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Motor trade tops league of consumer credit licences refused or revoked by OFT

PN 70/02      29 October 2002

The motor trade tops the league of consumer credit licences refused or revoked by the OFT, accounting for nearly half of all adverse determinations so far this year.

The OFT refused or revoked 39 licences between January and September 2002, 18 of which involved motor dealers or vehicle repair and rental companies, with financial services coming in second with nine adverse determinations. [See notes 5 and 6 for full list.]

Under the Consumer Credit Act 1974, businesses that offer consumer credit or hire must have a consumer credit licence. The OFT has a duty to protect the interests of consumers by monitoring the fitness of those holding and applying for licences.

In considering fitness the OFT takes into account a number of factors including:

• any offence or conviction carried out by the business or anyone involved in running the business
• failure to comply with the provisions of the Consumer Credit Act or other consumer protection legislation
• consumer complaints
• evidence of unfair business practices
• evidence of discrimination on grounds of sex, colour, race or ethnic/national origin.

Some of the offences taken into consideration in the refusal or revocation of licences this year have included 'clocking' car odometers, falsifying documents, supplying vehicles with false trade descriptions, receiving stolen goods and causing actual bodily harm.

John Vickers, Director General of Fair Trading, said:

'Consumers need protection from unfit traders. If there is proper evidence that consumer credit licence holders are involved in unfair trading practices, the OFT will revoke their licences.'

Licences were refused in respect of:

• nine motor dealer and repair companies
• five financial services providers
• three home improvement and repair traders
• one debt collection and credit reference agency
• one white goods retailer
• one computer retailer
• one property company
• one beds retailer
• one dating agency.

Licences were revoked in respect of:

• nine motor dealers and vehicle rental companies
• five financial service providers
• one funeral services company
• one home improvements company.

NOTES

1. The Consumer Credit Act 1974 requires most businesses that offer goods or services on credit or lend money or are involved in activities relating to credit or hire to be licensed by the OFT.

2. The OFT can refuse or revoke a licence if it decides that a trader is not fit to hold one.

3. An adverse determination (a refusal to grant a licence or the revocation of an existing licence) can be appealed to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

4. The Consumer Credit Public Register is maintained by the OFT. The register documents traders that hold a licence and any action taken against them. It also details traders that have applied for a licence. Enquiries can be made to the Consumer Credit Licensing Bureau on 020 7211 8608.

5. Full details of applications for licences and applications to renew licences that were refused between January and September 2002 are as follows:

Robert Thomlinson Charters, motor dealer, Wigton, Cheshire – consumer credit licence number was 491997
CP Motor Company Limited, motor dealer, Pontypridd, Mid-Glamorgan - 499635
Anthony Bruce Willgress and Lynn Elizabeth Ann Willgress, motor dealer, Bristol - 504045
Dorian Lee Gordon, motor dealer, Derby - 510474
Neil Russell Gregg and Jane Amanda Gale, motor dealer, Bungay, Suffolk - 487825
Joanne Robinson, secondhand motor dealer, Southampton - 487705
Joseph Robinson, secondhand motor dealer, Southampton - 485215
Kevin John Burrows, motor dealer and LPG gas fitter, Dudley, West Midlands - 499003
Auto Engineering Ltd, motor vehicle repairs, Leeds - 506979
Harvil Shaw, financial services, Atherstone, Warwickshire - 484495
Yorkshire Financial Ltd, financial services, Rotherham, South Yorkshire - 510214
Richard James Kershaw, financial services, Manchester - 506834
Mustaali Nurbhai, financial services, Manchester - 203418
Andrew Thomas Wild, financial services, Leicester - 487003
Omega Legal Services (Worldwide) Limited, debt collection/credit reference agency, Liverpool - 498118
Michael John Palin, paving installer, Warrington, Cheshire - 488673
Plumbfast Services Ltd, plumbing, Wanstead, London - 456950
Gary Woodington, central heating, Methyr Tydfil, Mid Glamorgan - 509154
Paul Bedford, washing machine retailer, Bradford - 514561
Paul David Mitty, computer retailer, Liverpool - 505580
Aidan John Corbett, property, Warrington, Cheshire - 492954
David Charles Berwick, bed retailer, Liverpool - 504655
Ibrahim Shevket, dating services, London - 362808

6. Full details of licences revoked between January and September 2002 are as follows:

Terence Muritt, motor dealer, Catford, London - 210845
Gregory William Coe, motor dealer, London - 308467
Michael Patrick Bateson, motor dealer, Blackheath, London - 455052
Glenn Marcus White, secondhand motor dealer, Rackheath, Norfolk - 453327
Adrian Edward Cousins, secondhand motor dealer, Newport, Isle of Wight - 147340
Economy Drive (Great Yarmouth) Ltd, vehicle rental, Great Yarmouth - 466084
Christopher Stubbs, financial services, Oaken, South Staffordshire - 231901
Thames Valley Finance Ltd, financial services, Reading, Berkshire - 456276
Anthony Andrew Burke, financial services, Bristol - 298512
Declan Patrick Tighe, financial services, Macclesfield, Cheshire - 306668
Louis Jerome Crawley, funeral services, Nottingham - 463348
Michael William Bonar, home improvements, Stockton on Tees - 488769

7. Full details of licensees who have lodged an appeal against the decision to revoke, or to refuse to renew, their licences are as follows (licences are valid until the appeal has been decided):
Martin Marsh, motor dealer, Salisbury, Wiltshire - 384878
Andrew Christopher Harrison-Smith, motor dealer, Peterborough - 409327
HNT Motors Ltd, motor dealer, London - 480009
Glenis Joy Wild, financial services, Leicester - 200229

8. In this press release the functions of the Director General of Fair Trading (DGFT) under the Act are for simplicity described as the functions of 'the OFT'. The Enterprise Bill proposes to replace the office of the DGFT with the OFT, to which would be transferred the DGFT's functions.

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