Sold a dud car on finance? Chase the bank

If you buy a used car on finance and it turns out to be a lemon, don’t spend all your energy on the dealer. The bank that financed it is on the hook too. Our Supreme Court of Appeal confirmed it recently: when a bank finances a defective car, it wears two hats, lender and supplier, so it is liable under the Consumer Protection Act. That means you can cancel the agreement and get your money back, not just chase a refund from the dealer. So, when a dealer and a bank point fingers at each other, remind the bank of that ruling and compel them to cancel the deal. If they refuse, lodge a complaint with the National Financial Ombudsman.