A Neath based car dealer and care home manager has been fined for selling an un-roadworthy and mis-described car.
Mr Ryan Harris of Cilfrew, Neath, had been a trader before becoming the sole Director of RH Auto Group Limited, based at Neath Abbey, Neath. Mr Harris sold a “dangerous and un-roadworthy vehicle” to a consumer.
The consumer, who was 19 when she bought the car, drove the car home from Neath Abbey to West Wales. Having concerns about the amount of tread on the tyres, she took the car to her local garage who told her it was unsafe and that it should not be driven.
The vehicle was found to have been “clocked”. The MOT dated the 25th of April 2016 recorded a mileage of 219,417, but the MOT dated the 9th of February 2017 recorded a mileage of 95,514.
An independent Trading Standards vehicle examiner found 26 defects on the car. In his report, he said: “The combined effect of the defects found with the vehicle was a recipe for disaster placing both the user and other road users in danger”
Ryan Harris had previously run a company called Abbey Autos Limited. It was when he was with this company that Trading Standards visited him and advised him on selling properly described and roadworthy cars.
At the hearing at Swansea Magistrates Court, on the 24th of September 2019, Ryan Harris pleaded guilty to two breaches of Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, and a breach of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 and fined £990, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council was awarded costs of £945 and a victim surcharge of £33, totalling £1,968.00. The victim has been reimbursed.
Cllr Leanne Jones, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Community Safety said:
“Cars are the second biggest purchase any of us will make. Consumers should expect the vehicle they are purchasing to be accurately described and above all, safe”
“The department won’t tolerate car dealers or any traders who take short cuts or ignore their obligations in providing safe goods and consequently risk people’s lives”
“The service is promoting and rolling out a national trading standards run trader approval scheme called ‘Buy With Confidence’. Legitimate and responsible traders are encouraged to make enquiries with the department to join the scheme. Consumers should check the ‘Buy with Confidence’ website for approved traders, although it is early days we expect membership to grow”.
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Mae gwerthwr ceir a rheolwr cartref gofal o Gastell-nedd wedi cael dirwy am werthu car nad oedd yn ffit i fod ar yr heol ac a gafwyd ei gamddisgrifio.
Roedd Mr Ryan Harris o Gil-ffriw, Castell-nedd, wedi bod yn fasnachwr cyn dod yn unig Gyfarwyddwr RH Auto Group Limited, a leolir ym Mynachlog Nedd. Gwerthodd Mr Harris “gerbyd peryglus ac anghymwys i fod ar y ffordd” i gwsmer. Fe wnaeth y cwsmer, a oedd yn 19 oed pan brynodd y car, yrru’r car adref o’r garej werthu ym Mynachlog Nedd i orllewin Cymru. Ar ôl dangos gofid am gyn lleied o ddyfnder oedd ar y teiars, aeth â’r car at garej leol iddi, a ddywedodd wrthi nad oedd yn ddiogel ac na ddylid gyrru’r car.
Canfuwyd fod y cerbyd wedi cael ei ‘glocio’. Cofnodwyd nifer milltiroedd o 219,417 gan yr MOT a ddyddiwyd 25 Ebrill 2016, ond ar yr MOT a ddyddiwyd 9 Chwefror 2017, y milltiroedd a gofnodwyd oedd 95,514.
Canfu archwiliwr cerbydau annibynol ar ran Safonau Masnach fod 26 nam ar y car. Yn ei adroddiad, dywedodd:
“Roedd effaith gyfun y namau a gafwyd ar y cerbyd hwn yn sicr o arwain at drychineb, gan roi’r defnyddiwr a defnyddwyr eraill y ffordd mewn perygl.”
Roedd Ryan Harris wedi rhedeg cwmni cyn hyn o’r enw Abbey Autos Limited. Gwnaed ymweliad ag ef pan oedd gyda’r cwmni hwnnw oddi wrth Safonau Masnach, ac fe’i cynghorwyd ganddynt ynghylch gwerthu ceir a ddisgrifiwyd yn gywir ac a oedd yn gymwys i fod ar y ffordd.
Yn y gwrandawiad yn Llys Ynadon Abertawe ar 24 Medi 2019, plediodd Ryan Harris yn euog i ddau achos o dorri Rheoliadau Diogelu Prynwyr rhag Masnachu Annheg 2008, ac un achos o dorri Rheoliadau Diogelwch Cynnyrch Cyffredinol 2005, a derbyniodd ddirwy o £990. Dyfarnwyd costau o £945 i Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Castell-nedd Port Talbot, a gordal dioddefwr o £33. Y cyfanswm oedd £1,968.00. Mae’r dioddefwr wedi derbyn ad-daliad.
Meddai’r Cynghorydd Leanne Jones, yr Aelod â chyfrifoldeb dros Warchod y Cyhoedd a Diogelwch:
“Ceir yw’r pryniant ail ddrutaf y bydd unrhyw un ohonom yn ei wneud. Dylai prynwyr ddisgwyl i’r cerbyd y maen nhw’n ei brynu fod wedi cael ei ddisgrifio’n gywir, ac uwchlaw popeth arall, i fod yn ddiogel.
“Wnaiff yr adran hon ddim goddef masnachwyr ceir, nac unrhyw fasnachwyr, sy’n torri corneli, neu sy’n anwybyddu’u cyfrifoldebau dros ddarparu nwyddau diogel, ac o ganlyniad sy’n rhoi bywydau pobl mewn perygl.
“Mae’r gwasanaeth yn hybu a chyflwyno cynllun cymeradwyo masnachwyr a redir gan safonau masnach cenedlaethol, o’r enw ‘Prynu’n Hyderus’. Anogir masnachwyr cyfreithlon a chyfrifol i ymholi gyda’r adran ac i ymuno â’r cynllun. Dylai prynwyr wirio gyda gwefan Prynu’n Hyderus ar gyfer masnachwyr a gymeradwyir, ac er ei bod hi’n gynnar eto, disgwyliwn i’r aelodaeth gynyddu.”
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