Woman fined $13k for illegal trading
A woman has been fined $13,000 after being found guilty of one charge of carrying on the business of motor-vehicle trading without being registered.
The conviction at Auckland District Court for breaching the Motor Vehicle Sales Act (MVSA) follows an investigation by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Jessie Gettins was before the courts for similar offending in 2016 having been found guilty of unregistered trading for which she was fined $18,000. She was also at one stage a registered dealer, so she was “well aware of the requirements”.
Duncan Connor, registrar of motor-vehicle traders, says: “Gettins sold 11 vehicles in 12 months. Individuals can sell up to six in 12 months without being required to register.”
Car dealers have to be assessed as being suitable before being registered, and must comply with obligations under the MVSA, Consumer Guarantees Act and Fair Trading Act. These obligations offer greater protection to consumers.
Connor says Facebook Marketplace is a common platform for unregistered people to sell vehicles. He adds: “Consumers should take precautions when purchasing vehicles from people online. Precautions may include organising a pre-purchase check and inspection to identify any money owing or mechanical issues.”
Consumers can check whether the person they are buying from is a bone-fide car dealer by accessing the public register online at motortraders.govt.nz.
Under section 95 of the MVSA, it’s an offence to sell more than six vehicles in a 12-month period. Those found breaking the law can face fines of up to $50,000 for an individual or $200,000 for a company. As of April 30, there were 2,860 registered car dealers.
