Car Swap Rochdale 'disappeared' with my money

Will02

Hi,
On 17th February I travelled from North Wales to Rochdale to purchase a Kia Sorento advertised on Auto Trader from Car Swap. I paid a deposit of £206 and was due to collect the car the following weekend. I called up to double check the car was ready and I was told that the car had some work that needed doing on it but would be ready the following weekend. So again I called up a couple of days before the weekend to double check that it was ok for me to collect but was told that the DVLA hadn't sent the V5 back. Last week I called and called and called but got no answer so I found the number of the car garage that was opposite and called them. They informed me that Car Swap had suddenly packed up and left last Thursday and refused to give me anymore info!

Just wondering if anybody else out there has had there money taken off them by this company and is left out of pocket and with no car?

postmanpat68

Have you only lost the £206 deposit??
If so i would think yourself lucky, Their website only shows one car in stock anyway.

Will02

Yeah lost the £206 deposit and I know it could of been worse but still thats my hard earned money gone and could have been put towards other things. The website was full of cars a couple of weeks ago but I also noticed that they only had the Audi left on there yesterday and thats what made me suspicious :-(

Only posted on here to see if anybody else was in a similar situation not be be told to 'think myself lucky' because losing £206 is not lucky in my books.

Lum

Did you pay that deposit using a card of some sort?

Section 75 guide.

Will02

Yeah, am hoping to get money back because I paid by card but credit card company can't give me a definate answer at the moment, which concerns me slightly! Really hope I am covered in some way because although £206 may not be a lot of money to some people it is to me, a 28 year old who has just finally got on property ladder (after years and years of saving) and has a mortgage plus the rest to pay!! Do you think I will be covered by credit card?

Will02

Thanks for link, never heard of section 75 before.
Really helpful, thanks x

atrixblue.-MFR-.

car swap uk ltd rochdale companies house does not show this address but a completely different one in manchester?

no vat reg on website or company registration number either.

vaio

company details don't really matter

OP......ring your credit card company, explain what has happened and tell them you want a refund under s75

atrixblue.-MFR-.

vaio wrote: »

company details don't really matter

OP......ring your credit card company, explain what has happened and tell them you want a refund under s75

it does if the s75 goes wrong. who is the OP going to sue with no accurate address etc.

interstellaflyer

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

car swap uk ltd rochdale companies house does not show this address but a completely different one in manchester?

no vat reg on website or company registration number either.

It's not unusual for companies to use a different address as a registered office, usually their accountants office though sometime a home address and there is a VAT number on the website.

http://www.carswapuk.co.uk/contact.php

scotsbob

As above section 75 but also notify Trading Standards in the Rochdale area so that can be on the alert and it may prevent others getting conned.