Not upheld: unsatisfactory quality of goods - vehicle defects complaint against SECURE TRUST BANK PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY (trading as V12 Vehicle Finance)

Decision detail

Summary

Miss L purchased a used car via hire purchase from STB in November 2024 for £7,499. The nine-year-old vehicle with 36,000+ miles experienced repeated engine misfire problems, breaking down three times between January and September 2025, costing approximately £1,400 in repairs. Miss L sought to reject the car and obtain a refund. STB commissioned an independent engineer who concluded the faults developed after purchase and were not present at supply. The ombudsman did not uphold the complaint, finding the independent engineer's evidence most persuasive and determining that the faults represented maintenance issues on an aged vehicle rather than inherent defects for which STB was responsible.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman applied the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which implies goods must be of satisfactory quality. For faults identified after six months, the consumer must prove the fault was present at supply. The independent engineer's report was deemed the most persuasive evidence as they were independent, qualified, and expert. The engineer concluded the faults developed after sale due to wear and tear on an aged vehicle, not present at point of supply. The ombudsman found the car was durable and the faults represented maintenance rather than inherent defects, therefore STB was not responsible.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website