A director and sales executive of a business selling agricultural machinery have made a promise to trading standards officers not to make misleading statements when selling their goods.
Alan Farrow, 29, a director of East Yorkshire Machinery Ltd located on Hull Road, Shiptonthorpe, East Yorkshire and sales executive Duncan Sharp, 39, have both given undertakings to East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s trading standards that they will no longer make false or misleading statements when selling tractors or other forms of agricultural machinery.
The pair came to the attention of the council’s trading standards team after officers received a large number of complaints from customers of East Yorkshire Machinery Ltd over a 12-month period.
The complaints were made farmers running small businesses across the UK stating they had purchased a tractor or other piece of agricultural machinery in response to an advert that had been placed in the farming press.
The customers complained that once the machinery had been delivered it was found to be of very poor quality, not fit for purpose and not as had been described in either the advert or during the sales negotiations.
The losses incurred by the complainants ranged from £5,000 to £15,000.
The signed promises, made under the Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008, state that Farrow and Sharp will refrain from making false or misleading statements in respect of the availability, nature, composition, date of manufacture, fitness for purpose or specification of tractors or other products offered for sale.
The promises also give the pair one last chance of avoiding court action by changing their behaviour.
Councillor Shaun Horton, portfolio holder for community involvement and local partnerships at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “The activities of this company have caused some concern in the East Riding for some time.
“This action by trading standards will hopefully mean anyone dealing with this business in the future will not be misled into buying something which turns out not to be as described.
“The approach that trading standards has taken with this company shows that we will not tolerate businesses which operate in such a way as to mislead their customers for their own selfish gains.”
Anyone who has had dealings with East Yorkshire Machinery Ltd since January 2016 and has concerns or been mis-sold goods should contact Citizens Advice Consumer Bureau on 0345 050506.
