Stormcatcher Law’s unparalleled insight and unique skill set position us as a leading law firm for car dealerships, repairers, restorers, car buyers, and collectors. We offer specialised legal solutions for every automotive need.
We are regularly consulted for our deep understanding of automotive fraud, sales, and repairs of classic and supercars, and are proud to extend our expertise across the United Kingdom and internationally.
Call The Motor Industry Lawyers for First Free Advice
Why you may need a car dispute lawyer
Consumer law and trading standards legislation can be complex for both businesses and individuals. It’s easy to be confused by conflicting advice from Citizens Advice, online forums, and high street solicitors. Auto lawyers like us apply their specialist knowledge of both the industry and the laws that regulate it to reach a positive outcome. From Motor Ombudsman complaints to mis-sold car finance agreements, we use our expertise to help you understand your options and how an issue can be resolved.
Not only can our automotive lawyers help you understand what your rights are either as a dealer or a consumer, but they’ll also help you quickly navigate your way to the outcome you deserve, only taking things into a courtroom if it’s absolutely necessary.
What Our Customers Are Saying
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Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Exceptional Support During the Most Stressful Consumer Dispute I Have Ever Faced
There are very few occasions in life when you genuinely feel that someone has stood beside you through a difficult situation and helped you achieve the right outcome. My experience with Philip Harmer and Antonia at Stormcatcher Law was one of those occasions.
I approached Stormcatcher after what had already become an exhausting and highly stressful dispute involving a faulty £82,850 motorhome with a Dealer based in Cannock. By that point, I had spent months dealing with repeated faults, unsuccessful repair attempts, cancelled trips, endless correspondence and increasing frustration. What should have been an exciting purchase had turned into one of the most draining experiences I have ever faced as a consumer.
From ourfirst conversation, Philip gave me something I had been missing for a very long time: confidence that somebody was actually listening, understood the situation and had a clear plan for how to deal with it.
Throughout the dispute, Philip and Antonia were professional, patient, supportive and wonderfully persistent. No matter how many setbacks occurred, they remained calm and focused. When I felt frustrated, they remained measured. When deadlines were missed and arrangements failed, they kept moving the matter forward. When the process became emotionally draining, they gave me confidence that I was not fighting the battle alone.
What impressed me most was the balance they struck between legal expertise and genuine human support. I was never made to feel like just another file. The advice was always clear, practical and honest. Expectations were managed properly and communication was excellent throughout.
By the time Stormcatcher became involved, the dispute had generated a huge amount of evidence, correspondence and history. Philip took the time to understand every aspect of it and never lost sight of the key objective: achieving the right outcome.
After months of resistance, delays, missed commitments and legal arguments, Stormcatcher ultimately secured repayment of the full £82,850 purchase price and brought a dispute that had lasted almost a year to a successful conclusion.
The financial result was obviously important, but what meant even more to me was the sense of relief that came from finally bringing the matter to an end. After living with the stress of the dispute for so long, I cannot adequately describe how grateful I was to have someone in my corner who was prepared to keep going until it was resolved.
I would like to personally thank Philip Harmer and Antonia at Stormcatcher Law for their hard work, professionalism, patience and determination.
If you are facing a difficult consumer dispute and need solicitors who genuinely care about achieving the right outcome for their client, I would recommend Stormcatcher Law without hesitation.
I am incredibly grateful for everything they did for me. They helped me bring a very difficult chapter to a close, and that is something I will never forget.
Thank you, Philip and Antonia.
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Who we work with as car dispute lawyers
Automotive businesses
We’re specialists in motor trade law, and we offer a range of legal services covering all aspects of the automotive industry. This includes legal advice for sole car traders, main dealerships, and automotive organisations. Our expertise extends to issues related to car sales, repair disputes, and consumer rights, ensuring that you receive informed and effective legal support.
The types of automotive businesses we can help include:
- New and used car dealerships
- Vehicle leasing and rental companies
- Car repair and servicing centres
- MOT testing centres
- Car finance and credit providers
- Auction houses
Consumers
We pride ourselves on offering swift, effective legal advice at any stage of the complaint or litigation, offering pragmatic and financially sensible solutions.
