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Establishing a dispute in the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal
Important note on currency
This section was originally published on CourtKeys in 2015 as part of a public legal education project. While it remains useful for understanding general legal concepts and processes, some information may now be out of date. Updated and revised material is included in Civil Litigation for Non-Lawyers. This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice.
The Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal deals with disputes. So you need to find out whether there is any actual dispute before commencing a claim. That would involve raising whatever issue you have with the motor vehicle trader who sold your vehicle to you.
It may be that the trader addresses your issue to your satisfaction. There would be no need to take matters any further if that were the case. If the motor vehicle does not respond within a reasonable time or refuses to address your issue to your satisfaction then you may have an appropriate case for the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal.
It would be sensible to raise your issue with the motor vehicle trader in writing. You should keep a copy of any correspondence for yourself, as well as any replies received from the motor vehicle trader. That way you have a paper trail that may help you to establish a dispute. You could put that evidence to the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal to prove a dispute and steps taken to try to resolve it.
Disclaimer
All legal information published on this website is general information about New Zealand law only. It is not legal advice or a substitute for legal advice. It does not address specific circumstances of any particular individual or entity. It may not reflect current law, practice or legal requirements. No warranty, guarantee or undertaking is made about the accuracy or completeness of the information, or about results that may be obtained from the information. No responsibility or liability is assumed or accepted for any actions taken or not taken based on use of the information, or for any direct or indirect losses or damage of any kind arising from use of the information. Specific legal advice should be obtained from a lawyer about any circumstances.