away with things is one of the biggest problems with modern society

BettePorter

rex-x wrote:

He doesn't have the keys and he never had the keys and just wants you to go away

I dunno..... wouldnt it be easier to say the importer hadn't sent them on rather than say u had them in ur house. Why prolong the issue. He could just be a Dick who cant be arsed posting them and now wants to put u out by making u come north for them cause u bothering him. I'd level with him and say look .... if I have to drive 3 hours to find u don't have them I'm gonna cause all kinds of trouble for u via every avenue I can ..... so if u don't have them just be honest and say u don't have them. Otherwise I'm coming up and ill sleep in my car til I get them or until every neighbour you have knows why I'm there.

Seth Brundle

rex-x wrote: »

You know the door kicking is a figure of speech, if he wasn't playing ball with a personal visit to his garage his house would be my next stop, some people only understand a certain type of treatment and allowing people to get away with things is one of the biggest problems with modern society

So kicking down his door actually means going up there only for him to tell yis to f*ck off before slamming said door in your face and the only opportunity for getting revenge is by ringing his doorbell before running away?
Excellent plan indeed!

Bob_Ireland

After ringing the Consumer Line in Northern Ireland, I was given some great advice.
Following the Consumer Act of 2015, I was told to send him a letter that outlines an ultimatum. Either he provides the keys to me by sending them down by post, or I purchase a set of keys from a dealership and bill him for it. If this doesn't resolve the issue I'm to contact Consumer Line again, the next step would be to bring him to small claims court, hopefully it will be sorted before it gets to this stage.

mgbgt1978

Bob_Ireland wrote: »

<snip>I was quoted 329 for a new set, If anyone has advice please help <snip>
Bob.

kbannon wrote: »

<snip>
For the sake of a hundred quid or whatever getting a new key, you'd have paid for a wasted trip up north or from dealing with a solicitor or whatever. <snip>

In fairness, a big difference between €100 and €329.
At €100 I'd move on and sort it out myself....but at €330 I'd be doing my best to extract the cost from the seller (who did say he had the spare key to begin with).

MarkR

Bob_Ireland wrote: »

After ringing the Consumer Line in Northern Ireland, I was given some great advice.
Following the Consumer Act of 2015, I was told to send him a letter that outlines an ultimatum. Either he provides the keys to me by sending them down by post, or I purchase a set of keys from a dealership and bill him for it. If this doesn't resolve the issue I'm to contact Consumer Line again, the next step would be to bring him to small claims court, hopefully it will be sorted before it gets to this stage.

Very good. Let us know how you get on.