ACA uncovers one of the country's biggest dealers accused of taking your car and your cash.
The business operating in Australia under the brand webuyanycar.com.au is separate from, and has no connection with, the business operating in the United Kingdom and internationally under the brand webuyancar.com
Webuyanycar.com.au issued the following statement to ACA:
"I would like to start by apologising to any customers of Webuyanycar.com.au who have had to suffer delays in payments. We have purchased almost 5200 cars from satisfied customers so far this year but unfortunately a small number have experienced payment delays. To them we say sorry.
Ironically, those delays can mainly be attributed to our success; with more than 110,000 people utilising our services since October last year our existing infrastructure could not handle the sheer volume of work.
We also experienced a large number of problems with the new government Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) checking system, with the system at times giving incorrect information as to whether or not a vehicle was encumbered by unpaid financial obligations. We calculate that this has cost us in the region of $500,000.
Regardless of those problems, we still should not have let down those small number of valued customers and deeply regret doing so. We believe we are an honourable company, and our strong record of community service bears that out. The good thing is that everyone either has been or will be paid in full.
We are currently undoing an expensive upgrade of our accounting system and are confident that within a month it will be up and running and will enable us to quickly clear any backlog.
In fact, thanks to A Current Affair, we are now in a position to say that, starting from Monday, August 20, we will guarantee that if payment is not received within 10 working days then we will pay an extra 10 per cent of the valuation to the customer.
We can assure customers that over the next month the vast majority of payments will be made on time but until the system upgrade is operational a small few may experience delays.
All, however, will be paid, just as our other customers have been paid.
Richard Burbage
Managing Director
Webuyanycar Group"
