The High Appeals Court in Bahrain recently upheld a ruling that rejected a car agency’s request to charge a client 4,700 Bahraini dinars for vehicle maintenance. Instead, the agency was ordered to cover only the cost of spare parts, following errors in the servicing process. The case stemmed from the client purchasing a vehicle from an exclusive car dealership and regularly visiting the agency for routine maintenance. However, after less than three years of operation, the vehicle began experiencing malfunctions that ultimately led to engine failure.
The client returned to the agency’s service center multiple times for repairs before the engine ultimately failed. The agency then demanded a payment of 10,000 dinars for repairs, which the client refused to pay, citing prior maintenance mistakes made by the agency. The agency later reduced the repair cost to 4,798 dinars, but the client still refused to pay. This led the agency to file a lawsuit in civil court in an attempt to collect the repair costs and request a precautionary seizure of the vehicle.
In response, the client’s lawyer, Hameed Al Samak, filed a counterclaim against the agency, seeking full compensation for the repairs. An engineering expert was appointed to prepare a technical report assessing the agency’s responsibility for the vehicle’s malfunctions and any decrease in its market value. The final technical report determined that the agency was indeed responsible for the vehicle’s issues, due to incorrect diagnostics and poor maintenance during previous repairs.
As a result, the civil court rejected the agency’s claim for repair costs and the request to seize the vehicle, instead ordering the client to pay only for the consumed spare parts, which amounted to 1,100 dinars. This ruling was subsequently upheld by the High Appeals Court, leading to a significant victory for the client in this legal battle with the car agency. It serves as a reminder of the importance of holding service providers accountable for their mistakes, especially when they have a direct impact on a consumer’s safety and financial well-being.
Overall, this case highlights the complexities and challenges that can arise in dealing with service providers, particularly in the automotive industry where the stakes are high and the potential for costly mistakes is significant. Consumers must be vigilant in protecting their rights and seeking legal recourse when they have been wronged by negligent or unscrupulous service providers. By standing up for their rights and seeking justice through the legal system, consumers can hold service providers accountable and prevent similar issues from occurring in the future.
