Thursday 14 May 2026
The Directorate General of Consumer Protection in North Al Batinah Governorate, represented by the Department of Consumer Services and Market Surveillance, successfully reached an amicable settlement between a vehicle dealership and a consumer, whereby an amount of OMR 10,000 was refunded. This comes as part of the Authority’s ongoing efforts to resolve complaints and reports submitted by consumers through amicable means.
The details of the settlement date back to the Directorate receiving a complaint from a consumer against a vehicle dealership regarding the presence of rust in the lower part of the vehicle and in the rear seat handles, only half an hour after receiving the new vehicle from the dealership. On the same day of delivery, the consumer returned the vehicle to the dealership, which responded that all vehicles manufactured from iron may contain rust defects. In accordance with the procedures followed by the Directorate, the concerned officials at the dealership were summoned and the subject matter of the complaint was discussed with them. Upon their acknowledgment of the defect, and due to the consumer’s desire to recover the vehicle’s value, an agreement was reached to refund the amount of OMR 10,000 to the consumer, representing the value of the vehicle.
It is worth noting that the statutory warranty, pursuant to Article (16) of the Consumer Protection Law promulgated by Royal Decree No. (66/2014), grants the consumer the right, within fifteen days from the date of purchasing any goods — except perishable consumer goods — to replace or return the goods and recover their value if the goods are found to be defective, provided that proof of purchase from the same supplier is presented, and that the defect is not a result of the consumer’s misuse of the goods.