Car dealer fined for poor service

Charles Hurst Toyota management blamed human error

A Belfast car dealership has been fined £2,000 for charging a customer for a service which was not carried out.

Management of Charles Hurst Toyota pleaded guilty to two charges under the Trade Descriptions Act.

The prosecution was brought by Trading Standards after Newcastle man Donal McComish left his car at the Boucher Road-based dealership.

He had marked engine filters to check if they were changed. The work was not carried out, but he was billed for it.

Mr McComish told Radio Ulster's Evening Extra he had taken a day off work to bring his car in for its 40,000-mile service.

"I had previously marked the air and fuel filters to make sure the work had been done, but when I checked I saw that my marks were still there," he said.

I think we've got something like 600,000 customer transactions a year - it doesn't mean to say what happened was right but it's important to keep this in context Andy Bruce Charles Hurst managing director

"I went in to get the bill which was something like £275, and on the bill were charges for these filters."

He said he was also billed for the fitting of a new rear windscreen wiper, even though his car did not have one.

"I asked to see the manager, and he went back into an office - he immediately took the bill off me and came back with a reduced bill for £175, saying there was a mix-up between the service and the receptionist and they had made a mistake."

He said a few weeks later he was offered £50 off his next car service, but he was not happy about his treatment and contacted Trading Standards.

Customers whose cars are still under a manufacturers warranty should remember they are not tied to the specific dealer who supplied the vehicle Alison Gilchrist Trading Standards

The firm's managing director Andy Bruce apologised to Mr McComish and blamed human error.

"I think we've got something like 600,000 customer transactions a year - it doesn't mean to say what happened was right but it's important to keep this in context," he said.

"I'd like to think it was a one-off, and we'll certainly review procedures and try to tighten up to make sure this doesn't happen again."

Trading Standards spokeswoman Alison Gilchrist said many consumers were vulnerable when it comes to car servicing.

"The consumer completely relies on the diligence of the trader to ensure the car is fully serviced," she said.

"Customers whose cars are still under a manufacturers warranty should remember they are not tied to the specific dealer who supplied the vehicle, they can use any authorised workshop."