"We absolutely pride ourselves on our quality service and overwhelmingly our customers are satisfied, which is reflected in the fact that many of them are repeat customers," a spokesperson said. What The Code Covers Mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI) Service contracts (guarantees/extended warranties) Roadside assistance MOT insurance Tyre insurance The warranty coverscars under10 years old and that have travelled fewerthan 160,000 kilometres. "We encourage anyone who has an issue with a new or used motor car trader to contact Consumer Affairs Victoriawho will investigate.". The screen splits in two horizontally. Contractor and hirer disputes about the transport of goods in a vehicle or motorised harvesting of forest products: $168.20 if the claim is over $15000. Have you made a complaint to the organisation already? This page will direct you to information around written-off vehicles. Independent. The Victorian Ombudsman logo appears, accompanied by text: Free. At around 7:00 a.m., police were . A smartphone, computer and letter appear, illustrating the different ways to contact the Ombudsmans office. Graphics illustrate the further limitations on the Ombudsmans jurisdiction: Narrator: If youre not sure what to do next, get in touch and well try to point you in the right direction. First of all, you need to give the business the chance to sort things out before bringing your complaint to us. The apprentice landscaper paid a small deposit, and with the help of his mother obtained finance for the remaining cost of the 2012 vehicle, paying back around $100 a week. your name, address and day-time phone number, dates, places, times, and names of people, details of any phone conversations and meetings. "The way to help families quickly is with a dedicated ombudsman for motor vehicles who can help get Victorians on the move," said Ms Clarke. The Motor Ombudsman is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, is a member of the Ombudsman Association, and works closely with the following professional bodies. Running a business making vegan desserts, Pushkar Gogia needs a refrigerated van to distribute his goods across Melbourne. If you're making a complaint and you give us your name and contact details, we may forward them on to another person or organisation. Complaints that are complex can take longer before we make a final decision. When you get in touch, you will need the following to hand: Well review the information you have provided to check that it is something we can help with. In WA the same shorter warranty applies to cars no more than 12 years old. It's always better to see if they can resolve your problem first. Tim McKenzie with the 2008 Holden Omega he bought from Automax in 2019. Get the inside story on our investigations into consumer rip-offs and bad business practices. The Motor Ombudsman is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, is a member of the Ombudsman Association, and works closely with the following professional bodies. The Australian Automotive Dealer Association does notbelieve a new automotive ombudsman would be any better equipped to handle disputes than existing authorities. The 33-year-old labourer had paid more than $30,000 for the vehicle using finance. It was quite easy to get the money, but it made me more in debt.". In Victoria's regional, rural and outer metro areas that lack public transport, including our rural Koori communities, cars are essential. All public organisations should have procedures to respond to complaints. He spent around $24,000 to buy a second-hand vehicle from Automax in 2020. Narrator: Head to ombudsman.vic.gov.au for more details. "I didn't think that was good so we organised a tow truck to get it sent to the mechanic.". Step 1: Tell us what has happened We receive your complaint and acknowledge it within 5 business days. The Motor Ombudsman is the automotive dispute resolution body. ? Find out more about fact-checking at CHOICE. How to save money on car insurance. The Motor Ombudsman 71 Great Peter Street, London, SW1P 2BN, United Kingdom Accessibility If there's anything we can do to help you access our service, please get in touch with us using the contact details above. Tens of thousands of pigs and buffalo pegged for mass culls in Kakadu, in bid to curb feral animals, Barb has been boating around her outback station for months but she's not complaining, Why this 'quiet' 1970s farmhouse has been added to the NSW heritage list. In June 2020, the engine suffered a catastrophic failure that required it to be replaced. Narrator: Well assess your complaint and decide on a course of action. method of purchase (e.g. Prospecting; Contact & Company Search. We receive your complaint and acknowledge it within 5 business days. "I can't make ends meet at the moment I am really stressed out about everything, everyday.". The ABC has spoken to two other Automax customers who are struggling to make ends meet after using finance to buy a car from the dealer, only to have the vehicle break down soon after. Before you submit a dispute to us, firstly please ensure you have taken a look at the information about our process on the resolve a dispute page. Stay informed. But dealerships that don't honour those rights leave customers like Tim and David with little hope for a remedy. The bottom half shows a magnifying glass and the text: INVESTIGATE. We sent questions to the state minister for consumer affairs Melissa Horne, asking about the potential creation of a body and whether she thinks the current VCAT system is working well for customers with car disputes. We care about accuracy. Ms Moon said the whole process with Consumer Affairs Victoria and then VCAT hadbeen incredibly stressful and "took over our lives". If you're unsure, we can talk to you about what outcomes may be possible. The person in the hotline booth makes a call, which is answered by an employee at the Ombudsmans office. "People can tend to just give up because it's too expensive [to go through VCAT] and either deal with a car with defects that might be dangerous, or spend more on another vehicle or go without," he says. Narrator: You can complain to us about something an agency did or didnt do, or a decision it made. Checked for accuracy by our qualified fact-checkers and verifiers. In a statement, Automax said when Mr Wilson's car broke down they requested the vehicle back to investigate what happened but that he declined their offer. And you don't have to be an Australian citizen. We apologise for the inconvenience. Running a business making vegan desserts, Pushkar Gogia needs a refrigerated van to distribute his goods across Melbourne. But this means we won't be able to get in touch