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Do distance selling regulations apply if I didn't see a car before buying it?
I purchased a car, without seeing it, over the telephone. The garage selling the vehicle said that they do not practice 'distance selling' but agreed to send me a video, after which I accepted the car and paid for it. Delivery was free. I was under the impression that if no physical contact was made at any time during the buying process, this constituted a 'distance contract' - whereby a 14 day period was available for me to return the vehicle and reclaim a full refund, subject to the car being in the same condition as when delivered. The garage are now saying that this was not a 'distance selling' contract and no such return rights are available to me unless I either sell it back to them at commercial rates or buy another of their vehicles. How do I stand on this legally?
Asked on 28 May 2020 by lawrence Carmalt
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If you have not set foot on the dealer's premises during the purchase or collection of the vehicle (and all the paperwork was completed by e-mail) then it is classed as a distance sale. If you visited the dealer to sign a document or pay a deposit then it will not qualify as a distance sale, because you have physically visited the premises.
Tags:
distance selling
legal issues
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