Warning overrise in dodgy used-car dealers
Watchdog reports 63pc jump in complaints as more sellers use unscrupulous sales tactics
Complaints to the Consumer Council about used-car purchases have jumped 63 per cent in the first eight months of the year, to 39 cases.
The consumer watchdog said yesterday that some sellers had clearly violated the Trade Descriptions Ordinance. But since the violations took place before the ordinance came into effect in July, the complaints could not be pursued under the new rules.
Professor Michael Hui King-man, chairman of the council's publicity and community relations committee, said the figures showed that more car sellers were adopting unscrupulous sales tactics.
"But it may also be because more people have become aware of their rights through the efforts of the council," he said.
In one case, a man interested in a HK$650,000 used car exchanged text messages with the seller. He signed a provisional sales agreement and paid a 10 per cent deposit, only to find that what was supposed to be a second-hand car was in fact a third-hand car.
The man also ended up having to spend HK$63,000 to repair different parts of the car.