Thursday 25 July 2024
As part of the continuous efforts exerted by the Consumer Protection Authority (CPA) in Muscat Governorate to resolve complaints and reports received amicably, the Complaints Department at CPA reached an amicable settlement between a consumer and a car dealership.
The details of the complaint is as follows;- a consumer has purchased a new vehicle from a car dealership in Muscat Governorate and paid its full value OMR95,500. Few days later, he noted several malfunctions such as air conditioning issues, air leakage from doors and windows, and abnormal sounds coming from the brakes. Accordingly, the consumer went to the concerned employees in the agency and briefed them on the malfunctions. Although the technicians at the agency checked and tried to repair the vehicle, the malfunctions persisted.
Afterwards, the consumer submitted his complaint to the CPA, which started its legal procedures and discussed the complaint with the concerned parties in the agency. The agency officials expressed readiness to reach an amicable solution that includes the return of the vehicle by the dealership, a deduction of OMR 13,500 to account for depreciation and procedural costs, a waiver of further claims, and the payment of expert fees. Notably, the dealership committed to refunding OMR 82,000 to the consumer. This is because the defects appeared within the legal period specified in Article (16) of the Consumer Protection Law. This articles states that "the consumer has the right to replace or return the commodity and recover its value without any additional cost within 15 days from the date of receipt of the commodity if the commodity is defective or does not conform to the standard specifications or the purpose for which it was contracted,."
The CPA emphasizes the importance of suppliers complying with consumer protection laws and fulfilling their obligations to safeguard the rights and safety of consumers when providing goods or services. Furthermore, the CPA stresses the necessity of ensuring the safety of vehicles through comprehensive technical inspections before sale to prevent post-purchase issues or defects..