The competition regulator has warned car traders in counties Cavan and Monaghan about their legal obligation to give “complete and correct information” to consumers when they are selling a car.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) said that authorised officers carried out a series of unannounced inspections on car traders across the two counties this week.

According to the watchdog, this followed a number of complaints made by consumers, who reported that they may have been misled about a car’s history.

“Under consumer protection law, it is an offence for traders to give false, misleading or deceptive information about the history of a car; for example, its mileage, or if the vehicle was previously involved in a crash or recorded as an insurance ‘write-off’,” the CCPC said in a statement.

‘Dangerous and costly’

The regulator pointed out that a car dealer found guilty of such an offence could face a fine of up to €3,000, and up to six months in prison.

CCPC member Úna Butler said that misleading a consumer about the history of a car was “a very serious offence” that could be dangerous, as well as costly.

“Consumers need to be able to rely on accurate information from car dealers about a vehicle’s roadworthiness and its history, particularly its mileage and any damage history,” she said.

The competition body said that it was aware that some traders in the border region might import damaged cars from the North, with a view to repairing them and then selling them on.

“It’s crucial that any trader who chooses to do this does not mislead the consumer about the history of the car. If they do so, they may be in breach of consumer protection law, and the CCPC will use our powers to take enforcement action,” warned Butler.

The regulator also urged consumers to do their own research before they bought a used car.