For a case review and advice
Book a 1 hour motor industry lawyer consultation
£250 + VAT Per hour
Conference will be via Zoom & Terms and conditions apply.
Due to the complex nature of consumer law and trading standards legislation both businesses and individuals often find themselves confused by conflicting advice from citizens advice, on line forums and high street solicitors advice.
We pride ourselves on providing swift, effective legal advice at any stage of the complaint or litigation offering pragmatic and commercially sensible solutions.
How our motor industry lawyers can help you
Our team of expert car dealership lawyers can resolve a wide range of automotive conflicts. From dealership disputes to consumer complaints, we provide comprehensive legal support to ensure your rights are protected. Whether it's car warranty issues, purchase disagreements, or service disputes, our experts are equipped to handle complex cases with ease.
Understanding car warranty law
Navigating the intricacies of car warranty law can be challenging. Our experienced team offers guidance on both new and used car warranties, ensuring that your legal rights are upheld. We assist with warranty claims, disputes, and negotiations, providing reliable legal advice tailored to your specific situation.
In effect, a warranty fills in the gaps by covering things that are not protected by statutory rights in the first six months, and offer an alternative to claiming from the dealer. Longer term warranty policies over six months will, of course, provide some peace of mind for problems that occur in the medium and longer terms.
If you require information about setting up your own in-house warranty, or you’re a consumer looking to make or defend a warranty or consumer rights claim, contact Stormcatcher Law.
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Rejection achieved for faulty Mercedes AMG GT 63
The Consumer Rights Act explains that if a vehicle becomes faulty (more than a minor fault) within 6 months of delivery, it is presumed to have been faulty from the outset. On the other hand, the dealer or finance company can potentially provide evidence which proves the vehicle wasn’t faulty on delivery, or that the…
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Rejection upheld by Ombudsman for Range Rover Sport fire
Being involved in a situation where your car spontaneously catches fire is a frightening experience. Vehicle fires are fierce, causing significant damage to both the vehicle and adjacent property. For vehicle owners, the shock and distress are only matched by the surprising difficulty in getting car dealerships, manufacturers and finance companies to accept liability. Often,…
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Claim settled: a missold Mercedes-Benz
Faulty car litigation can be a very expensive, lengthy and stressful process. Because of this, strategy, experience and specialist knowledge of the subject vehicle, which in this case is a Mercedes-Benz car, can prove decisive. This is never truer than when you’re up against a defendant who is an experienced car dealer specialising in buying…
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Refund settlement negotiated for Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Sahara 3.3D
Because the legal rules are different when something goes wrong with a vehicle bought for and by your business, disputes can be tricky. However, it’s not easy to disclaim liability for misrepresentation especially if the supplying dealer has clearly falsely described something. This was the case involving a Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Sahara imported from…
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Dealer agrees to refund for a Jaguar DPF problem they failed to fix
People say they can fix the problem with a DPF- a diesel particulate filter- not regenerating properly and becoming blocked, by replacing it and that the effects of poor historical servicing can be reversed. They’re wrong. When you complaint about the vehicle going into limp mode, exhaust gases entering the cabin and the dashboard lighting…
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Buyer success with motorhome dealer dispute
It has been said that 80% of claims and disputes are resolved on the evidence. But determining what is evidence and who bears the evidential burden of proof is not always as easy as it sounds. It is a central principle of English law that the person making a claim or complaint bears the burden…
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Refund secured for faulty motorhome
If you return your motorhome to the supplying dealer because of restricted performance and an engine management light coming on and the dealer tells you that they can’t find a fault with it, what are your rights if the problem occurs again, and a fault is found? Can the customer reject the motorhome or are…
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Buyer refunded for faulty Volkswagen camper conversion
A motor dealer which promotes itself as being a specialist in converting and selling VW Campervans and Transporter vans can’t be surprised if customers hold them and their products to a higher standard than a standard dealership. If the quality doesn’t meet that standard, and the dealer doesn’t deal with complaints properly, they can’t be…
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Cloned car sale leads to full refund for buyer
Car cloning is a fraud and is the process of disguising the identity of a stolen vehicle by using the number plates, VIN and logbook of a legitimate vehicle of similar make and model. In short, there will be more than one car on the road with the same ID. This is what happened in…
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Car Finance company decision overturned by the Financial Services Ombudsman.
