Banned trader cops fine

A former motor vehicle dealer from Auckland has been convicted and fined after admitting to selling cars while being banned from doing so.

Warwick Keith Nelson Taylor was charged after a Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) investigation found he sold eight vehicles to unsuspecting buyers in the eight months to February 26, 2021, despite knowing he was banned. 

Taylor pleaded guilty to the charge at Auckland District Court on March 11 this year and was ordered to pay a fine of $3,500.

In 2019, he was convicted on four charges of selling vehicles while being unregistered.

After Taylor’s latest penalty, Duncan Connor, the registrar of motor vehicle traders, has highlighted that the Motor Vehicle Sales Act 2003 (MVSA) has provisions to protect the public when they purchase a motor vehicle. 

Consumers have better protection when they purchase a car from a registered motor trader, he notes.

“MBIE will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute those that deliberately breach the MVSA and I strongly encourage anyone considering purchasing a car to check whether the person or company they are purchasing from is a registered motor vehicle trader on the online register,” explains Connor.

“Buyers are at a greater risk purchasing from unregistered traders. If issues with their new vehicle become apparent, they may struggle to resolve their issue or secure a refund given they did not buy from a reputable source. 

“Buying from an unregistered motor vehicle trader also means buyers are not able to settle any issues via the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal.”

He adds that if consumers or registered motor vehicle traders know of individuals acting unlawfully by trading while unregistered or banned, they can report such behaviour using an online complaint form at the Motor Vehicle Traders Register website.