Motor factor store selling plates that wont pass MOT

TOP_CAT

Got a new front plate for a van from a local car parts store/motor factors  that wont pass MOT as the letters are too small according to legal dimensions on the net 
It cost £15...... I think they sold me a motor bike plate its smaller than what is on the van which I showed the guy a photo of on my phone .
At first they got it wrong with a yellow plate as I needed a square-ish front plate in white so they said come back in a hour .
After returning I asked if  this smaller white square plate will get a MOT ?
So the whole affair is a catalog of errors imo them saying selling anything that they can and myself I am to blame as I was uncertain....... until I got on the net after I payed for the plate and measured the legal number and letter sizing .
Im taking it back on monday but know they are going to say NO you cant return it or refund it or as a last recourse they will or may attempt to sell me some oversized thing next which I saw in the store.
 Its how they are ive got a feeling  it wont end with this lot .
Ive messed up dealing with these clowns an brought this on myself  but do I have any recourse as the plate is not legal as a van front plate ?
I imagine I dont but then again its not fit for purpose .

lisyloo

How did you pay?
keep some records of your interaction, try to get your money back.
if they won’t help, do a chargeback if you paid on a card.

dcfc67

Whats the name of the store, complain to their head office.
Surely its a legal requirement to sell something thats fit for purpose

AdrianC

Are the characters 79mm tall x 50mm wide (normal legal requirement), or 64mm tall x 44mm wide (legal for bike)?
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vehicle-registration-numbers-and-number-plates

You asked for a square front plate?
Is the van an import that you cannot fit a normal plate on the front of? Because, if not, that would itself be illegal.

And, yes, it is illegal to sell a non-compliant plate. Just as it's illegal to sell a plate to somebody that doesn't provide V5C and personal ID. I presume they did? So they wouldn't need a photo of the van - they would have taken the reg from the V5C.

TOP_CAT

First thanks for all the replies as it is a small issue but its annoyed me personally because I should have known better .
Its partly my fault but at the counter I was givern the impression it was correct and thought they must know this stuff its what they do ie ones job .... so spent ages finding a photo on my phone of the van. 
 I showed the salesman the photo who already had started making a yellow plate incorrectly which I spotted in time and corrected him .
At that point " now in hindsight" I should have walked Ive seen this behaviour in NW london before (just think wembley) .
Its just a small high st shop in amoung all the bucket shops I doubt its a chain of any sort although they could have one or two other shops .
The van was bought new in the uk with a rectangle white front plate ...its nearly square in shape but not quiet square I think? I doubt its a import as I would probably of known having bought it new ages ago from a dealer . Actually it was the same dealer that last replaced the plate in 2017 as they dont last long with london parking .
The whole front bumper eventually split in half before that last service all from other cars when parking and hitting the front  and rear cars etc this  is std parking for many in london  .
The plate they sold me is certainly not 79mm x 50mm letters numbers so must be the 64mm x 44mm you mention the whole plate is smaller.
I payed by credit card so will ring barclaycard for info purposes as they generally seem helpful in the past .
I never had ID on me in store  so it wasnt used although they did ask  but will take some on monday .
They just bought up the reg online 

TOP_CAT

I got it on Friday last then returned about 5.50pm on sat just as the chap was locking up .
This is when I got the std fob off and tit for tat arguing semantics of what was said ..which was all pointless fob off stuff .
I was polite but said understand the plates not for purpose it wont get a MOT so I want a refund or rather a replacement on monday .
Thing is when in store they showed me a wider oversized blank that didnt look like the correct size either  so at this point Ive lost confidence in anything they say .
I highly doubt they will refund, likely they will try another abortion  but I will update here on monday .

unforeseen

Do they say that they sell legal plates or show plates?
Did you ascertain this fact before getting them to make them? 

AdrianC

TOP_CAT said:

The van was bought new in the uk with a rectangle white front plate ...its nearly square in shape but not quiet square I think? I doubt its a import as I would probably of known having bought it new ages ago from a dealer

Then you need a perfectly normal rectangular single-line plate. Nothing else.

The plate they sold me is certainly not 79mm x 50mm letters numbers so must be the 64mm x 44mm you mention the whole plate is smaller.

Can you not measure...?

TOP_CAT

I measured the the letter sizing the next day after the sale when I became concerned having checked online.
The sizing is not the std required which as said above the plate I was sold is certainly not correct the legal size letters/numbers.

The square type of plate it has always had from new sits or fits better on the bumper than the long version thats why it was fitted with that more square type from new and was refitted with another square type in 2017 by the dealership .
It has never had a long plate as it dosent sit right and would be snapped off easily by pedestrians its the correct letter number sizes that seem to a legal requirement in the first instance .

Its likely a motorbike square plate that I was sold which is about 20 mm aprox smaller all around .

If they dont have the correct size which at this point I doubt otherwise i would have been sold it ....then I will try for a refund but thats unlikely with this lot as denial is the std reply which I got on late sat 
 So If they play hardball I will have too then  see if a chargeback is possible or not on my barclaycard credit card .
Something Ive not done before but will ring barclaycard to get info on .

AdrianC

TOP_CAT said:

The square type of plate it has always had from new sits or fits better on the bumper than the long version thats why it was fitted with that more square type from new and was refitted with another square type in 2017 by the dealership .
It has never had a long plate as it dosent sit right

If it was sold new in the UK, it was type-approved for a normal UK-format plate, and that is what's legally required. What you may or may not prefer on cosmetic grounds is irrelevant.

What van is it?

TOP_CAT

The plate type and size a brand new vehical in this case a small Van  is sold with from the dealership and passed MOT for 18 years is the correct plate .
Its nothing to do with my preferance as the plates never changed size on renewal before this instance with this high street car parts shop.
The plate thats on it isnt the issue as its legal its the fact I was sold a motorcycle plate with undersize letters and numbers .