Buying a second-hand car in the UAE is a way for many residents to save costs; however, if you find out after the purchase that the car had a serious defect from the beginning and the seller concealed it, the law is on your side.

According to the UAE Consumer Protection Law, dealerships and sellers of used cars are not allowed to hide significant defects in the vehicle or provide misleading information about its condition. This law applies not only to new goods but also to second-hand cars.

The seller is obligated to transparently disclose the actual condition of the vehicle, history of malfunctions, technical condition, and warranty details, and these must be recorded in the contract or sales invoice. Additionally, any advertisements or explanations that create a false impression of the vehicle's condition are considered violations.

If the car is sold with a warranty, the seller is required to fulfill the warranty obligations and cannot evade them.

The good news for buyers is that if concealment or provision of incorrect information is proven, in addition to filing a complaint with the relevant authorities in any emirate, there is also the possibility of claiming damages.

According to UAE regulations, selling defective or rebuilt second-hand cars without clearly disclosing their status can result in fines of up to 100,000 AED for the seller.

Therefore, if after purchasing a used car you feel that the dealership or seller misled you about the actual condition of the vehicle, you can file your complaint with the relevant authority in the emirate of purchase by providing documents and evidence, provided you can prove that the defect was concealed from you or that incorrect information was provided.

Source: Gulf Times