Establishing who bears the burden of proving the various aspects of a legal case is often more challenging than it appears; get it wrong and you could be asked to prove something you don’t have to or worse, something you can’t prove, like a negative. This is at the centre of this case involving a…
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Finance agreement unwound because of a failed repair
The reliance on vehicle inspection reports by Automotive Consulting Engineers, commonly known as ACE, and reports by car finance companies has become part and parcel of investigating faulty car complaints. But these reports have come to be interpreted as fact rather than evidence, and have become determinative of whether to uphold a complaint or not…
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FOS upholds refund complaint for failed Jaguar F-Pace engine after twelve months.
Car finance companies and car dealers commonly rely on expert evidence from vehicle inspection firms to determine whether to uphold or decline vehicle quality complaints. Mostly, no one actually reads the report, focussing instead on the conclusion, “We do not consider the condition to have been developing at inception.” But engineer reports aside, surely common…
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Car rejection based on the issue of reasonable time and significant inconvenience- a success story
Under s23 Consumer Rights Act, the trader must complete the repair free of charge, within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience to the customer. But what constitutes a reasonable time and significant inconvenience? In law, this is not defined, apart from taking account of the nature of the goods and the purpose for which the…
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Successful rejection of remapped and modified Mercedes AMG C63
Vehicle modification and remapping are widespread and often not declared by the seller, leaving the buyer none the wiser until something goes wrong. By which time, if outside the 6-month Consumer Rights Act, it can be difficult to prove when the car was remapped and modified. This was the basis of Mrs M’s complaint to…
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Money back for material misrepresentation of Bentley Continental GT bought from a luxury car dealer
Because of potentially punitive repair and maintenance costs, provenance is central to the desirability and market value of high-performance and luxury cars. This leads most people preferring to buy from specialist car dealerships for peace of mind and a greater degree of certainty about the servicing and maintenance costs. It was precisely this reason that…
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Financial Ombudsman upholds the right to reject Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
It is a widespread belief that the offer or supply of a courtesy mitigates the requirement (a) to complete vehicle repairs in a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience and (b) refund monthly finance payments. CA Auto Finance shared this view, and that as the attempted repairs on the Alfa were carried out under the…
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Cancelled Bentley Bentayga bought by a distance sale contract
Distance selling regulations were brought in to increase retail opportunities beyond the geographic limitations of the trading premises, but also while protecting interests of consumers from either mis-selling or mis-describing goods when buying online, and they have a 14-day cooling-off period. These issues are at the centre of this case involving the purchase of a…
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Complaint upheld for Approved Used BMW Hybrid Electric range depletion
Concerns about second hand Hybrid and electric vehicle battery range because of high voltage battery degradation presents a significant concern for buyers. The problem is that although EV batteries lose capacity and range over time there is little or no information about the rate they lose charge and by how much the electric range depletes.…
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Car Dealership refunds the cost of repairs to BMW 530e plug-in hybrid
Have you been told you can’t claim from the selling dealer the cost of unauthorised car repairs by a main dealer? The idea behind this is twofold: Some car dealers and their lawyers have interpreted the law to mean that they have a right to repair a car which is become faulty after 30 days…
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Negotiated settlement of Jaguar F-Pace mileage discrepancy dispute
Evidence is pivotal to all legal claims and disputes, but what constitutes evidence, what has to be proven and by who often misunderstood. This is never truer that in cases involving car finance complaints and especially those which are made outside the six months of purchase. This was the central issue in this case involving…
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Money back for Range Rover Sport 3.0SDV6 crankshaft bearings failure
When it comes to cars and car engines, low mileage doesn’t always mean low risk and long life, and just because you’ve bought a warranty doesn’t mean it’s worth the paper it’s written on. As the risk of owning a Range Rover increases so does the willingness decrease for warranty companies and dealerships to comply…
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FOS upholds rejection of Range Rover 3.0D Hybrid
The interaction between statutory and legal rights, used car warranties and manufacturer guarantees is often a bone of contention between dealerships, finance companies and customers. Almost without exception, where the buyer has owned the car for 7 or 8 months the trader will suggest liability under the manufacturer’s guarantee for a particular part will take…
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Dealer declines responsibility for Discovery Sport stretched timing chain rejection claim.
