What is the Lemon Law in Singapore?
It is outlined by the Consumer Protection Fair Trading Act (CPFTA) to protect consumers against unfair practices regarding purchased lemon cars that do not conform to the agreed contract.
The lemon law provision allows consumers to make a claim for a defective product within 6 months of purchasing it from the seller, including cars. Besides workshops, inspection centres also have evaluation services for used cars. This will help in getting you properly covered under the lemon law.
As a consumer protection law, the lemon law in Singapore has been in effect since 2012. However, the origins of the term “lemon” date as far back as the 1960s.
The term “lemon” typically refers to used vehicles with several manufacturing defects affecting their safety, functionality and value.
Any cars with such issues were often referred to as a “lemon”.
So what actually is considered a defective product?
Under the terms of CPFTA, a defective product is when an item does not conform to its purchasing agreements at the time of delivery
- The item does not match the advertised product description
- Unsatisfactory quality
- The item cannot be used for its intended purpose
What does the lemon law cover?
- The lemon law now covers the purchase of used cars or other vehicles. It even covers discounted items which are stated as “non-refundable” or “non-exchangeable”.
Merchants cannot be absolved from any legal obligations just because they’ve labelled their goods as such.
You are covered under the lemon law if you bought a used car from 123 Dealer, and a new defect is found within 6 months of purchase, an issue that was not initially highlighted in the report or during the handover or you’re able to prove that the fault existed within the 6 months period of your purchase.
However, you’re NOT covered under the lemon law if the defect was first discovered and stated in the vehicle report and it also doesn’t cover you if you decide to change your mind after purchasing the car if the defects were made known to you. Damages from the car workshop or from your own repair will not be covered as well. For example, you cannot make a claim for worn out tyres.
How to make a claim?
Under lemon law, the consumer can request for the repair of the defective car at the seller’s cost within the typical 6 month window during which lemon law is active. Customers may also ask for a replacement of the defective car at the seller’s cost within the same time frame. If the results are not satisfactory, there are other ways to seek recourse. For claims not exceeding $10,000, you can immediately take up your case to the Small Claims Tribunal.
Customers can also learn how to protect themselves by buying from reputable dealers like BW Automobiles, who is a CASE Trust Accredited Dealer. As the lemon law is governed by the Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE), more often than not, being a CASE Trust accredited dealer does carry some weight in terms of the dealers past selling history with previous consumers. At BW Automobiles, we provide warranty on our cars as well so if there are any defects found, we will be sure to repair it for you.
