A backyard motor vehicle dealer in Rivervale has been fined $8,000 and ordered to pay costs of $756 after pleading guilty in the Perth Magistrates Court on 19 October 2018 to buying and selling vehicles without a licence.

John Salehi had purchased 13 vehicles and sold 12 of them from August 2016 to August 2017 in breach of the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act.

Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard said backyard car dealers are jeopardising consumers’ rights.

“Unlicensed dealers don’t offer warranties on their second-hand vehicles that are required by law, so consumers who have mechanical issues after their purchase from these illegal operators may find it difficult to get any redress,” Mr Hillyard said.

“The vehicles may also be sub-standard in quality and pose a safety risk to the occupants.

“The activities of backyard operators create an uneven playing field and undermine the integrity of the regulation of the industry.

“Consumers should not do any business with unlicensed motor vehicle dealers and report them to Consumer Protection.”

Consumers can check whether a motor vehicle dealer is licensed by doing a search on the Consumer Protection website: www.consumerprotection.wa.gov.au. Unlicensed dealers can be reported by emailing consumer@dmirs.wa.gov.au or by calling 1300 30 40 54.

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Media Contact: Claudine Murphy, (08) 6552 9366 / 0423 846 397/ claudine.murphy@dmirs.wa.gov.au