Kingston Trading Standards investigations help keep borough safer for communities
A rogue used car dealership in New Malden has been put out of business and its victims fully compensated thanks to a successful investigation by Kingston Council Trading Standards.
Kings Motors has been successfully prosecuted for selling faulty, mis-described vehicles, faking details of their history and mileage. The company issued invoices without the correct business ownership details and imposed unfair terms and conditions on customers, including refusing their right to a refund.
The New Malden business was one of Kingston & Sutton Trading Standards’ most complained about traders. In September 2019, it received comprehensive business advice from the council on how to trade fairly and comply with consumer protection laws. However the offending continued and the team mounted a criminal investigation.
In court on 11 May 2023, former director of Alrawnaq Limited - the company trading as Kings Motors - Omer Adil Dohi Al-Samaraai, was sentenced to a 170 hour community order and fined £850. He was also ordered to pay full compensation to victims and disqualified from standing as a director for 18 months. He had already pleaded guilty to offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. Alrawnaq Limited was fined £8,500 and was also ordered to pay compensation to victims.
Kingston Council Portfolio Holder for Business, Recycling and Customer Contact John Sweeney said:
This is a victory for consumers. I am very grateful to the council’s Trading Standards team for their extensive work to ensure successful prosecution and compensation for victims.
This sends a clear signal to any other individual or business seeking to mislead customers - our Trading Standards team will find you out and you will have to take responsibility for your actions.
In other success, thousands of illegal and potentially unsafe vaping products have been taken off the streets of the borough by Kingston Council’s Trading Standards team in a series of joint operations with Kingston Police.
More than 3,600 illegal vapes have been seized from premises across Kingston since last December, along with illegal tobacco products, fake viagra and counterfeit watches and mobile phone accessories. During the operations, Police also seized 300 Nitrous Oxide cartridges and one large Nitrous Oxide canister.
The total value of illegal and potentially harmful goods removed from circulation is over £37,000.