A stretched Discovery timing chain can lead to a noisy engine, misfire, restricted performance and potentially engine failure. Ingenium 2.0L Jaguar Land Rover cars seem susceptible to timing chain stretch, but that can be caused by poor servicing and reduced lubrication, whether due to Dpf related issues, oil dilution or blocked oil ways. Car dealers…
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Consumer’s Right to Reject when Land Rover Discovery engine seized & turbo failed
The Discovery 5 and Discovery sport are prone to early service warnings and the need for the increased frequency of engine oil and filter replacement because of oil dilution. Because oil dilution can lead to accelerated wear and failure of engine parts and ultimately the engine seizing, regular servicing is crucial. If the Discovery has…
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The Financial Ombudsman upholds the right to reject the Jaguar I-Pace
Introduction This is a case involving a faulty Jaguar I-Pace, an EV, bought by Mr T, from Marshall Jaguar Oxford for around £50.000.00 by way of a 60-month car finance agreement with Jaguar Financial Services (Black Horse). Mr T tried to reject it around 18 months after taking delivery. Black Horse, the finance company, issued…
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Mr A – Complaint Against Blackhorse
Mr A bought an approved used BMW on finance with Blackhorse for around £15,000. Mr A had the car serviced as required but 2 years after taking delivery of the vehicle the timing chain prematurely failed, causing catastrophic engine failure and requiring its replacement at a cost of around £8,000. The vehicle type had a…
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Mr A – Complaint Against Alphera
Mr A bought a brand new Range Rover Velar from a dealership on finance. After a couple of weeks, the vehicle started leaking fuel onto his driveway. Additionally, a fault was reported relating to the vehicle “Incontrol” system which failed to accurately record the fuel level, indicating it to have “half a tank” when empty…
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Ms H – Complaint Against BMW Financial Services
Ms H bought an approved used ex-demonstrator BMW X6 M50d from a BMW dealership by way of a regulated consumer finance agreement. Around a year later and having had the car serviced in accordance with the manufacturer’s service schedule, the engine suffered catastrophic failure. Subsequent diagnostic testing revealed the car had suffered “flood damage” which…
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Ms E v MK Auto-Motors Ltd
Ms E bought a 2008 Audi A3 from a dealer MK for £6000. The Audi is fitted with a DSG gearbox which uses the mechatronic system which in effect consists of an electronic control unit attached to the outside of the gearbox which controls the internal dual clutch system. After owning the car for a…
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Mr U v a Motor Finance Company
Mr U saw a Mercedes-Benz Benz GLS 350d AMG LINE for being offered for sale on Autotrader and went to view it. The Mercedes was 2 years old at the time and it was therefore implied that it had 1 year of the manufacturer’s warranty left, so Mr U agreed to buy it for close…
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Ms P v Long Term Horsebox Hire Company
Ms P is a successful, prize-winning international showjumper who rides her own highly prized and valuable thoroughbred horses as well as those owned by her celebrity clientele. In the furtherance of her sport, Ms P, required a larger Horsebox with accommodation facilities and decided to hire rather than buy one, simply as even a good…
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Mrs W v Land Rover Financial Services
Mr & Mrs W bought brand new Land Rover Evoque in 2017 by way of a Hire Purchase Agreement with Blackhorse Financial Services trading as Land Rover Financial Services. Mr & Mrs W also bought a 3 year service plan from the supplying dealer. The Range Rover was serviced a year later in accordance with…
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Mr & Mrs W (a Financial Ombudsman Service Matter)
Mr & Mrs W bought a brand new Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line 4motion 2.0 Tdi 190ps DSG from a VW Main dealer in March 2017 by way of a regulated consumer HP agreement. On delivery, Mr & Mrs W became concerned about a strange and unusual “grating” noise from the gearbox which they reported to the…
