South Australian authorities have taken the rare step of banning a man from being involved in the sale of used cars – permanently.
Unlicensed car dealer, Raymond Leslie Reubenicht, has been permanently banned from being a second-hand vehicle dealer following disciplinary proceedings in the District Court last month.

Reubenicht, who did not attend the hearing, was permanently disqualified from holding a secondhand dealer’s licence, from being employed or otherwise engaged in the business of a dealer, and from running or having an interest in a company dealing in second-hand vehicles. 

SA Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gail Gago says: “Consumers need to be protected from backyard dealers such as Reubenicht, who flout laws designed to protect consumers from deceptive conduct.” 

“This is a blatant disregard for the rights of consumers to have confidence in the dealer and the product they are representing” 

 Reubenicht was convicted and fined $25,000 in September 2007 for a range of offences including running a business as a second-hand car dealer and falsely representing the histories of vehicles.

 “Unlicensed vehicle dealers are of great concern to the public and today’s findings should serve as a warning to other dodgy dealers: you will be caught, and appropriate action will be taken”,  says Minister Gago.

 In his findings, His Honour Judge Chivell commented that Reubenicht’s conduct had been “serious, wilful, dishonest and calculating”, stating, “the defendant was experienced in the industry and took advantage of unassuming consumers”.

The Judge stated that based on the nature of the offending and Reubenicht’s failure to attend either the criminal or disciplinary proceedings, that he had no prospects of rehabilitation. 

Between September 2005 and November 2006, Reubenicht ran a business as a second-hand vehicle dealer whilst unlicensed. During this period Reubenicht sold 7 second-hand motor vehicles, five of which had been the subject of odometer interference and falsified service records.

Under the Second hand Vehicle Dealer’s Act 1995 a person who sells, or offers for sale, four or more second-hand vehicles in a 12 month period is presumed to be a dealer and must be licensed.

Source: Autofile