OMVIC Consumer Protection and Dispute Resolution Flashcards

Under OMVIC regulations, which party is responsible for ensuring a vehicle's safety standards certificate is obtained before delivery to the consumer?

Answer: The registered dealer selling the vehicle

A registered dealer is responsible for obtaining a valid safety standards certificate before delivering a used vehicle to a consumer.

A salesperson registered with OMVIC leaves their employer dealership. What must happen to their registration?

Answer: It becomes inactive and must be updated to reflect the new employer

A salesperson's OMVIC registration is tied to their sponsoring dealer and must be updated when they change employers.

What is the primary purpose of the mandatory written disclosure statement dealers must provide about a vehicle's history?

Answer: To ensure consumers have material information needed to make an informed purchase decision

The disclosure statement is designed to give consumers all material facts about a vehicle's history so they can make an informed buying decision.

A dealer advertises a vehicle at a specific price online, but when a consumer arrives, the dealer claims the price was a 'mistake' and charges more. Under OMVIC rules, this conduct is:

Answer: A prohibited practice known as bait-and-switch advertising

Advertising a vehicle at one price and then charging a higher price is a prohibited bait-and-switch practice under the MVDA.

If OMVIC revokes a dealer's registration, what immediate effect does this have on the dealer's salespersons?

Answer: Their registrations are automatically suspended until they find a new sponsoring dealer

When a dealer loses its registration, the salespersons' registrations become inactive and they cannot sell vehicles until registered with a new sponsoring dealer.

A consumer paid a deposit on a vehicle that the dealer later sold to someone else. The consumer's best first course of action under OMVIC's dispute process is to:

Answer: File a complaint with OMVIC to trigger its mediation process

Filing a complaint with OMVIC initiates the regulatory complaint and mediation process, which is the appropriate first step before litigation.

Under the MVDA, how long does a consumer generally have to make a claim to the OMVIC Compensation Fund after suffering a qualifying loss?

Answer: One year from the date the loss was discovered or ought to have been discovered

Claims to the Compensation Fund must generally be made within one year of when the consumer discovered or ought to have discovered the loss.