HPI stepped forward when Trading Standards needed additional evidence to help convict a used car clocker, in a recent Crown Court case. HPI’s valuations service was used to show the resale value of the clocked vehicles at the lower and higher mileage figures. The defendant, Zahirul Islam, 30, from London (formerly Northampton) pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay £4,600 in compensation to the purchaser. This case highlights the risks of clocking with dealers found selling a clocked car risking their reputation, as well as legal repercussions, making it an issue they can’t ignore.
The case concerned the advertising and sale of two clocked cars, one of which was purchased by an unsuspecting consumer. The mileages on both vehicles had been significantly reduced and the HPI valuations service revealed that the consumer had paid £4,600 more than the vehicle was worth, considering its true mileage.
Mr Islam pleaded guilty, after a long investigation. He was sentenced to 20 weeks imprisonment for each offence, suspended for two years, plus 200 hours of unpaid work. In addition, he was ordered to pay the costs of the case, totalling £1,628, plus compensation of £4,600 to the consumer who purchased the vehicle.
“This case highlights the length some vendors will go to, to make a fast profit, but it also confirms that Trading Standards is determined not to let the fraudsters get away with it,” says Phil Peace, Operations Director of HPI. “We are delighted to assist in closing the net on clocking and urge dealers to take steps to protect themselves.
“Unwittingly part exchanging a clocked car is a very real risk for retailers. With the tools to adjust mileages so easily available on the web, consumers are just as likely to be clocking cars as unscrupulous traders, doubling the danger to dealers. The Office of Fair Trading clearly states that mileage disclaimers are not enough and to meet due diligence you must prove you have done everything in your power to validate a car’s mileage.”
HPI’s National Mileage Register contains over 160 million mileage records, covering vehicles of all ages, dating as far back as 1992, including mileage readings for vehicles less than three years old. In addition, HPI’s range of valuations services, drawing from Market Values, Deltapoint, CAP Black Book + and Glasses, offer an added level of protection. Quick, easy and accurate valuations not only help dealers to price stock correctly for resale but enables them to spot if the trade in price truly reflects the vehicles age and condition.
Peace concludes, “This conviction was a great result and should serve as a warning to anyone thinking about clocking vehicles. It should also be a wakeup call for dealers who don’t conduct all the right checks and leave the reputation of their business to chance. A sound mileage verification strategy which is backed by a thorough investigations process is not only best practice but can provide dealers with a sound legal defence.”
Leave a Reply