Alternative Dispute Resolution for vehicles
The Motor Ombudsman is a certified Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider that can assist with resolving disputes that arise between consumers and Code-accredited businesses.
What is Alternative Dispute Resolution?
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is a fair, independent way to resolve disputes between consumers and businesses, while avoiding going to court.
For car owners who have bought a new or used vehicle from a dealer or retailer, The Motor Ombudsman’s ADR service can help with disputes resulting from a faulty car, unsatisfactory repairs, vehicle purchase and warranty issues.
We offer an impartial, evidence-based ADR process that helps resolve complaints in line with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and our Codes of Practice. Our service works with both consumers and businesses to reach a legally compliant outcome, while saving time, cost and stress compared to court action.
How to make a complaint and the disputes we handle
If you’d like to raise a complaint about a garage, car dealership, warranty provider or vehicle manufacturer, you’ll first need to check if the business is signed up to our Codes of Practice (see steps below). Then, contact the trader directly and allow them time to resolve the issue before escalating it further.
If you’re still unhappy with the outcome after eight weeks, you can then raise a dispute with The Motor Ombudsman.
Before submitting a complaint, it’s important to understand whether your issue falls within our remit.
The Motor Ombudsman can help with the following disputes:
✓ Complaints or disputes with car dealerships
✓ Faulty cars within 30 days of purchase
✓ Unsatisfactory car repairs
✓ Car warranty disputes
The Motor Ombudsman is unable to help with the following disputes:
✗ Car finance claims
✗ Car insurance disputes
✗ Complaints around hire cars
✗ Disputes involving dealerships not signed up to our Codes of Practice
How to raise a dispute:
Step 1
Check if the business is accredited to The Motor Ombudsman
You can check whether a business is signed up to our Service and Repair and/or Vehicle Sales Codes of Practice by typing in the business name or postcode into our online Business Finder. We are unable to help with disputes involving businesses not signed up to our Codes of Practice.
If your dispute relates to a new car under the manufacturer’s warranty or an extended warranty product, a full listing of accredited businesses can be found below.
Step 2
Allow the business time to resolve the issue before raising a dispute
To raise a complaint, you must contact the business first and explain why you are not satisfied and let them know how you would like the issue to be resolved. After you contact them about your complaint, the business has eight weeks to give their final answer to your complaint. They can respond at any point within the eight weeks.
After the eight weeks has passed, if you are still unhappy with the resolution or the business has not responded to you, then you can bring your complaint to us. We can only look into a case before eight weeks if the business has issued a final response and you are unhappy with it.
Step 3
Check if we're able to help with your dispute
There are a number of motoring complaints we’re unable to help with, such as car finance claims, car insurance disputes or complaints involving garages and dealerships that aren’t signed up to our Codes of Practice. Before raising your dispute with us, ensure the issue is something we can help with.
Our online Knowledge Base contains the answers to many frequently asked questions, including what issues we can and can’t help with. Before contacting us, please use this resource to find useful information and to check if your complaint falls within our remit.
Step 4
How to submit a dispute to us
If your dispute remains unresolved, and you’ve confirmed the issue is within our remit, please complete our online case creation form with the required details and information about your dispute. The easiest way to do this is to click the link below.
What happens when we receive your dispute?
We’ll review the information you’ve provided to check that it’s something we can help with and that the business involved is covered by one of our Codes of Practice.
If we can take on your complaint, we’ll be in touch to ask you to supply any evidence needed to support your case. This could include invoices, correspondence such as emails or letters, the business’s final response, and any technical or independent reports you may have.
Once we have all the relevant information, an impartial case handler will consider the evidence from both sides and assess the complaint against the requirements of our Codes of Practice and relevant consumer law, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015. This ensures your case is reviewed fairly and consistently, without the need for court action.
Can you help with disputes involving new and used cars?
The Motor Ombudsman can help with a dispute with a car dealership involving both new and used cars. Common complaints include faults identified shortly after purchase, ongoing mechanical or electrical issues, and problems following repairs or servicing.
For new cars, disputes often relate to manufacturing faults, warranty issues or repeated repair attempts. For used cars, complaints may involve concerns about the vehicle’s condition, reliability, or whether it met expectations at the point of sale.
We also consider disputes about aftersales service, including unsatisfactory repairs, delays, or unresolved issues following work carried out by the dealership. This helps motorists understand whether their complaint is something we’re able to look into.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 is UK law that sets out the rights of consumers when buying goods, including cars, from a business. It requires vehicles to be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. These rights apply to both new and used cars bought from a dealer.
If you believe a car you’ve bought from a dealership is faulty, you should raise the issue with the business first and give them the opportunity to resolve it. If the problem cannot be resolved directly, and the dealership is accredited to one of our Codes of Practice, you may be able to refer the dispute to The Motor Ombudsman for ADR. This provides an alternative to taking court action.
If a dealership does not respond to your complaint within eight weeks, you can refer the dispute to The Motor Ombudsman, provided the business is accredited to one of our Codes of Practice. Even if the dealership later chooses not to engage with our investigation, the case can still progress through our ADR process where it is eligible. This means a lack of response from the business will not prevent your complaint from being considered.
To submit a complaint, you’ll need to provide basic details of the dispute, proof of purchase, and evidence that you’ve raised the issue with the dealership, such as emails or letters. You may also be asked for supporting documents like invoices, repair records or reports. It’s important to keep copies of all correspondence and paperwork related to your complaint, as this helps us assess the case more effectively.
How long it takes to resolve a dispute will depend on the nature and complexity of your complaint.
Disputes can take longer for more complicated complaints, or if you or the accredited business wants an ombudsman to make a final decision. If there is something which means the situation is more urgent, please let us know at the time of complaint and we will take those circumstances into consideration.
You retain the right to withdraw from our proceedings at any stage. However, if you do accept a final decision, it will become legally binding on both parties and you may lose your right to take the complaint elsewhere.
Being accreditied to The Motor Ombudsman is voluntary, and whilst we are continually looking to increase the level of coverage provided by our Codes of Practice, there is a possibility that the car dealership is not part of The Motor Ombudsman.
If the business you want to complain about isn’t signed up to our Code of Practice, it’s worth asking if they are signed up to another Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider to help resolve your dispute. According to the Alternative Dispute Regulations introduced in 2015, a business, such as a garage or dealership, must signpost you to an ADR provider, and tell you if they will engage with them.
If the business does not use an ADR provider, you can complete our online dispute resolution form to provide information about the business and your dispute.
If the complaint falls within our remit, some helpful information and guidance will be sent to you by e-mail, which may help to encourage the business to become accredited to us and allow us to deal with your dispute.
If a business chooses not to become accredited to The Motor Ombudsman, you can choose to contact Citizens Advice, who may be able to assist you further.
