How to Reject a Faulty Used Car Under the 30 Day Rule

• If you bought a used car from a dealer and it has a fault that was there at the time of sale, you can reject it for a full refund within 30 days of purchase.
• After 30 days you are usually limited to a repair, a replacement or a partial refund, and after six months you have to prove the fault was there at delivery.
• Contact the dealer straight away, photograph the fault, keep every message and get any verbal promise in writing. Private sales have far less protection.

Faulty Used Car From a Dealer: Your Right to Reject, Step by Step

If a used car you bought from a dealer turns out to be faulty in its first 30 days, you can generally reject it and get a full refund, as long as the fault was present when you bought it. Autotrader puts it this way: you can reject goods within 30 days of purchase if a fault is discovered that was present at the time of sale. After day 30 the rules move to repair or replacement, and after six months the burden of proof moves onto you. So the first month is when you have the most power, and what you do in it decides most outcomes.

This guide walks through the 30 day right, what happens if you miss it, how the six month and six year limits work, how finance and card payments change who is responsible, and what to do when the dealer says no. It does not apply to private sales, which sit outside most of these protections, and it is general information rather than legal advice.

What the Law Says a Dealer Must Sell You

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, MoneyHelper says cars sold by dealers must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. Autotrader adds that the Act covers purchases made on or after 1 October 2015, with earlier purchases falling under the Sale of Goods Act. For a used car, Autotrader says the vehicle’s condition should match its age, price and mileage, and that its condition and performance should be reasonable.

That wording is the test for older, cheaper cars. A 12 year old car with high mileage is not expected to perform like a nearly new one, and normal wear and tear is not a fault. MoneyHelper says normal wear and tear does not count. A gearbox that fails in week two, a warning light that was hidden at the sale, or an engine that overheats on the first long drive are the sort of problems the right to reject is for.

The 30 Day Right to Reject

MoneyHelper says most faults allow a full refund within 30 days of purchase, and that this short-term right to reject ends after 30 days. Autotrader says refunds are typically processed within 14 days. The practical point is that the 30 days is a deadline for telling the dealer you reject the car, not for finishing the argument. Write to them inside the window, say you are rejecting the car for a fault that was present at the time of sale, and say what the fault is.

Do it by email or letter so there is a record, and phone as well if you like. MoneyHelper advises contacting the dealer as soon as you notice a problem, keeping records and getting any verbal agreements in writing. Autotrader’s checklist is similar: document the fault with photos and the date and time, keep records of all conversations, and understand any repair costs before you agree to anything.

Stop driving the car if the fault makes it unsafe, and do not pay for repairs elsewhere before the dealer has seen it. A repair done by another garage gives the dealer an argument that you changed the car. Keep the receipt for anything you do pay for, and send the dealer the invoice if you later need to claim it back.

After 30 Days: Repair, Replacement or a Partial Refund

MoneyHelper says that after 30 days you are generally limited to a repair, a replacement or a partial refund. Autotrader says faults found between 30 days and six months can be met with a repair or replacement request, and that dealers are only given one attempt to fix the issue or must provide a refund. That one repair attempt is a useful marker. If the same fault comes back after the dealer has tried to fix it, you can ask for your money back rather than a second repair.

Past six months, Autotrader says it is up to you to prove that the fault existed at the time of delivery. In practice that means an independent inspection report, such as one from an engineer who can say the failure is not caused by how you drove or looked after the car. MoneyHelper says you can still return a car for up to six years after purchase, or five years from first noticing the problem in Scotland, but proving a fault gets harder over time. MoneyHelper also says you must give the dealer your reasons for rejection in writing within six months of delivery, so put your complaint in writing early.

If You Paid by Finance or Card

How you paid changes who you can pursue. MoneyHelper says that with hire purchase, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and the Consumer Rights Act 2015 apply, and the finance provider, not the dealer, is legally responsible for problems. If you paid all or part of the cost by credit card, the card company and the trader might be jointly responsible under Section 75. If you paid by debit card, Section 75 does not apply, but you might be able to claim through the voluntary chargeback scheme, usually within 120 days of noticing the problem, though claims can take a while.

So if the dealer ignores you, a letter to the finance company or the credit card provider can move things faster than a fourth phone call to the showroom. Send them your written rejection, the photos and your evidence of the fault, and keep copies.

Private Sales, Auctions and Online Purchases

Private sales are riskier. Autotrader says your rights under the Consumer Rights Act only apply to vehicles bought from a registered trader. MoneyHelper says a private seller’s car must match the description, be roadworthy and be legally owned by the seller, and that you are responsible for checking that it is of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose before you buy. It also warns of traders posing as private sellers, so check whether the same phone number is advertising several cars.

Auctions vary. MoneyHelper says live auctions might offer no Consumer Rights Act protection and cars might be sold as seen, so check the terms before you bid, as bids are binding. For online auctions where the seller is a dealer, it says the Sale of Goods Act applies and, under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, you can cancel within 14 days. Autotrader also mentions a 14 day cooling-off period under those regulations for distance purchases.

When the Dealer Says No

A dealer does not always accept a rejection first time, so do not be put off by a first no. MoneyHelper suggests contacting the manufacturer’s customer relations department, which might mediate. It also points to Resolver, a free online complaints service and app, and to Citizens Advice, which has a tool that identifies your rights from your purchase date and seller type. The Motor Ombudsman is suggested for further advice. GOV.UK lists the Citizens Advice consumer helpline for England and Wales as 0808 223 1133.

Keep the escalation in order: written rejection to the dealer, a reply deadline of a week or two, then the finance or card provider, then Resolver or the Motor Ombudsman. A calm paper trail beats a long argument, and it is the evidence you would need if you later go to a small claims court. Start the clock today if the car is inside its first 30 days, and photograph the fault before the next drive.

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Sources:

• MoneyHelper: Your rights if something is wrong with your car
• Autotrader: Consumer Rights Act 2015 for used and new cars (2025 update) | Autotrader
• GOV.UK: Consumer rights