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Ms H v MotoNovo Finance
Ms H bought a Nissan Qashqai from Witham Vehicle Solutions Ltd for £12000 at the end of 2018 by way of a regulated hire purchase agreement. Soon after taking delivery, the car engine developed a “knocking noise,” a strong smell of fuel from under the bonnet and excessive fuel consumption. Witham Vehicle Solutions inspected the…
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Mr A v BMW Financial Services
Mr A acquired a brand new BMW 640i M Sport Convertible in July 2018 for nearly £70,000 by way of a hire purchase agreement from BMW Financial Services. Almost immediately after taking delivery of the Vehicle Mr A experienced problems with it which the supplying dealer tried to repair. However, this was just the first…
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Mr M V Santander Consumer (UK) PLC
Mr M bought a 2011 Land Rover Discovery 3.0L from a car dealer by way of a 60-month conditional sale agreement with Santander consumer finance in March 2018. As a widower, he serviced and maintained the Discovery impeccably, as he needed the Land Rover to make regular trips to the hospital with his young daughter,…
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Mr M v Wren Prestige Ltd
Mr M bought a Porsche Boxster from Wren Prestige Ltd for around £12000, part-exchanging his BMW. The Porsche was advertised as a low mileage example with around 45000 miles on the clock and having good service history, three services carried out by a Porsche main dealer and two by Porsche specialists. After taking delivery of…
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Dr C v BMW Financial Services
Dr C acquired a used BMW X5 eDrive MSport plug-in electric hybrid car from a specialist BMW dealership for £31,750 by way of a 49-month hire purchase agreement with BMW Financial Services (BMWFS) in November 2019. The BMW X5 was represented as having a range of up to 31 kilometres (approx. 19 miles) in the…
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Ms S – Complaint About a Lamborghini
Ms S bought a Lamborghini from a dealer for over £100,000 by way of a hire purchase agreement. Soon after taking delivery Ms S experienced difficulties in starting the car and issues in changing gear and it was returned to the dealer, who in turn submitted it to a Lamborghini main dealer. They performed a…
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Ms M – Complaint Against Motonovo
Ms A bought a used car for £11,940 from a trader by way of a regulated hire purchase agreement with Motonovo through a third party broker. A month or so after delivery, Ms A reported the vehicle suspension spring required replacement, a suspected oil leak repair, a noisy heater, air conditioning functional issues, anti-roll bar…
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Mr S – Complaint Against Blue Motor Finance
Mr S bought a used BMW M5 from a dealer for around £28,000, which he financed through Blue Motor Finance. Soon after taking delivery the vehicle suffered a sudden and complete loss of power and engine failure, resulting in it being recovered to BMW specialist. This revealed that the cause was more likely than not…
Handling mileage adjustment, or ‘car clocking’
The rise in car finance agreements with an annual mileage cap has seen an increase in car clocking and mileage adjustment. Car clocking and mileage adjustment has become especially pervasive with premium and luxury brand cars such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Porsche. CAN filters are becoming a problem; these are devices that can block or manipulate mileage data by stopping the odometer from syncing with the vehicle's anti-theft system.
Stormcatcher Law can help you pursue legal action if you have sold or been sold a clocked car or a car with a CAN filter installed.
Navigating distance selling laws
These govern goods sold by a dealer or business to a consumer without ever meeting face to face. Contracts conclude away from the business premises, though these regulations also cover those that conclude on or at the business premises too.
In the event a business fails to comply with the distance selling rules, the customer may be entitled to cancel the contract and receive a refund.
There is much confusion regarding the distance selling regulations returns policy. This includes whether or not a business has to collect the vehicle, and whether they are allowed to deduct an amount from the refund for mileage. Stormcatcher Law can help get all this straight.
