Drivers have been left out of pocket after a car dealership went out of business.
Customers have told of their frustration – and hundreds of pounds in debts – after the collapse of S W Valley Motor Company in Hirwaun, Aberdare, in South Wales.
The complaints come as Citroen and parent company Stellantis face mounting pressure and criticism from a consumer group for failing owners of cars embroiled in a nationwide ‘stop-drive’ safety recall.
Some 96,000 UK owners of Citroen C3 and DS3 models produced between 2009 and 2019 were informed at the end of June that their vehicles are unsafe due to faulty airbags that recently caused the death of a driver in France.
On June 20, Stellantis UK issued an urgent stop-drive order for these models, telling owners to park them up until the lethal parts could be replaced – and to seek alternative transport in the meantime.
Among those who have been affected is Trisha Walker, who received a letter from Citroen telling her to no longer drive her car because of the new safety fears.
Rather than be left with no mode of transport, she took out a loan to buy a replacement vehicle online – and opted for an offer by SW Valley Motor Company.
But despite handing over a deposit of £750 for the car valued at £1,495, she has told of being left without despite promises from a representative of the firm a month ago.
Ms Walker told ITV News Wales: ‘The following day came and what happened? No car. He said something had come up and he’d delivered it further into the day.
‘I haven’t slept. I’ve gone 26 hours without sleeping because I’m worried about how I’m going to pay the one back. I feel stupid – stupid for trusting people.
‘I’m in debt – one, because of Citroen because we were left stranded as a lot of other people have been left stranded, but also this man has left me further in debt as well.’
Another SW Valley Motor Company client raising concerns after the business’s apparent collapse is Holly Evans, who says she and her partner handed over £2,700 for a car after giving it a test drive.
She told how the vehicle began making a ‘strange noise’ several days later and the garage owner Matthew Peachey agreed to repair it.
Ms Evans said: ‘He took the car and then we never got the car back.
We got the car on June 9, he came and picked it up on the June 16, I think, eventually and we’ve never seen it again.’
She said Mr Peachey had made ‘excuse after excuse’ for why the car had not been returned.
The Daily Mail has attempted to contact SW Valley Motor Company for comment. The firm’s listed phone number is currently not in service.
ITV Wales said Mr Peachey had not responded directly to their questions but had told them of having ‘lost his business despite trying every which way to save it’, with ‘spiralling costs’ making it ‘impossible to keep the business going’.
He is also said to have told of having cars being repossessed and he never ‘set out to cause anybody any upset’, the programme reported.
Lisa Webb, consumer law group for advice group Which?, said: ‘There are some limits to what you can actually do in these cases.
‘But if you do end up handing over your money, the best way to pay in these sorts of circumstances is by credit card.
‘If it’s £100 or more that you’re spending, use a credit card because you do have slightly better protections at getting your money back.’
Amid the recent Citroen problem, its parent firm Stellantis last month told affected drivers to immediately stop driving their cars due to the risk of airbags rupturing in a collision.
The manufacturer highlighted potential dangers of metal shards and shrapnel being fired into the bodies of drivers and passengers.
Owners were urged to contact their dealer – or Stellantis’s recall helpline – to arrange a free airbag replacement.
The Daily Mail has been contacted by owners this week who have told us their cars are not booked in with dealers until October.
And some customers have told Which? they have continued driving their cars despite the safety risks – and the fact it is illegal to do so.
According to information given to the Daily Mail by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), ignoring a stop-drive order or any safety recall could result in legal repercussions.
If involved in an accident, drivers could also face prosecution, fine, penalty points or a driving ban.
Insurers could also refuse claims on the grounds that drivers are responsible for roadworthiness of their vehicles.
Stellantis said all impacted Citroen models should be collected on the back of transporters or truck arranged by dealerships, or that mechanics visit owners’ homes to carry out airbag replacements.
It also informed the Daily Mail that Peugeot garages are now repairing recalled Citroens to accelerate the process, while the RAC – its official breakdown partner – is providing at-home airbag replacements too.
A Stellantis spokesperson said: ‘The company’s focus remains on completing the replacement of airbags in affected vehicles as swiftly as possible.
‘Our Citroen network is fully engaged in maximising the number of cars that can be completed every day and, to increase our repair capacity even further and minimise as much as possible the impact on customers, our Peugeot network is now authorised to replace airbags on these cars in addition to at home options.
‘For each and every customer, we discuss options to support mobility, recognising that every driver has specific requirements. These options include replacement airbags at a dealership or at home, courtesy car, support for other mobility options and recovery. We give priority to those with the most urgent needs.’
A DVSA spokesman also commented: ‘We are working with Citroen to make sure that everyone with these vehicles knows that they can’t use this model of car until the necessary repair work has been carried out.’
A Department for Transport spokesman added: ‘We understand how frustrating these recalls are for those affected.
‘The safety of those drivers and their families remains the Transport Secretary’s top priority. She and the Future of Roads Minister are actively engaging with manufacturers and industry leaders to ensure any disruption is kept to an absolute minimum.’
Your rights if your car is subject to a recall
Consumer lawyer Dean Dunham says: ‘Under the Consumer Rights Act (CRA) goods, including cars, must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described.
‘When a car manufacturer issues a recall or safety notice, it is in effect admitting that the car breaches these obligations and you are entitled to a free remedy.
‘If you purchased the car within the last 30 days, you can exercise what is known as the short-term right to reject under the CRA and hand back the car, but if you purchased it more than 30 days ago, you must give the dealership/manufacturer the opportunity to repair the issue.
‘Consumers also have rights in relation to the amount of time a trader takes to repair or implement any other remedies. The CRA, therefore, provides that repairs/remedies must be made within a ‘reasonable amount of time’ and without significant inconvenience to the consumer.
‘Here, the dealerships/manufacturer will get away with the time element (as they will argue this is simply how long it takes) but, in my view, will fall foul of the inconvenience element if the repair time creeps into several weeks.
‘This could give rise to a valid claim for: i) compensation to cover the inconvenience; ii) a demand for a courtesy car; or even iii) a full refund, as section 24(5)(C) of the CRA provides that you can hand goods back and ask for a refund if a repair is not carried out within a reasonable time and/or you suffer significant inconvenience.
‘However, the trader can make a deduction for the use of the car you’ve already enjoyed, and this can be a significant sum. The manufacturer will carry out the necessary repair regardless of when you purchased the vehicle.
‘Finally, I’ve seen lots of people claiming that you will have no rights if you purchased the vehicle 6 or more years ago, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or five years in Scotland. This is not entirely correct.
‘The manufacturer will carry out the necessary repair regardless of when you purchased the vehicle.
‘It is therefore only if you want to bring court proceedings (for the likes of an injury caused linked to the faulty car or for an inconvenience claim) when the timing of your purchase matters and even then, there’s a fall-back limitation period of three years from the date you found out that the goods were faulty (which here will be the date of the safety recall notice).
‘So if the car was bought more than six years ago, but the you only became aware of the issue in the last three years, you may still be able to bring a claim.’
