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Claim to a dealer for a faulty used car (Scotland)
Scotland · in English · for consumers
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For a consumer in Scotland 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 full refund within 30 days of delivery, a repair or replacement, or, after a failed repair, a refund or a price reduction. It is a letter before action: 14 days to reply, then a claim in the sheriff court (simple procedure up to £5,000). On hire purchase, send it to the finance company. Not for a private sale.
- Made for use in Scotland
- 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 dealer in Scotland broke down within weeks and you want your money back.
- The garage that sold you the car says the fault is normal wear and will not fix it.
- The dealer's repair did not work and the same fault has come back.
- You want to put your complaint about a faulty second-hand car from a Scottish 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
- Can I still reject a faulty used car bought from a dealer in Scotland after 30 days?
- After 30 days the dealer first gets one chance to repair or replace the car. If that fails, takes too long or causes you significant inconvenience, you can reject it for a refund or keep it with a price reduction (section 24 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which applies across the UK). For a car, the dealer may deduct an amount for the use you have had, even within the first six months, which it may not do for most other goods.
- Must I prove that the car was faulty when the Scottish dealer sold it?
- Not at first. For a repair or replacement, a price reduction or the final right to reject, a fault that shows up within six months of delivery is taken to have been there at delivery unless the dealer proves otherwise (section 19(14) and (15) of the Consumer Rights Act 2015). After six months you need to show it, often with an independent inspection report. Normal wear for the car's age and mileage is not a fault.
- What can I do in Scotland if the dealer ignores this letter?
- Free help first: consumeradvice.scot, Scotland's consumer advice service, can advise and pass the case to Trading Standards, and if the dealer is accredited by The Motor Ombudsman, its free dispute service is another route. Otherwise you can raise a claim in the sheriff court: simple procedure for up to £5,000, ordinary cause above. Most such claims prescribe — are lost — five years after they arise (Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973, s 6).
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
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