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Claim to a dealer for a faulty used car (Northern Ireland)
Northern Ireland · in English · for consumers
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For a consumer in Northern Ireland who bought a used car from a dealer and found a fault. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the car must be of satisfactory quality for its age, mileage and price, and as described. The letter describes the fault and asks for the remedy you choose: rejection and a refund within 30 days of delivery, a repair or replacement, or, after a failed repair, a refund or a price reduction. It gives 14 days, then a claim in the county court — a small claim up to £5,000. Not for a private sale.
- Made for use in Northern Ireland
- Last updated October 29, 2026
- Document in English
Where a UK document reproduces the words of legislation or of a government publication — UK, Scottish or Northern Irish — it contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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When to use this document
- The used car you bought from a garage in Northern Ireland broke down within weeks.
- The dealer keeps promising to fix the gearbox but nothing happens.
- The car had a repair already and the same fault has come back.
- You want your money back, or a proper repair, from the dealer in writing.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Your full name
- Your address (flat, house number and street)
- Town or city
- Your postcode
- Date
- Dealer's business name (or the finance company's)
- Dealer's address, with postcode
- Vehicle registration number (number plate)
- Date of purchase
- Price
- Date the goods were received
- Make and model
- Odometer reading
- Invoice or order number
- Date the fault appeared
- The fault, and how it shows itself (warning lights, noises, mechanic's findings)
- Repairs or replacements already tried, with dates
- The remedy you ask for
- Amount you claim (£, figure only)
- Attachments
Common questions
- Where can I get free help with a faulty car bought from a dealer in Northern Ireland?
- Consumerline, the Trading Standards Service’s helpline for Northern Ireland, gives free advice and can take up a complaint about a trader. If the dealer belongs to a trade body or a dispute scheme, its free service is another route. A claim for breach of contract can be brought within six years (Article 4 of the Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989), but act quickly: the 30-day right to reject and the six-month presumption about the fault both run from delivery.
- After 30 days, can I still hand a faulty used car back to a dealer in Northern Ireland?
- The dealer first gets one chance to repair or replace the car. If that fails, or takes too long, you can reject it for a refund or keep it with a price reduction (section 24 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015). For a car, the dealer may deduct an amount for the use you have had, even in the first six months, which it may not do for most other goods.
- What happens if the dealer ignores the letter for 14 days?
- You can make a claim in the county court. A claim of £5,000 or less is heard as a small claim, informally, by a district judge, and nidirect explains how to start one and the fee. A larger claim is brought in the county court in the usual way. If you win and the dealer still does not pay, the Enforcement of Judgments Office enforces the judgment, for a fee.
How you can sign this document
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