The exact same fault gives you very different rights depending on one detail: who you bought the car from.
If you bought from a dealer: the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies
The car must be of satisfactory quality (accounting for its age, price and mileage), fit for purpose, and as described. Three tiers of protection follow a fault:
- Within 30 days: the short-term right to reject — return the car for a full refund, no need to give the dealer a chance to repair first.
- Day 31 to 6 months: the dealer gets one attempt to repair or replace (their choice). Faults in this window are presumed to have existed at purchase — the burden is on the dealer to prove otherwise.
- After 6 months: you can still request a repair or refund, but the burden shifts to you to show the fault was present at the time of sale.
If you bought privately: a much narrower set of rights
Private sales fall largely outside the Consumer Rights Act's "satisfactory quality" and "fitness for purpose" protections — the "buyer beware" principle applies. What still applies: the car must match its description, and the seller must not misrepresent it (for example, lying about accident history, previous owners, or service records). If a private seller knowingly misdescribed the car, that's a misrepresentation claim, not a Consumer Rights Act claim — a different legal route with a different evidence burden.
Building your case either way
Regardless of seller type, the evidence you gather is what determines the outcome: the original advert and any claims made in it, dated messages, an independent diagnostic report describing the fault and when it likely arose, and every receipt or communication from the point you raised the issue. Escalate in writing first — many disputes never need to go further than a well-documented letter.
Sources
- MoneyHelper — Your rights if something is wrong with your car
- gov.uk — Consumer Rights Act 2015 guidance
Related Kibbo Tools
- Vehicle Purchase & Warranty Complaint Generator — draft the formal complaint with the right legal basis for your seller type.
- Car Dealer Dispute & Evidence Pack — organise every piece of evidence before you escalate.