Car boot sales

Car boot sales can be an opportunity to get rid of unwanted stuff or pick up a bargain. However what seems to be a good bargain at the time could be a danger to you and your family. As well as the public traders use car boot sales pretending to be private sellers and can be selling faulty, dangerous, fake or stolen goods.

If the item you bought doesn't work, and you can find the person who sold it, you may be able to claim your money back. Traders are liable if they misdescribed the goods or if the goods are faulty. Private sellers are only liable if they misdescribed the goods.

Beware of stalls with stock of recent DVD, CDs, designer clothing and perfume as they could be fake.

Buying second hand electrical items from a car boot sale could be dangerous as most sold at car boot sales have reached the end of their useful life and may not conform to current safety standards. If you buy an electrical item it is a good idea to have a qualified electrician to check the item before you use it.

You should also be wary about buying toys. Many second hand toys will not comply with legislation and may have sharp edges or too much lead in the paint.