with you for more details or to let you know the outcome of your complaint. The website is replaced by text displaying the Ombudsmans public email address, phone number and office address: "complaints@ombudsman.vic.gov.au(03) 9613 6222Level 2, 570 Bourke Street, MelbourneCome See Us!. cash, credit card, EFTPOS). When Tim McKenzie first bought a 2008 Holden Omega from a used car dealership in Melbourne in 2019, he was excited to have a shiny new vehicle to drive. Our CTSI-approved Codes of Practice offer businesses clear-cut customer service expectations. If you do not want your name or details passed on, you should request this at the time of making your complaint. Prospecting; Contact & Company Search. State Government of Victoria (Consumer Affairs Victoria), Menu options for Consumer Affairs Victoria, Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) website, name and contact number of the person you dealt with. Learn more about the investigation process. Four weeks (28 days) is usually a reasonable length of time in which to receive an answer to a non-urgent complaint. A person looks dissatisfied with the agencys response to their complaint. Can I complain on behalf of someone else? Narrator: If you think youve been treated unfairly, the first step is to try and resolve your problem with the agency. "Most people give up and the car dealers know that," she said. The person keeps running directly into a telephone booth which is labelled Victorian Ombudsman HOTLINE. But he had issues with the vehicle straight away on the drive from Melbourne back to his home in Canberra. If you're reporting improper conduct , your identity is kept confidential. Get in touch with them to explain whats happened and let them know how you would like things to be put right. "We want our industry to be clean,"CEO James Voortman said. Next, he went to Consumer Affairs Victoria, who tried to help before advising Mr Gogia to go to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). "I can't afford to go on holidays, I now have the worst credit rating, I can't go to the bank to get a loan, I can't do anything.". "I think it's an example of how the current system doesn't incentivise car dealers to play ball," Senior Policy Offer Brigette Rose said. We provide a directory of recommended UK garages providing car servicing, car repairs, MOTs, tyres, exhausts and more. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/consumer-group-calls-for-motor-vehicle-ombudsman-to-resolve-seco/101677508, These engineers break their silenceafterdecade of criticism over2011 Queensland flood handling. March 1, 2023, Press Releases The family has backed calls for a motor vehicle ombudsman to help people who buy a second-hand car that breaks down shortly after purchase. When CALC ran a VCAT case for a client, the legal costs were estimated at more than $30,000 for an $8,000 vehicle claim, Mr Brody said, adding that around 30 per cent of calls to CALC's legal advice lines about consumer guarantees related to defective cars. These include a town hall, prison cell, Parliament House, a school, vehicles, drivers licence, pets, trees and roads. $2k ambulance fee despite never stepping inside an ambulance. CHOICE supports the First Nations people's Uluru Statement from the Heart. Please note that we have recently updated our form to make it easier to complete. If we do not intend to take further action on your complaint, we will explain why. Tim McKenzie says he feels stuck with his lemon vehicle now and has thought about going to VCAT, but isn't sure the time and energy will lead to a successful outcome. Financial Legal Rights Centre, which runs Indigenous debt help line Mob Strong,backs calls for an ombudsman. Through an arrangement offered at the dealership in partnership with Latitude Finance, Tim ended up owing about $14,000 on a car that cost less than $8000 without the financing. Submit a dispute. If you're not happy with their response and the issue continues to affect you, we may be able to help. However, there is no fast, affordable, and effective way to resolve disputes, consumer advocates say. In most states or territories, when you have a disagreement with a car dealer about your rights you need to go to a civil and administrative tribunal to resolve the dispute. Consumer Affairs Victoria told us it received more than 2500 enquiries and complaints related to used car sales in 202021. and a complaint that must be dealt with by a court or tribunal. name@example.com). You don't have to be aged over 18. Choice is also calling for tribunals to be able to issue penalties to car dealerships that do the wrong thing. Acknowledge your complaint; tell you who is dealing with your complaint; and give you their contact details - within 10 business days. The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) provides personal injury insurance, it does not cover any property damage. The Victorian Ombudsman pays respect to First Nation custodians of Country throughout Victoria. You can find more information about our opening hours here. We only investigate less than 10% of complaints we receive. The dealer quoted Mr Moon more than $10,000 for repairs. Deal with most straight-forward complaints - within 30 days. What do I do if my new car turns out to be a lemon? Did you know there are multiple ombudsmen? If you are unhappy with the outcome, ask the organisation what appeal rights are available to you. If there is a degree of urgency involved, let them know this and explain why. Use this online form if you need further assistance after being unable to resolve your problem with a business (including Victorian motor car traders and debt collectors) using the information on our website. "It shouldn't be so complex that you need to have become a mechanic and become a lawyer to put a case forward.". We acknowledge their sovereignty was never ceded. This is under the Motor Car Traders Act 1986. An internet browser containing the Victorian Ombudsmans website URL appears. Consumer guarantees, damage to rented vehicles, credit card deductions, how to protect yourself. Motocross rider dies after falling from bike at Victoria's Wonthaggi Motocross Track, Police shoot man dead after being called to reported domestic violence incident in Sydney's south west, China should pursue 'peaceful reunification' to resolve 'Taiwan question', premier tells parliament. We help raise standards across the industry and step in to resolve disputes if things go wrong. No practical or meaningful outcome can be achieved. "We're delivering to our customers, and the van just sort of died," he said. If you think youve been treated wrongly by a Victorian public organisation, we can see if your problem can be fixed.