The Ministry of Economy and Commerce has held a meeting with representatives of vehicle dealers in the country to ensure their compliance in providing necessary after-sale services on time.
In particular, this pertains to supplying adequate spare parts in time, especially in the first three years after the sale of a new car.
Further, the waiting period for providing spare parts for cars that are at least three years old should not exceed 15 days. In case the dealer fails to provide the required spare parts within 15 days, he should give the customer with an alternative vehicle.
The ministry’s consumer protection law-enforcement officers had earlier spotted a number of violations at automobile dealers and service centres, mostly regarding the unavailability of spare parts and not providing replacement vehicles to customers.
Yusuf al-Suwaidi, director of MEC’s consumer protection and commercial fraud combat department, stressed the consumers’ right to benefit from the services that accompany the products they purchase, which the provider should supply.
Three offices of the Consumer Protection Department have been opened at some automobile service centres so that customers could approach them directly in case of any complaint. The department is now co-ordinating with all automobile dealers to start more such offices at their centres.