For Initial Free Advice on Consumer Rights Laws
Our automotive lawyer
Stormcatcher Law is led by Philip Harmer, a lawyer and arbitrator with extensive knowledge of the automotive industry, a straight-talking approach, and an impressive track record of positive outcomes. Insight and expertise guides him together with his clients to the stress-free conclusion they deserve.
Philip knows cars, the trade, and the rules; he and his team are invaluable in your corner when you need automotive legal advice.
Why choose Stormcatcher Law?
Using our extensive experience, Stormcatcher Law stands apart in providing legal solutions to the motor trade, excelling in motor industry legal services. We’re proud to offer:
Flexibility
We can advise and accept instructions on behalf of private clients as well as automotive organisations, from sole car traders to car dealers and franchise dealerships.
A wealth of insider knowledge
This experience comes from working in every aspect of retail motor trade for over two decades.
Motor vehicle technical expertise
Our unsurpassed knowledge spans a vast number of car, van, and truck makes and models. It comes from first-hand experience of buying, selling, repairing and maintaining them over a 40 year period.
Jargon-free advice
We can quickly cut to the heart of an issue, translating even the most complicated concepts into something easily understandable.
Specialist insight
We’re proud to have specialist knowledge of new, used, and classic German manufacturers, including Audi, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Porsche.
In short, we know the law, the cars, the tricks of the trade and the motor industry inside out. We’re the go-to firm for all motor vehicle related legal issues, and we’d love to help you.
Motor Industry Lawyers FAQ
Stormcatcher Motor Industry Lawyers is probably the only law firm in the country which specialises in motor law and motor trade law and works for both the retail motor industry and private clients. The business was founded and is headed by Philip Harmer, who brings over 30 years experience of the motor trade and new and used car sales, repairs and financing.
There are other law firms that offer legal solutions for the motor trader and motor industry legal services, but only who knows the cars and the industry inside out.
Our legal protection plan has been designed using this insight to cover all the legal needs of car dealers and repairers for a whole year.
The legal package offers clients unlimited access to legal advice, unlimited customer complaints handling, unlimited finance company dispute resolution and assistance with all your commercial legal needs.
Motor industry lawyers cover all aspects of law involving car sales, repairs and financing which includes:
- Sale of Goods Act
- Supply of goods and services
- Consumer rights
- Misrepresentation
- Unfair trading practises
- Negligence and Tort
- Contract law
- Product liability
- Fraud
- Consumer Credit
Yes, we offer a range of fixed-price services for consumers and private clients who have bought a car from a dealer and are looking to have it repaired, replaced or rejected. However, our no conflict of interest policy prevents us from advising or accepting instructions against an existing retained motor dealer client.
We advise clients and offer dispute resolution services in circumstances arising from the sale of a new or used car, or repair work. We are not authorised to carry out litigation but are able to offer cost-effective solutions for preparing and drafting particulars of claim, witness statements and other legal documents. Our overriding objective is to analyse the facts, apply the law and enter into a dialogue to resolve the problem out of court. Should litigation become necessary we can advise on where to go to source this.
We are not solicitors but aim to offer an affordable cost-effective alternative to using solicitors. We hold professional indemnity insurance and are authorised to provide legal advice and legal services, save those which are reserved for those who hold a practising certificate.
We operate a fixed fee structure, dependent on your circumstances, which enables private clients and dealers the opportunity to budget and maintain control of the overall costs of the claim. Operating without expensive offices and support staff enables us to pass the savings onto you.
Yes, we can provide legal advice for businesses facing investigations, fines, or legal action from Trading Standards or other regulatory bodies.
Contact Stormcatcher Motor Industry Lawyers for First Free Legal Advice
About Philip Harmer
With over a decade in the retail motor trade, including front-line experience running sales and repair operations, Philip is one of very few legal professionals who has a working knowledge of the trade from both sides of the desk. His work has included advising motor traders and garages on compliance, dispute resolution, and customer complaints, and he has delivered workshops on integrating consumer law into sales and repair processes.
He regularly advises dealers on motor trade compliance, industry legal standards, and used car warranty complaints.
Contact Stormcatcher for First Free Advice