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Hi, We bought a newly imported car from a small dealership about a month ago. We have since discovered water on the floor of the car, but so far haven't been able to work out where it is coming from. Is this sort of thing covered by the Consumer Guarantees Act? Do we have any rights to go back to the dealership and ask them to sort it out?

Once you are satisfied the leak is an on-going problem the first step is to make contact with the Dealer (face to face with the car is best)and discuss the water leak.

They need to be given the opportunity to inspect the car and to confirm the problem. If the car has an open body seam or body defect of some sort, then yes they should take responsibility for sorting it out at their cost.

I have to say water leaks can be a nightmare to locate and repair as the initial entry point of water into the vehicle can often be different from where it starts to become visible to the owner (much like a water leak into a house).

It is also quite possible the Dealer had no idea the car had a water leak when they purchased and then on-sold it, so you need to try and work with them initially rather than suggest they knowingly sold you a car with a defect.

One of the positives of buying a used import is they do get a thorough and invasive body inspect as part of the compliance process, so you would like to think any obvious defects would have been noted and repaired before compliance was issued.

Be patient, and hope it will be an easy fix. It always pays to make notes of who you speak to and what was said however in case things turn ugly.

If the Dealer is a member of the Motor Trade Association, you can always contact their mediation call centre for further advice.

Last resort would be a Motor Vehicle Dispute hearing.