Car dealers handed 14 year ban

Two second-hand car dealers from Birmingham have been banned for a total of 14 years for supplying unroadworthy and dangerous vehicles with “complete disregard” for the safety of their customers and other motorists.

Mohammed Tufail (59) and Mohammed Umair (27) both signed seven-year disqualification orders, and the father and son are banned from directly or indirectly becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company.

Car Place Birmingham was incorporated in January 2015 and traded as a second-hand car dealership in Small Heath, central Birmingham.

But two years later, Birmingham Trading Standards seized six vehicles from Car Place Birmingham in March 2017 after they were found to be unroadworthy.

Trading Standards brought criminal proceedings against Car Place Birmingham and both directors – even though Mohammed Tufail had resigned as a director in January 2017 two months before the cars were seized – and in March 2018 the courts fined the company just over £33,000.

At the same hearing, Mohammed Tufail received a fine of £11,345, while his son, Mohammed Umair, was fined £8,726. The courts also made a forfeiture order for the six cars to be destroyed.

Following the court proceedings, Car Place Birmingham entered into a Creditors Voluntary Liquidation in May 2018 which brought the second-hand car dealership to the attention of the Insolvency Service.

At liquidation the company still hadn’t paid the fine, prompting the Insolvency Service to pursue directorship disqualifications against the two men.

Tony Quigley, head of trading Standards at Birmingham City Council, said: “These individuals supplied unroadworthy and dangerous vehicles with complete disregard for the safety of their customers or other motorists. Both failed to take on their responsibilities and obligations as company directors, and now this ban has come into effect, they are unable to set up, manage or promote any business. Birmingham Trading Standards works in partnership and supports actions taken by all other agencies to protect the public from rogue traders.”

Martin Gitner, deputy head of insolvent investigations for the Insolvency Service, said: “Both second-hand car dealers failed in their basic duty of care to their customers when they sold unroadworthy and potentially dangerous vehicles. These were serious offences and removing Mohammed Tufail and Mohammed Umair from the corporate arena will protect the public from further harm.”